Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 6

Eleven Observations about Church Transfer Growth

Is church transfer growth good, bad, or neutral?

That’s a question I’ve heard countless times from pastors, church leaders, and concerned church members alike. And the truth is, the answer isn’t simple. Like many trends in church life, transfer growth has layers—some healthy, some unhealthy, and some just plain confusing.

In the most basic sense, transfer growth refers to a person moving their membership from one church to another. That’s it. No dramatic backstory is required. Sometimes it’s as simple as a change of address. Sometimes it’s a change in theology. Sometimes it’s a change in preference—music styles, programs for kids, preaching style, or a church’s stance on a social issue.

Over the past two decades, our attitudes toward transfer growth have shifted. A generation ago, we practically celebrated it. Today, there’s more caution. More scrutiny. More nuance.

Of course, it’s also given rise to a few humorous descriptions: “shuffling the sheep,” “circulation of the saints,” and my personal favorite, “Christian musical chairs.” But behind the laughter is a serious conversation worth having. So, let me share eleven observations I’ve made over the years about this type of growth.

1. In the recent past, transfer growth was rewarded.

Fifteen to twenty years ago, we measured success by the total number of people joining a church—regardless of how they got there. Transfer growth and conversion growth were lumped together in year-end reports and Sunday announcements. “We had 50 new members join this quarter!” was a cause for celebration, even if most of them came from another church down the street.

In many ways, we incentivized it without realizing it.

2. The pendulum has swung—and not everyone is celebrating transfer growth anymore.

Today, particularly among younger generations, transfer growth carries a more negative connotation. Millennials and Gen Z are less likely to view church like a menu of services and more likely to seek authenticity, mission, and community. They aren’t impressed by flashy numbers. They want to know whether lives are being changed.

For many of them, a church filled with transferred members isn’t necessarily a sign of health—it could be a red flag.

3. The consumer mindset has crept into our churches.

Let’s be honest: too much of church life in North America has been shaped by consumerism. People “shop” for churches the way they shop for phones—comparing features, benefits, and packages. If the music isn’t just right or the pastor doesn’t preach their style, they look elsewhere. If a church doesn’t meet their preferences, they hop to one that does.

This mindset treats the church more like a spiritual country club than a biblical community.

4. Pastors used to compete over transfer growth—and it wasn’t healthy.

In years past, it wasn’t uncommon for pastors to feel threatened—or even defensive—when members transferred to another church. Rivalries formed. Tensions grew. Church leaders quietly competed for the most visible families or the most generous tithers.

Thankfully, this attitude has diminished in many places. But for a long time, transfer growth was tangled up in pride, competition, and comparison. And some scars remain.

5. Transfer growth can hide deeper issues in a church.

On the surface, a growing church looks like a healthy church. But not all growth is created equal. A church can be applauded for booming numbers without ever reaching a single new believer. It can be known as the “it” church in town, all while neglecting the Great Commission.

Transfer growth can inflate attendance without transforming lives. It can mask evangelistic disobedience with numerical success. It can look like revival but be little more than relocation.

6. Low membership expectations make it easy for people to transfer.

When churches don’t expect much from their members, it’s no surprise that people come and go with ease. But when churches raise the bar—when they communicate that membership means service, sacrifice, accountability, and involvement—transfer growth becomes less casual.

Churches with high expectations tend to attract disciples, not just consumers.

7. The decline of cultural Christianity has slowed transfer growth.

There was a time when attending a “popular” church was simply what good citizens did. Churchgoing was expected. Respectable. Even strategic for business relationships. In that era, people transferred to larger or trendier churches almost by default.

That day is fading. Cultural Christianity is dying, and with it, the notion that church membership is part of social respectability. Fewer people are transferring just to keep up appearances. The ones who do transfer are usually more intentional and theologically motivated.

8. More churches are contacting the sending church before accepting a transfer.

This is one of the healthier trends I’ve observed. When someone seeks to join a new church, some pastors are now reaching out to the previous church to confirm the person’s standing. Were they a member in good faith? Were there unresolved issues or conflicts? Were they under discipline?

This extra step helps prevent unresolved baggage from transferring into a new church family and promotes integrity across congregations.

9. Not all transfer growth is bad.

Let me be clear: transfer growth isn’t automatically a sign of dysfunction. Sometimes it’s necessary. Sometimes it’s the fruit of careful thought, prayer, and spiritual discernment.

