The document describes various statistics related to growth of the Assemblies of God church from 1958 to the present day. Some key points include:
- Membership grew from 20,000 churches and 1.5 million adherents in 1958 to over 300,000 churches and 61 million adherents today.
- Between 2003 and 2008, adherents increased by over 10 million people, a 17.6% growth rate.
- Between 1929 and 1939, the number of churches doubled in the US and more than doubled outside the US. Membership increased over 100% worldwide in that period.
Strategically rebuilding the Church of the Nativity involved studying, learning from and adopting successful practices in other Christian communities. Dr Ruth Powell will explore trends in evangelisation and what is working well in Christian communities across Australia. Participants are invited to take big picture ideas, learn from others and apply them in their own parishes.
Ruth Powell is Director of National Church Life Survey (NCLS) Research and an Associate Professor at the Australian Catholic University. She has been a part of the NCLS team since 1991. She has written about many aspects of Australian church life, including church health, denominational differences, and individual attitudes. Her PhD research focused on age differences among church attenders. Some of the publications she has co-authored include Winds of Change, Views from the Pews, Shaping a Future, Build My Church, Taking Stock, and Enriching Church Life.
Regional Cohort Gatherings March 14 & 15, 2012Jason Condon
Topic: "Member Care & Church Governance" From the "Big Picture" Regional Cohort Gatherings for church planters on the East Coast Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church.
Understanding Covenant Church PlantingJason Condon
Presentation with Q&A discussion introducing the principles and practices of Covenant Church Planting in Evangelical Covenant Church. Facilitated by Michael Carrion & Jason Condon at Midwinter 2015, Denver CO.
Creating an Invite Culture - Highrock Quincy Retreat 2016-01-30Jason Condon
Workshop Handout from the Highrock Quincy Retreat 2016-01-30 at Pilgrim Pines Campground on the East Coast Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church.
Summary: Bonsai Theory of Church Growth. by Ken HemphillRobert Munson
A brief summary of some items from the book by Ken Hemphill on how to maintain an artificially small church. Hopefully from that, one can gain insight into how to have a naturally (yet also supernaturally) growing church.
Strategically rebuilding the Church of the Nativity involved studying, learning from and adopting successful practices in other Christian communities. Dr Ruth Powell will explore trends in evangelisation and what is working well in Christian communities across Australia. Participants are invited to take big picture ideas, learn from others and apply them in their own parishes.
Ruth Powell is Director of National Church Life Survey (NCLS) Research and an Associate Professor at the Australian Catholic University. She has been a part of the NCLS team since 1991. She has written about many aspects of Australian church life, including church health, denominational differences, and individual attitudes. Her PhD research focused on age differences among church attenders. Some of the publications she has co-authored include Winds of Change, Views from the Pews, Shaping a Future, Build My Church, Taking Stock, and Enriching Church Life.
Regional Cohort Gatherings March 14 & 15, 2012Jason Condon
Topic: "Member Care & Church Governance" From the "Big Picture" Regional Cohort Gatherings for church planters on the East Coast Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church.
Understanding Covenant Church PlantingJason Condon
Presentation with Q&A discussion introducing the principles and practices of Covenant Church Planting in Evangelical Covenant Church. Facilitated by Michael Carrion & Jason Condon at Midwinter 2015, Denver CO.
Creating an Invite Culture - Highrock Quincy Retreat 2016-01-30Jason Condon
Workshop Handout from the Highrock Quincy Retreat 2016-01-30 at Pilgrim Pines Campground on the East Coast Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church.
Summary: Bonsai Theory of Church Growth. by Ken HemphillRobert Munson
A brief summary of some items from the book by Ken Hemphill on how to maintain an artificially small church. Hopefully from that, one can gain insight into how to have a naturally (yet also supernaturally) growing church.
How well is the US government addressing the needs of military personnelEMDRHAP Yusupova
How well is the US government addressing the needs of military personnel and veterans with combat PTSD? View and download this extensive overview by CDR Mark Russell USN, a leading authority, as presented at 2008 EMDRIA Conference.
In my role with MacBites Learning I gave an 80 minute demonstration of effectively working with data in iBooks Author to a live webinar audience on 24 May 2012.
