Ed Stetzer | TLG Christian News

SBC Pastor Salaries Increase, Paid Health Insurance Declines

12/09/2016 0 Comment

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By Martin King

Compensation for full-time Southern Baptist church staff members has exceeded the cost-of-living increase over the past two years. However, health insurance coverage continues to decline, according to the 2016 SBC Church Compensation Study.

The biannual study is a joint project of state Baptist conventions, GuideStone Financial Resources and LifeWay Christian Resources. Compensation and congregational data is collected anonymously from ministers and offi..

Skip the Endorsements in Church, Say Most Americans

08/09/2016 0 Comment

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Since the 1950s, the IRS has banned preachers from endorsing candidates during church services.

Most Americans seem to like it that way.

Eight in 10 (79 percent) say it is inappropriate for pastors to endorse a candidate in church. Three-quarters say churches should steer clear of endorsements.

Yet fewer than half want churches to be punished if they do endorse candidates.

Those are among the findings in a new report on religion and politics from Nashville-b..

Weekend Edition – August 26, 2016

26/08/2016 0 Comment

Four places of human flourishing, surviving cancer, learning from failure, church signs, and more!

Justice According To Jesus – Rich Stearns

Spiritual Advice for Surviving Cancer and Other Disasters – Jamie Aten

Jesus, Discipleship, and Movement: The Four Places of Human Flourishing – JR Woodward

How to Grow Through Failure – Ken Wytsma

Want to read a weekly digest of The Exchange blog?Click hereto subscribe to Christianity Today's Newsletter for The Exchange to get weekly wrap-ups dir..

Research: Few Pastors Asked to Perform Same-Sex Weddings, Less Than Half Allow LGBT to Serve in Church

18/08/2016 0 Comment

By Bob Smietana

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — More than 100,000 same-sex couples have tied the knot since the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriages nationwide last year.

But for preachers, being asked to do a same-sex wedding remains rare.

A new survey by Nashville-based LifeWay Research found 11 percent of Protestant senior pastors have been asked to perform a same-sex wedding.

Baptist pastors (1 percent) are the least likely to say they were asked to perform a same-sex wedding. Presbyterian/Refo..

Are We Talking Past Each Other? 3 Tips For Talking Faith With Friends & Neighbors

15/08/2016 0 Comment

It is past time we return to the basics if we are to relate to those around us in a way they will understand who God is and what it means to follow Him.

When we send missionaries across an ocean, we know they will need to spend months learning not only a new language, but also new attitudes, customs, and expectations.

But what about when we share the gospel with our next door neighbor? Most of our neighbors speak the same language we do, shop at the same grocery store, and take the same roads..

How Evangelism Can Be Woven Into All Parts Of An Academic Institution

08/08/2016 0 Comment

Evangelism should be a value that shapes all Christian academic institutions.

Dear Friends,

When I visit campuses I sometimes hear the following complaint about making evangelism an explicit value: “We’re an academic institution, not a Bible college!” The underlying worry is that the academic mission will be displaced by evangelism. My response is that I don’t think this is the right way to think about evangelism as a core institutional value. We’re Christian academic institutions, so values l..

Jesus on the Job: How Faith Mixes With Work, Part 2

04/08/2016 0 Comment

It is past time to have a robust conversation around integrating faith and learning.

One of the keys to equipping people to see their work as a place where they can point people to Jesus and as a way to fulfill God’s call upon their lives is to begin early.

If we wait until people are in the throes of the questions and struggles of work vs. ministry, there is a much greater probability of deconstruction that will need to be done before they can begin to be rightly encouraged and equipped for w..

Americans Prefer to Talk About Politics Rather Than God

02/08/2016 0 Comment

By Bob Smietana

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Politics trumps God for most Americans when it comes to conversations with their friends.

Six in 10 Americans are more comfortable talking about politics than their spiritual beliefs. And most say they aren’t interested in having more spiritual conversations.

By contrast, evangelical Christians prefer talking about God over politics by a 2-to-1 margin.

Those are among the findings of an online survey of 1,004 Americans about their views on spirituality and po..

Weekend Edition—July 29, 2016

29/07/2016 0 Comment

Disaster Relief, Excuses, Sharing faith, Church signs, and more!

Preaching in the Wake of Disaster—Jamie Aten

Bringing hope to victims of a disaster is a great opportunity and responsibility.

Conflict Resolution, Excuses, and Race Relations—Barnabas Piper

Isn’t it about time we who claim the gospel move forward—fast—toward racial reconciliation?

After Childhood Abuse, How Can I Trust Others with My Kids?—Nana Dolce

A thoughtful answer to the question of how to protect our kids and ministe..

The State of Evangelism–The Exchange Podcast #138

27/07/2016 0 Comment

On this podcast of The Exchange, Dr. John Sorensen, President of Evangelism Explosion International, a ministry that has trained millions of Christians around the world to share Christ, discusses the state of evangelism, research on evangelism trends, as well as myths and methods of evangelism. Also, Derwin Gray teaches on transformational churches and Clint Arnold shares 3 leadership tips from the Apostle Paul.