In fact, one of the most common phrases I hear is, “I don’t want to just jump churches, but I feel like God is leading us elsewhere.” And sometimes, that’s exactly what He’s doing.

We don’t want to throw the baby out with the bathwater here. Just because transfer growth can be unhealthy doesn’t mean it always is.

10. Some believers leave their church due to serious doctrinal concerns.

I recently spoke to a woman who left her church because the leadership began denying the exclusivity of salvation through Jesus Christ. That’s not a difference in music style or dress code—that’s a theological earthquake.

In such cases, transferring to a gospel-centered church isn’t just acceptable—it’s commendable. When core doctrine is compromised, members often must make the hard decision to leave and find a church that remains faithful to Scripture.

11. Relocation is now the most common reason for church transfers.

In today’s mobile culture, people move more than ever—for jobs, family, or lifestyle. As a result, the most frequent type of transfer growth comes from relocation.

When someone moves across town or across the country, one of the first things faithful believers do is find a new church home. And we should celebrate that. In fact, helping relocated Christians plug into healthy churches may be one of the most strategic forms of transfer growth we have today.

These members are not shopping—they’re searching for a new place to serve, grow, and belong. That’s something we should encourage.

A Final Word

Transfer growth is neither a hero nor a villain in the church growth conversation. It’s a reality. Sometimes it’s messy. Sometimes it’s beautiful. Sometimes it reveals problems. Sometimes it reflects obedience.

What matters most is how we understand it, how we respond to it, and how we disciple those who arrive through it.

Perhaps your church has experienced seasons of transfer growth—whether through relocation, doctrinal clarity, or even unfortunate church conflict. I’d love to hear your stories and your thoughts. How has transfer growth shaped your congregation? What lessons have you learned?

Let’s keep the conversation going. And let’s continue to pursue growth that honors Christ and advances His mission—no matter where it begins.

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Know the Truth, Share it Well: Why Cultural Theology Matters for Women in Leadership

There’s a verse that’s been pressing on me lately, especially as I think about the role of women leading in the church and in their communities in the midst of hard topics like war, politics, gender identity, and other cultural events:

“But in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. Yet do this with gentleness and respect.” — 1 Peter 3:15 (CSB)

This verse isn’t just a call to study theology. It’s a charge to live it. In a world saturated with opinions, headlines, and TikTok theologians, our ability to give a defense for our hope isn’t optional. It’s essential. And we can’t do that well if we don’t know the truth or the counterfeit ideas that threaten to take its place.

1. Ideas Matter

We don’t live in a vacuum. Every one of us is shaped by ideas—some we’ve inherited, some we’ve chosen, and some we’ve unknowingly absorbed. Social media scrolls, streaming content, advertising, education, and even conversations around the dinner table are forming us. They’re shaping how we see the world, what we think about God, about ourselves, about justice, sexuality, identity, success, and suffering.

That’s why worldview matters. A worldview is simply the lens through which we see and interpret reality. It’s the mental framework that helps us answer the big questions: Who am I? Why am I here? What’s wrong with the world, and how do we fix it? Whether we’re aware of it or not, we all have one—and so do the people we’re leading.

2. What is Cultural Theology?

Cultural theology is the intentional practice of thinking biblically about the world we live in. It’s where theology intersects with culture—where the unchanging Word of God speaks into an ever-shifting world. As leaders, we don’t have the luxury of looking away or pretending that cultural conversations are irrelevant. We are called to be faithful not only in doctrine but also in discernment.

This means we must learn to recognize the worldview messages being marketed to us and to those we disciple. Books, influencers, and social media reels rarely come with warning labels, but they often carry subtle ideologies. Phrases like “You are enough” or “Live your truth” may seem harmless or even inspiring, but when unpacked, they are often rooted in postmodern or humanistic thinking. Daily, we are immersed in a sea of messages that shape hearts and minds, messages that may sound right but are not rooted in biblical Truth.

Among the dominant worldviews shaping our culture are naturalism, which says we are merely matter in motion; new spirituality, which mixes mysticism with self-focused empowerment; and postmodernism, which denies objective truth and elevates personal feeling as ultimate. These ideas don’t usually shout—they whisper. They come softly, sounding plausible and even comforting. That’s why we need to be discerning and deeply grounded in Scripture—to distinguish what is truly true from what only sounds true.