There is a recording of the webinar available for purchase from the MacBites Learning website at http://macbiteslearning.co.uk/category/recordings/
Apportionments: The portion meant for others
This presentation seeks to answer four common questions about apportionments:
Why do we have them?
Who decides?
How much do we pay?
Does it work?
We are proud to present to you the First Presbyterian Church of Jackson 2022 Annual Report. It’s important to note: this report and all the data in it reflect the state of our church at the end of 2022. Our desire is that this report serves as a sample of a fuller report that will continue to be released early each year.
Katie Kraft, Advocacy Coordinator for the Healthy Families Health Planet (HFHP) initiative of the United Methodist General Board of Church and Society explains how denominations can become advocates for change in global health.
God calls the Church and our parishes to grow. However, today many of our parishes lack a vision for making disciples, have few or no plans to grow, and can assume that their current members are growing and new disciples are being made, despite evidence to the contrary. In other words, our parishes can be more hopeful than honest. This workshop will address the pastoral reality and current practice of our parishes, offer a renewed vision for making disciples and evangelisation, and suggest practical actions that parishes can take to change the culture and focus of their ministries and groups. It will draw on research into best practice for Church growth both here in Australia and abroad and facilitate a conversation about the nature of parish leadership in this time of change and challenge for faith.
Daniel Ang is Director of Pastoral Planning for the Diocese of Parramatta. He was co-author and coordinator of the Parramatta pastoral plan, Faith in Our Future, and now oversees initiatives of renewal and planning in a parish and diocesan context. He teaches ecclesiology and ministry at the Parramatta Institute for Mission, holds a Bachelor of Arts/Commerce from the University of Sydney and a Master of Divinity from the Sydney College of Divinity. Daniel is an executive member of the National Pastoral Planners Network and published in a number of peer reviewed journals. He is a married layman with one son.
Lesson 9 - Resisting Temptation Along the Way.pptxCelso Napoleon
Lesson 9 - Resisting Temptation Along the Way
SBs – Sunday Bible School
Adult Bible Lessons 2nd quarter 2024 CPAD
MAGAZINE: THE CAREER THAT IS PROPOSED TO US: The Path of Salvation, Holiness and Perseverance to Reach Heaven
Commentator: Pastor Osiel Gomes
Presentation: Missionary Celso Napoleon
Renewed in Grace
The Chakra System in our body - A Portal to Interdimensional Consciousness.pptxBharat Technology
each chakra is studied in greater detail, several steps have been included to
strengthen your personal intention to open each chakra more fully. These are designed
to draw forth the highest benefit for your spiritual growth.
In Jude 17-23 Jude shifts from piling up examples of false teachers from the Old Testament to a series of practical exhortations that flow from apostolic instruction. He preserves for us what may well have been part of the apostolic catechism for the first generation of Christ-followers. In these instructions Jude exhorts the believer to deal with 3 different groups of people: scoffers who are "devoid of the Spirit", believers who have come under the influence of scoffers and believers who are so entrenched in false teaching that they need rescue and pose some real spiritual risk for the rescuer. In all of this Jude emphasizes Jesus' call to rescue straying sheep, leaving the 99 safely behind and pursuing the 1.
What Should be the Christian View of Anime?Joe Muraguri
We will learn what Anime is and see what a Christian should consider before watching anime movies? We will also learn a little bit of Shintoism religion and hentai (the craze of internet pornography today).
The PBHP DYC ~ Reflections on The Dhamma (English).pptxOH TEIK BIN
A PowerPoint Presentation based on the Dhamma Reflections for the PBHP DYC for the years 1993 – 2012. To motivate and inspire DYC members to keep on practicing the Dhamma and to do the meritorious deed of Dhammaduta work.
The texts are in English.
For the Video with audio narration, comments and texts in English, please check out the Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zF2g_43NEa0
HANUMAN STORIES: TIMELESS TEACHINGS FOR TODAY’S WORLDLearnyoga
Hanuman Stories: Timeless Teachings for Today’s World" delves into the inspiring tales of Hanuman, highlighting lessons of devotion, strength, and selfless service that resonate in modern life. These stories illustrate how Hanuman's unwavering faith and courage can guide us through challenges and foster resilience. Through these timeless narratives, readers can find profound wisdom to apply in their daily lives.
