Churches Adopt Adoption

"From megachurches like Saddleback Church in Orange County, California, and Christ Community Church in Franklin, Tennessee, to small congregations like First Baptist Church in Cambridge, Minnesota, U.S. churches are launching orphan care ministries, most of them lay-led."

A Third Way Between Traditional and Emerging

"Jim Belcher's recent book Deep Church has garnered a lot of attention in ministry circles. For 2009 it was even named Best Book for the Leader's Outer Life by our sister magazine Leadership journal. BuildingChurchLeaders.com editor Drew Dyck spoke with Belcher about his book and what it means for churches."

A Closer Look at "Lean" Church Staffs

"A new survey of U.S. churches suggests that 1 in 7 spends less than 35 percent of its annual budget on staffing costs. . ."

Economy’s Impact on Churches: How Have They Adapted

Part two or a three-part look by Barna at the economy and churches.

The Church that Helped Bring Down the Berlin Wall

"St. Nikolai Evangelical Lutheran Church hasn't changed much since the 16th century. Bach once played the organ here and the music remains alluring, but it is the church's more recent history in the last days of the Cold War and its role in the fall of the Berlin Wall that draw tourists today."

Reports: Biggest U.S. Churches 'Contemporary, Evangelical'

"Two new reports on the size and strength of American congregations present contrasting pictures of church life today."

Churches Put Faith in Housing Business

"Churches that have long called for an increase in affordable housing have started taking matters into their own hands, the Washington Post reports: A growing number of them have launched their own housing projects, partnering with developers to build whole communities. Their weekly flow of donations allows them to qualify for financing, and the resulting real estate revenue diversifies church income and helps underwrite community programs like food banks."

Boom-Years Borrowing Hits Churches

"Add houses of worship to the list of casualties of the mortgage crisis. Foreclosures and delinquencies for congregations are rising, according to companies that specialize in church mortgages. With credit scarce, church construction sites have gone quiet, holding shells of sanctuaries that were meant to be completed months ago. Congregants have less money to give, and pastors who stretched to buy property in the boom are struggling to hold onto their churches."