3. Truth and Tact: A Church That Speaks With Conviction and Compassion

And this brings us back to 1 Peter 3:15. The verse doesn’t stop at “give a defense.” It continues with “yet do this with gentleness and respect.” We aren’t called to win arguments. We’re called to bear witness. That doesn’t mean we shrink back from hard conversations or soften truth to make it more palatable. But it does mean we carry ourselves with the same grace and compassion that Jesus modeled. We speak truth—but we do it in love.

The Church must lead the way, not just in what we say but in how we say it. We need to equip our people to discern truth, not as a weapon to wield but as the foundation we build our lives on. Truth is not a harsh restriction. It is God’s provision for our good, our protection, and our flourishing. Too often, the Church has been known more for what it stands against than for what we are created for. Take the conversation around homosexuality, for example. Instead of beginning with what is broken, we should start with God’s good design and how He made us and what He made us for.

We also need to be willing to speak truth to falsehood, even when it costs us. Conviction will require courage. But we don’t stand alone. We stand on the shoulders of those who have faithfully preserved the truth through the centuries. And more than that, we stand with Christ, who is Truth Himself.

So to the women leading in ministry, teaching Scripture, discipling younger believers, or raising kids who will one day go toe to toe with these ideas: let’s be found faithful. Let’s be women who know the truth, love the truth, and share the truth with gentleness, with respect, and with boldness. Our moment needs it. Our people need it. And our God is worthy of it.

 

Further Resources

For those looking to better understand cultural theology and the worldviews shaping our generation, here are a few helpful books:

Mama Bear Apologetics by Hillary Morgan Ferrer  The Secular Creed by Rebecca McLaughlin  Faithfully Different: Regaining Biblical Clarity in a Secular Culture by Natasha Crain  A Rebel’s Manifesto: Choosing Truth, Real Justice, and Love amid the Noise of Today’s World by Sean McDowell

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Eight Causes of a Pastoral Ministry Slump

The “slump” metaphor is often used in sports. A baseball hitter is said to be in a slump if he hasn’t gotten a hit in 15 at-bats. A quarterback might be in a slump if he’s only completed eight passes over the past two games. The numbers, the stats, the measurements—they make it easy to identify when something is off.

But pastoral ministry doesn’t come with a box score.

There aren’t many clear metrics to tell us when a pastor is in a slump. Yes, attendance might dip. Giving might drop. There might be a decline in baptisms or small group engagement. But most slumps in ministry aren’t captured in numbers. They are felt—sometimes deeply—but not always seen.

Still, pastors know when they’re in one. They know when the energy isn’t there. They sense when the preaching doesn’t connect like it used to. They feel more strained in their relationships.

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Don’t Just “Do” Discipleship (Build the Culture in Your Church!)

Culture encompasses the values, thoughts, attitudes, and actions of the people within it. According to John Kotter, culture is simply “the way we do things around here.” Every environment we encounter has its own culture.

Your home has a culture.Your workplace has a culture.And your church has a culture.

Culture is developed over years through shared experiences, including joys, pain, and responses to environmental factors. It is akin to a set of unwritten rules that people follow within that specific environment. It’s not just about actions—it’s about how you think, how you feel, and of course, how you behave. The culture of a given environment is what lies beneath the surface; it’s what truly governs that environment.

The concept of culture is like rebar on a construction site. No one looks at the rebar early on and is impressed by it. Instead, we wait until the structure begins to rise. We’re not interested in what keeps it stable; we want to see what makes it look nice. Even though rebar isn’t pretty, it’s incredibly necessary. Rebar gives a building its stability and strength. It’s what holds everything together below the surface, making a structure resistant against the forces of time and nature. Without rebar, a building crumbles because rebar controls the form of everything built above it. The same principle applies to culture.

That brings us to an important question: What do you want the culture of your church to be?

There are likely many answers here – we want the unwritten rules of the church to be kindness, joyfulness, truthfulness, and mission, along with more. But what if the best way to describe the culture in your church was summed up in one word? Discipleship.

Certainly, that’s at least part of—if not the main—answer to the question. This is the church’s broadest mission: to go and make disciples of Jesus. But it becomes part of the culture only when it’s not just the church’s mission, but also the mission of every member. It’s not part of the culture until everyone considers discipleship as part of their own job description.

Isn’t this where we want to be? Isn’t this the kind of church we want to lead? Not one where paid staff members run programs for people to participate in, but instead, one where every member sees the ongoing spiritual growth of the whole congregation as their personal responsibility. But how do we start to instill this value in our culture? How do we not just “do” discipleship, but build a discipleship culture? Here are three suggestions.