The Good News, newsletter for June 2024 is hereNoHo FUMC
Our monthly newsletter is available to read online. We hope you will join us each Sunday in person for our worship service. Make sure to subscribe and follow us on YouTube and social media.
Exploring the Mindfulness Understanding Its Benefits.pptxMartaLoveguard
Slide 1: Title: Exploring the Mindfulness: Understanding Its Benefits
Slide 2: Introduction to Mindfulness
Mindfulness, defined as the conscious, non-judgmental observation of the present moment, has deep roots in Buddhist meditation practice but has gained significant popularity in the Western world in recent years. In today's society, filled with distractions and constant stimuli, mindfulness offers a valuable tool for regaining inner peace and reconnecting with our true selves. By cultivating mindfulness, we can develop a heightened awareness of our thoughts, feelings, and surroundings, leading to a greater sense of clarity and presence in our daily lives.
Slide 3: Benefits of Mindfulness for Mental Well-being
Practicing mindfulness can help reduce stress and anxiety levels, improving overall quality of life.
Mindfulness increases awareness of our emotions and teaches us to manage them better, leading to improved mood.
Regular mindfulness practice can improve our ability to concentrate and focus our attention on the present moment.
Slide 4: Benefits of Mindfulness for Physical Health
Research has shown that practicing mindfulness can contribute to lowering blood pressure, which is beneficial for heart health.
Regular meditation and mindfulness practice can strengthen the immune system, aiding the body in fighting infections.
Mindfulness may help reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and obesity by reducing stress and improving overall lifestyle habits.
Slide 5: Impact of Mindfulness on Relationships
Mindfulness can help us better understand others and improve communication, leading to healthier relationships.
By focusing on the present moment and being fully attentive, mindfulness helps build stronger and more authentic connections with others.
Mindfulness teaches us how to be present for others in difficult times, leading to increased compassion and understanding.
Slide 6: Mindfulness Techniques and Practices
Focusing on the breath and mindful breathing can be a simple way to enter a state of mindfulness.
Body scan meditation involves focusing on different parts of the body, paying attention to any sensations and feelings.
Practicing mindful walking and eating involves consciously focusing on each step or bite, with full attention to sensory experiences.
Slide 7: Incorporating Mindfulness into Daily Life
You can practice mindfulness in everyday activities such as washing dishes or taking a walk in the park.
Adding mindfulness practice to daily routines can help increase awareness and presence.
Mindfulness helps us become more aware of our needs and better manage our time, leading to balance and harmony in life.
Slide 8: Summary: Embracing Mindfulness for Full Living
Mindfulness can bring numerous benefits for physical and mental health.
Regular mindfulness practice can help achieve a fuller and more satisfying life.
Mindfulness has the power to change our perspective and way of perceiving the world, leading to deeper se
The Book of Joshua is the sixth book in the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament, and is the first book of the Deuteronomistic history, the story of Israel from the conquest of Canaan to the Babylonian exile.
Kenneth Grant - Against the Light-Holmes Pub Grou Llc (1999).pdf
AG Update
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24. The age of AG churches highlights a history of consistent church planting Q1. In what year was your church established?