Distribute leadership more broadly. Too often, leadership in our churches is limited to a few individuals—the same people repeatedly. To truly embed discipleship into our culture, we must regularly empower and release new leaders.Free up margin for organic discipleship. Ironically, one obstacle to a discipleship culture is overprogramming. Often, our people are so busy with scheduled events that they lack the margin for spontaneous opportunities, such as inviting someone to read the Bible or meeting for breakfast and prayer. Instead, they are too committed to attending another discipleship class.Treat discipleship as a way of life. Do we need discipleship classes? Yes, we do. But even as we implement them, we must be careful not to treat or train people to think of discipleship as merely an intellectual activity. Discipleship is a lifestyle, and until people understand that, it will never become part of the church culture.

The call of Jesus to us (and our people) is to make disciples. Let’s do our best to ensure this call is deeply woven into everything we do in the church. When that happens, discipleship becomes everyone’s responsibility.

Rooted Network can help meet this need. Thousands of churches have discovered how the Rooted experience can create an Acts 2 discipleship culture—one that connects your people with God, the church, and their purpose, resulting in discipleship rhythms that cultivate continuous transformation in Jesus. To find out more, visit experiencerooted.com/churchanswers .

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Bomb Threats & Active Shooters: A Simple Plan for Church Safety (Free Download Guide!)

The phone call started a frantic series of events. I was informed of a bomb threat at the local private school on the same road as our church. It was a Wednesday afternoon, and the threat occurred during dismissal time. Complicating matters, their preschool utilizes our church campus. Several questions raced through my mind.

Was the preschool included in the threat?Do the police need to clear our campus?How should we help families who want to pick up their children?Should we cancel evening activities at the church?

Thankfully, the threat did not materialize into something more sinister. The police found nothing, and we were in the clear. The threat of an actual bombing or active shooter is low, but these tragedies do happen. Your church should have a plan.

Bomb Threat: Best Practices

When a church receives a bomb threat, the first step is assessment. Every threat must be taken seriously, but not every threat requires an evacuation. If a call is received, the person taking it should note the exact wording, caller ID, voice characteristics, and any background noise, then immediately contact law enforcement. If the threat is verbal, write the wording of the threat as heard and any characteristics of the person. If the threat is written, handle the note as little as possible and secure the document without altering it.

Law enforcement will assess the threat and guide the evacuation. If evacuation is ordered, follow established fire routes—no shortcuts—and move at least 300 feet from the building. If possible, leaders should account for everyone at the evacuation site.

People should leave all personal belongings (purses, backpacks, and briefcases) behind. Here’s why:

Speed—Taking time to gather items slows down evacuation.Safety—A bag could conceal a secondary device, or someone might accidentally move or place an item near a suspicious object, complicating the search for law enforcement.Clarity—Unattended bags left behind can later be checked and cleared by authorities. If everyone takes their bags, it becomes harder to identify what’s suspicious.

No one should re-enter the building until it has been declared safe by authorities. Preparedness and calm leadership are key to minimizing risk in a bomb threat situation.

Active Shooter: Best Practices

Active shooter situations are often over within ten to fifteen minutes and before law enforcement can arrive. Other cases of violence on church campuses also occur rapidly and require a quick response. Though no single plan of action is possible when preparing for an active shooter or other violence on your campus, what is most important is decisiveness. You have three immediate options when confronted with a perpetrator of violence: run, hide, or fight.

Run—Escape is the priority. You should leave behind any personal items and take as many other people with you as possible. Once you are in a safe place, call 911.Hide—if possible, in a room with thick walls and few windows. Lock and barricade the doors, turn off the lights, and remain silent.Fight—This option may not be palatable or possible for everyone, but there are cases where it is the best option. In one study of forty-one active shooter events, potential victims stopped the attacker in sixteen instances before law enforcement arrived. By fighting, lives were saved.

Whichever response you choose, quick and decisive action can save lives.

Different Approaches for Each Threat

Now, consider the differences between these two situations. Both are serious, but they require different responses.

In a bomb threat, the goal is to evacuate safely while communication is discreet to prevent panic. In contrast, during an active shooter situation, the priority is life preservation using the “Run, Hide, Fight” strategy. Communication in such cases should be immediate and direct to initiate lockdowns. While bomb threats call for movement out of the building, active shooter events often require people to stay hidden inside.