25. Over half of AG churches have 5 year Avg. Worship Attendance growth of 10%+ Q3. What is your church’s average worship attendance on a typical weekend (including all ages from babies to adults but not counting anyone twice)? Q4. Five years ago (Fall 2003) what was your church’s average worship attendance on a typical weekend (including all ages from babies to adults but not counting anyone twice)? Growing : 5 Yr Percent Change =10% or more Declining : 5 Yr Percent Change =-10% or less Stable/Plateaued : 5 Yr Percent Change between -10% and +10%
26. The majority of individuals who attend our church consider the Bible authoritative and turn to it as the source of truth and wisdom for daily living Q17a. As pastor, please provide your level of agreement with each of the following statements about your congregation. 0% Don’t Know
27. We are consistently hearing reports of changed lives at our church Q20b. As pastor, please provide your level of agreement with each of the following statements. 1% Don’t Know
28. I regularly teach our congregation about the concept of being baptized in the Holy Spirit Q20d. As pastor, please provide your level of agreement with each of the following statements. 0% Don’t Know
29. I regularly teach our congregation that speaking in tongues is the initial physical evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit Q20h. As pastor, please provide your level of agreement with each of the following statements. 0% Don’t Know
30. Within worship services, our church regularly prays for people to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit Q20e. As pastor, please provide your level of agreement with each of the following statements. 0% Don’t Know
31. Percentage of adults that attend at least once a month and claim to be baptized in the Holy Spirit Q19. Approximately what percentage of adults who attend your church at least once a month claim to be baptized in the Holy Spirit? The median known percentage is 50% The mean known percentage is 52%
32. Our church typically has the financial resources to fund each ministry as is needed Q17i. As pastor, please provide your level of agreement with each of the following statements about your congregation. 0% Don’t Know
33. Our congregation understands it is every Christian’s responsibility to share the Gospel with non-Christians Q17f. As pastor, please provide your level of agreement with each of the following statements about your congregation. 1% Don’t Know
34. Most of those who attend our church feel comfortable that they can share their belief in Christ to someone else effectively Q17g. As pastor, please provide your level of agreement with each of the following statements about your congregation. 3% Don’t Know
35. Percentage of adults who attend at least once a month who are personally involved in outreach Q16. Approximately what percentage of adults who attend your church at least once a month are personally involved in outreach? The median known percentage is 15% The mean known percentage is 23%
36. Percentage of adults who volunteer varies widely Q8. What percentage of adults who attend your church at least once a month have regular responsibilities at your church (e.g., greeter, teacher, child care, etc.)? The median known percentage is 35% The mean known percentage is 40%
37. Percentage of adults who serve in their church’s community is lower Q9. What percentage of adults who attend your church at least once a month are involved in ministries or projects that serve people in your community not affiliated with your church? The median known percentage is 10% The mean known percentage is 18%
38. Most of those who attend our church have developed significant relationships with people at our church Q17l. As pastor, please provide your level of agreement with each of the following statements about your congregation. 1% Don’t Know
39. Very few people in our church participate in formal outreach activities Q17k. As pastor, please provide your level of agreement with each of the following statements about your congregation. 1% Don’t Know
40. Percentage of current worship attendance involved in a small group or Sunday School class Q15. What percentage of your current weekend worship attendance is involved in some small group, Sunday School class or similar group? The median known percentage is 50% The mean known percentage is 48%
41. Percent of churches regularly evaluating congregation’s discipleship progress Q18. Does your church regularly evaluate discipleship progress among your congregation?
42. I am completely satisfied with the state of discipleship within our church Q20c. As pastor, please provide your level of agreement with each of the following statements. 0% Don’t Know
43. Level of biblical knowledge among each age group within your church Q21. In your opinion, what is the level of biblical knowledge among each age group within your church?