A Simple Strategy for Church Safety

When we started researching how to train our children’s volunteers to deal with potential danger, we found most guides to be overly complicated. We emphasized the response rather than focusing on the different types of threats. We needed something with two clear options: evacuation or shelter in place. This simple “stay or go” framework ensures clarity and quick decision-making. You don’t want people reading complex decision trees in the heat of the moment. This chart summarizes what we have in all our classrooms. You can download the full-color guide, Kidmin Emergency Response, for free HERE.

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Painting Pictures of the Word with Your Words

It happened again this week.

A friend had worked really hard in preparing his Bible lesson. He had taken notes on a previous teaching time, made plans to improve his teaching, and was looking forward to his teaching this time. Not only had he studied the lesson well, but he had also prepared an important technological visual aid so his listeners would hear and see the lesson. He was so excited when he started the lesson.

Except, the technology didn’t work.

No matter what he and others tried to do, it didn’t work.

All his teaching plans, it seemed, had gone awry. At least, he felt that way. Frustration captured him quickly—and his confidence in his teaching preparation wavered.

Maybe you’ve been there at some point, too.

In my early years of ministry, our visual aid options would have been quite limited – maybe a flannel board (remember them?) or a slide projector – and we simply didn’t think much about doing anything but speaking when we taught. We weren’t, though, more spiritual than teachers are today; we just didn’t have the options available today. My guess is that we would have used technology, too, had it been available.

And, hear me closely: I am not arguing against the use of technology to undergird our teaching. The educator in me thinks pedagogically, and the missionary in me thinks contextually—and both point to the importance of visual teaching and learning in today’s culture. There’s unquestionably, in my judgment, a place for using technological tools in teaching the Word today.

We just can’t depend on those tools.

We can’t depend on them because they won’t always work like we had planned. The electricity might go out. Your computer or projector might quit working. God might even give you an opportunity to teach in a place where there’s little electricity in the first place. Even in places around the world where cell service is surprisingly available, the use of cell phone technology for teaching is limited to its functioning properly.

More specifically, though, we just need to learn in general to use our own words to paint the pictures of the Word for our listeners as we teach and preach. The Word is powerful on its own, and we’re both privileged and challenged to teach it well. Think with me about some of the stories of the Scriptures that readily challenge us to read and explain the Word with vivid imagery:

the appearance of light in the darkness when God said, “Let there be light”Adam and Eve cowering among the trees in their sinthe questioning heart of Isaac as he and his father made their way up the mountain, “But where is the sacrifice?”Moses approaching a burning bush that would not be consumedMoses looking into a Promised Land he would not enterJoshua grieving defeat of the Hebrews at AiIsaiah crying out, “Holy, holy, holy!”Elijah calling down fire on the altar in opposition to the prophets of BaalJonah frustrated when God offers grace to Ninevehparable after parable that Jesus taught with imagery and intentionalitya hurting, desperate, blood-diseased woman made well and a synagogue ruler with a daughter now raised from the deada lame man now healed and leaping with joy in the temple areaPaul and Silas singing in a prison cellPaul writing words of gratitude and joy to the PhilippiansPaul’s describing the armor of GodJohn’s trying to describe the new heaven and the new earth

I could go on and on, but I trust you get the point. It’s easier to paint pictures of the many narrative accounts of Scripture, but you can take your listeners into all the Scriptures as you explain and show the texts with intentionality. Many of us just have to work harder at it.

Doing so requires us to prepare well not only to understand the Word, but also to communicate it—and helping our listeners hear and see the Word through our prayer-saturated, well-thought-through words is worth the effort.

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7 Non-Ministry Books Every Pastor Should Read

For reasons beyond the scope of this post, my younger self went many years without reading anything not at least indirectly related to pastoral ministry or my Christian growth. Commentaries, works of theology, homiletics, and church leadership comprised the bulk of my reading. Biographies had to be missionary biographies…unless they were biographies of Christian athletes. 

There’s certainly nothing wrong with that diet, especially for a pastor. Pastors surely want to improve their preaching craft, stay current on theological trends, and glory in the stories of our Christian forebears. But, just like anything else, ministry-related reading can become a bubble, within which expanded thinking is impossible, while endless refining becomes the norm. 

More than a decade ago, then still in full-time pastoral ministry, I shifted my reading to include more “regular” history, biographies of not-necessarily-Christian people, fiction, science, and more. I began (and still am) expanding my author list well beyond the easily recognizable names of pastors and theologians whose books dominate pastoral libraries. 

It’s been one of the best decisions I ever made. So, in that spirit and in no particular order, here are seven non-ministry books I think every pastor should read.

Lincoln’s Melancholy: How Depression Challenged a President and Fueled His Greatness, by Joshua Wolf Shenk

I wish I had read this one when it was first published in 2005. Shenk uses an enormous amount of primary sources in examining Lincoln’s mental state from when he was a young man through his presidency. He also uses contemporary medical science to examine what Lincoln might have been dealing with at a time when “melancholy” was the typical word used for “depression.” Shenk doesn’t disregard medication; he isn’t using Lincoln as some kind of “He didn’t need drugs and you don’t either” totem. Rather, he honors a man who, lacking other alternatives, did not give up. 

Blood Done Sign My Name, by Timothy B. Tyson

Easily one of the most powerful books I’ve read on racism in the American South. From the jarring opening line through the contextualized and partly autobiographical telling of the cold-blooded 1970 murder of Henry “Dickie” Marrow in Oxford, NC, Tyson’s story rarely lets up. As his father was the local Methodist pastor, the role of local churches and Christians amid racial violence is not overlooked. 

The Devil’s Delusion: Atheism and Its Scientific Pretensions, by David Berlinski

First published in 2008 during the heyday of the New Atheism movement, Berlinski, an agnostic Jewish mathematician, wrote this invective against weaknesses he perceived in the way Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins, et al, argued their points. Even as an unbeliever himself, he found the so-called “Four Horsemen” unconvincing. This book is a gem of debate, philosophical application, theological reflection, sarcasm, and wit.  

By the Fire We Carry: The Generations-Long Fight for Justice on Native Land, by Rebecca Nagle (Cherokee Nation)

Continuing in the path of Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee and Trail of Tears, Nagle’s work differs in that it is both history and current events. A murder on the Muscogee reservation in Oklahoma stirred a jurisdictional dispute, leading to a startling Supreme Court finding in 2020. Fire is riveting and opens the eyes to the plight of Native Americans to this very day. 

Peace Like a River, by Leif Enger

The only novel on this list, Peace Like a River is an extraordinary mid-20th century saga of love, family, responsibility, and what can happen when you try to do the right thing. Beautiful writing, engaging characters, and a penultimate chapter as satisfying and holy as anything you’re likely to read. 

Everything Sad Is Untrue, by Daniel Nayeri

I have recommended this one as much as any other book. Nayeri was born in Iran, then immigrated with his family to Oklahoma at the age of eight, after spending two years as a refugee. Written in the voice of his childhood self, it’s hilarious, moving, heart-rending, and oh, so worth the time. 

The Thing in the Bushes: Turning Organizational Blind Spots into Competitive Advantage, by Kevin Graham Ford and James P. Osterhaus

I cheated a little here. This is not technically a “ministry” book, but it addresses a flaw common to any group of people organized for any reason: the inability to see the real problems in the organization. This “thing” hides in for-profits, nonprofits, and religious organizations. The “thing” isn’t the same thing in every organization. It could be the culture, a single overbearing leader, organizational structure, poor communication, or something else. The Thing in the Bushes doesn’t evaluate your theology. It helps locate and fix the thing prohibiting your theology—and mission—from having the full effect.

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How Smartphones Reduce Physical Activity Among Our Young People

(Note: I am sharing four articles this month based on my upcoming book, The Anxious Generation Goes to Church . These articles focus specifically on the harm smartphones do to our young people. All data and statistics in these articles are supported in the book. In this fourth article, I summarize how smartphones are instrumental in reducing the physical activity of young people. My book will be released from Tyndale on August 19, 2025.)

We’ve all seen the scene: a group of teenagers sitting together, each hunched over a phone, thumbs scrolling, eyes glued to glass. They’re technically in the same room, but in truth, they’re each in their own digital world.

This scene has become the norm. And with it has come a silent but serious consequence: movement is disappearing from the lives of our young people.

It wasn’t long ago that kids spent hours outdoors—riding bikes, climbing trees, shooting hoops, and playing hide-and-seek until the streetlights came on. Today, the playground has been replaced by the screen. The ball has been replaced by the scroll.