Positive Finding The Age of AG Churches highlights a history of Consistent church planting.Note the consistent breakdown of church ate 24% of our churches were started from 1930 – 194923% of our churches were started from 1950 – 196921 % of our churches were started from 1970 – 198922% of our churches were started from 1990 - Present This represents amazing consistency in church planting and growth<number>
Positive Finding56% of our Churches claim a 5 year average worship attendance growth of 10% or more. 15% of our churches are in plateau.29% of our churches are in decline. Unfortunately, this number does not seem to be reflected in our overall growth numbers over that same period of time. I may be that a substantial portion of this growth can be explained by transfer growth. <number>
Positive Findings The Vast majority of AG pastors believe the majority of their congregations see the Bible as authoritative and turn to it as the source of truth and wisdom. 98% either strongly agree or somewhat agree with this statement. This is important to the integrity of the discipleship process.Our view of Scripture is the controlling factor is all spiritual growth <number>
Positive Findings 91% of our pastors report that they consistently hear reports of changed lives within their churches. 9% of our pastors are not hearing positive reports of changed lives. <number>
Good News – Bad News Our findings indicate that 90% of our pastors either teach or endeavor to teach regularly about the importance of being baptized in the Holy Spirit. Approximately 9% of our pastors admit that they do not teach this important truth. <number>
Good News – Bad NewsThere is also a corresponding doctrinal focus on the Gift of Tongues as the Initial Physical Evidence. The percentage of those who regularly teach that doctrine is 89%. However, as you will see from the next statistic there is an apparent disconnect that creates some reason for concern. <number>
Good News – Bad NewsOur findings show that, although 90% of our pastors claim to teach regularly on the importance of the baptism of the Holy Spirit only 28% strongly agree with the statement that their church regularly takes time to pray for people to receive the Holy Spirit.Actually 30% of our pastors actually disagree and seldom pray for people to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Perhaps, that is why we find the next finding of concern! <number>
Good News – Bad News Only 44% of our pastors report that 60% or more of their people claim to have been baptized in the Holy Spirit. 56% of our pastors acknowledge that less than 60% of their people are baptized in the Holy Spirit. We are a Pentecostal movement. Yet, the majority of our people have not experienced this important distinctive. There seems to be a disconnect between belief and practice! <number>
Good News – Bad News Only 57% stated that their churches had the financial resources to fund ministry as needed <number>
Good News – Bad NewsA very strong percentage of our pastors (65% strongly agree that their congregations understand it is every Christian’s responsibility to share the Gospel with non-Christians. This is the central issue to the continued growth of our churches. Yet further study of the statistics show an alarming disconnect between knowledge and practice. <number>
Good News – Bad NewsNotice that less (17%) strongly agree that their people feel comfortable that they can actually share their belief in Christ with someone else effectively. This shows a need for the church to more effectively train our people to share the Gospel. <number>
Good News – Bad News Only 27% of our churches claim that more that 30% or more of their people are personally involved in outreach and evangelism. We are concerned that 72% of our churches have less than 30% of their people are personally involved in outreach or evangelism. <number>
Good News – Bad News Based on a national average, our congregation are better than most at serving and volunteering within their churches. Our studies showed that 48% of our pastors claimed that over 40% of adults within their church serve as volunteers. Although that is encouraging, we also found that our people are not equally involved within our communities. The result can be an introverted church family that has little impact on the cities and towns they live in. <number>
Good News – Bad News Our finding indicate that only 21% of the pastors polled indicated that more that 30%of their adult adherents were involved in community service. 79% of the churches surveyed indicated that less than 30% of their people were involved in community service. <number>
Good News – Bad NewsBased on the findings of our survey, 87% of our people enjoy significant and meaningful relationships with people at our churches.We can accurately claim to be a friendly church. The problem is that in developing meaning relationships within the church we must not neglect our relationship with those outside our church. <number>
Good News – Bad NewsYet far to few of the people who enjoy the fellowship of people within the church are willing to participate in outreach to people out of the church. <number>
Bad NewsNote that less than 35% of our churches have an active involvement of 60% or more of their people in discipleship ministries such as Sunday School or Small Groups65% of our churches report that less then 60% of their people are involved in Christian Education or Small group discipleship ministries. 35% of our churches have an involvement of under 40%This represents bad news for the cause of effective discipleship because small groups and Christian education are two central and necessary components to spiritual formation. <number>
Bad NewsOnly 45% of our churches regularly evaluate the progress and spiritual growth of their members 55% of our churches either don’t evaluate the spiritual growth of their people or they don’t know. If the product of the church is the quality and character of its people this is a statistic that should cause concern. <number>
Bad NewsIt is of some concern that 64% of our churches are dissatisfied with their state of discipleship. However, it is possible that this dissatisfaction will lead to a more aggressive, intentional discipleship emphasis. <number>
Bad NewsOur survey revealed a major concern in the area of biblical knowledge. 61% of adults were ranked average to poor in biblical knowledge. 88% of teens were ranked from average to poor. 85% of children were average to poor. If our knowledge of the Bible is the primary lens through which we develop a scriptural world view, we must give new emphasis to biblical study. <number>
Bad News It is alarming to realize that 56% of the pastors surveyed were over 50 years of age. Only 16% are under 40. To keep our movement strong and growing we must pray the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into the field. Unless we address this problem our church faces an uncertain future. <number>