And the culprit isn’t just “technology” in general—it’s the smartphone in particular.

Designed to Keep Them Sitting

Smartphones are engineered for one thing: engagement. With endless social media feeds, games, videos, and alerts, they’re designed to grab attention and hold it. The goal isn’t productivity—it’s captivity.

For young people, that captivity often comes at the cost of movement. Why go outside and break a sweat when you can stay inside and be entertained without effort?

And unlike watching TV—where parents could at least monitor the hours—smartphones go wherever the child goes. In the car. At school. In bed. On vacation. There’s no natural break in the cycle.

Movement has become optional. Sitting still has become the default.

The Numbers Are Telling

Physical activity among children and teenagers has been in steep decline for years. Studies show that fewer than 1 in 4 American adolescents get the recommended 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity each day.

The decline isn’t just about changing culture—it’s about changing behavior patterns. The more time a child spends on a smartphone, the less time they spend in active play, sports, or even simple movement.

The correlation is clear: as screen time increases, physical activity decreases. And smartphones are leading the charge.

Why It Matters—More Than We Think

When young people stop moving, it’s not just their muscles that suffer—it’s their minds, their emotions, and their development.

Lack of physical activity has been linked to a host of issues, including:

Obesity and related health problemsPoor sleep qualityIncreased anxiety and depressionDecreased academic performanceWeakened social skills and confidence

Movement is not just physical. It’s therapeutic. It’s developmental. It’s part of how God wired us.

We’re embodied beings. Our bodies aren’t just containers for our minds or souls. They’re instruments of joy, energy, service, and connection. When we neglect our physical health—especially in formative years—it affects every other part of our lives.

The Disappearing Joy of Play

Remember when kids used to invent games on the fly? When creativity and activity went hand in hand? That kind of free play—running, jumping, imagining—is becoming rare.

Smartphones offer dopamine with zero exertion. The games are already created. The fun is always available. No need to run, no need to explore.

But something beautiful is lost in the process. Movement isn’t just exercise—it’s discovery. It’s where friendships form and social skills sharpen. It’s where confidence grows and risks are learned. It’s where kids become more than just observers of life—they become participants.

A Biblical Perspective on Physical Stewardship

Scripture reminds us that our bodies are temples (1 Corinthians 6:19–20). While the context of that verse is specific, the principle is broad: we’re called to steward our physical selves for God’s glory.

That includes helping the next generation understand that their bodies are gifts, not burdens. That movement is not just a duty, but a delight. That physical activity is not just for health class, but for life.

Our children need to hear this from the pulpit, from the classroom, and around the dinner table.

What Churches and Families Can Do

We won’t change this trend overnight. But we can start by making intentional choices.

Parents: Set time limits for smartphone use. Encourage screen-free hours. Model active living. Go for walks. Shoot hoops. Make movement normal.Youth leaders: Plan youth activities that get kids moving. Don’t assume “active” equals “games.” Create moments of physical engagement with spiritual purpose—retreats, mission projects, or even post-sermon walks of reflection.Pastors and leaders: Talk about this issue. It’s not just cultural—it’s spiritual. A sedentary generation won’t become a serving generation. Movement fuels ministry.

The smartphone won’t go away. But our passivity toward its influence must.

Let’s remind our young people that God made their bodies for more than just tapping and swiping. He made them to move. To serve. To play. To dance. To run the race—literally and spiritually.

And maybe, just maybe, the first step toward renewal in this anxious generation is a literal step—away from the screen and into the world God made for them to explore.

The post How Smartphones Reduce Physical Activity Among Our Young People appeared first on Church Answers.

The Biggest Shift in American Religion You Probably Missed

Sometimes a major change in society makes all the headlines. For instance, public opinion around the issue of same-sex marriage had been shifting toward support for decades, but when the Supreme Court ruled in Obergefell v. Hodges in 2015, everyone saw a tangible manifestation of that societal change. When Barack Obama was elected president in 2008, it was clear evidence that the United States had moved into a more multi-racial future, and while racism had certainly not gone extinct, it was waning. 

Then, other major shifts often go almost entirely unnoticed because there is no clear inflection point. That’s what happens pretty often in the world of American religion. Many changes in this arena can be described as glacial. The share of Christians drops a single percentage point every two or three years. Because it’s occurring so slowly, it’s hard to detect such a change. However, over time, that leads

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The post The Biggest Shift in American Religion You Probably Missed appeared first on Church Answers.

How Smartphones Have Been Used Toward a Torrent of Cyberbullying

(Note: I am sharing four articles this month based on my upcoming book, The Anxious Generation Goes to Church . These articles focus specifically on the harm smartphones do to our young people. All data and statistics in these articles are supported in the book. In this third article, I summarize how smartphones have been used to inflict cyberbullying on young people. My book will be released from Tyndale on August 19, 2025.)

It used to be that bullies waited for the schoolyard. Not anymore.

Today, the bullying follows our kids home. It follows them into their bedrooms. Into the night. Onto their screens. Into their hearts.

The smartphone—what many call a communication device—has also become a megaphone for cruelty, a carrier for shame, and a tool for torment. With just a few taps, a teenager can be mocked, harassed, excluded, or humiliated—sometimes by people they know, sometimes by people they don’t.

Let’s not downplay what’s happening. This isn’t teasing. It’s cyberbullying. And it’s a torrent—relentless, anonymous, and deeply damaging.

A New Kind of Bullying

Smartphones didn’t invent bullying, of course. But they’ve changed its nature.

Before smartphones, bullying was limited by geography and time. The insults stopped when the bell rang or the bus ride ended. Now, there are no limits. The smartphone has made it possible for cruelty to be constant and boundless.

Kids are attacked through group texts, fake profiles, comment sections, and viral videos. Humiliation can be captured, edited, and shared in seconds. It can spread through an entire school—or the whole internet—before a parent even knows it happened.

And unlike a bruise or a black eye, this kind of bullying leaves no physical mark. But the emotional wounds cut deep. And the scars can last a lifetime.

What the Research Tells Us

The numbers are sobering. Nearly 60% of teenagers in the U.S. say they’ve experienced some form of cyberbullying. Many report being called offensive names, being purposefully excluded from group chats, or having false rumors spread about them online.

But beyond statistics, let’s remember: every number is a story. Every percentage point is a person.

A girl who cries herself to sleep because of a doctored photo that went viral.
A boy who deletes his social media accounts after months of ridicule.
A quiet teen who begins to believe the names they’re being called.

These are not hypothetical scenarios. These are real stories playing out in the lives of our students, including those in our pews.

The Smartphone’s Role

Why has this become such a problem? Because the smartphone makes bullying easy.

It gives bullies a powerful platform and a permanent presence. It allows them to say things they would never say face to face. It emboldens them with anonymity and distance. And perhaps worst of all—it gives the bullying a long life span.

What used to be a cruel comment whispered behind someone’s back is now a screenshot shared a hundred times. What once might have faded in a day can now live online for years.

The smartphone makes bullying not just possible, but persistent.

The Mental Toll

We cannot separate cyberbullying from the rising tide of anxiety and depression in our young people.

Victims of online harassment are far more likely to suffer from emotional distress, low self-esteem, and suicidal thoughts. For some, the phone becomes a symbol of fear, not fun. Every vibration feels like a threat. Every notification brings a new wave of dread.

And because teenagers are still forming their identity and resilience, these attacks cut especially deep. They’re not just words. They become wounds.

What Parents Often Miss

Many well-meaning parents are unaware this is even happening. After all, their child still smiles at dinner. They still post selfies. They still show up at youth group.

But behind that smile might be a screen full of insults. Behind that selfie might be a desperate cry for validation. Behind that presence at church might be a heart broken by what was said the night before.

Cyberbullying is often silent and secretive. Parents and pastors must be vigilant and informed. Ask questions. Watch for changes in behavior. Look beyond the surface.

The Church Must Respond

If the smartphone is being used to tear down, the church must be a place that builds up.

If the digital world speaks lies, we must speak truth. If teenagers are being told they are worthless, ugly, or unwanted, we must remind them they are fearfully and wonderfully made—created in the image of a loving God.

Our student ministries must not just entertain—they must equip. Our youth leaders must not just chaperone—they must shepherd. Our churches must not just assume students are okay—they must ask, listen, and love.

We may not be able to stop every cyberbully. But we can make sure our churches are sanctuaries—safe places where students are seen, heard, and valued.

The smartphone is not inherently evil. But in the wrong hands—or even in inexperienced young hands—it can become a weapon. 

Our young people are under attack. And they’re carrying the battlefield in their pockets. Let’s be the ones who fight for them.

The question is: will the church look away, or will we step into this digital darkness with light?

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