Margaret Mary OConnor’s Post

Gossip and secrets can divide churches and Christians, but there's a difference between righteous division and sinful divisiveness. Learn more about how to handle divisive situations transparently in my latest article at freegrace.in/divide. #ChurchUnity #Transparency #DivideandConquer

Build it Slow, Build it Deep, Build it Wide: Creating a Thriving Church Community Discover the invaluable advice from John Osteen to Rodney Howard Browning on building a successful church. Learn to navigate religious devils and foster a community of power, love, and growth. #ChurchCommunity #ReligiousDevils #BuildingChurch #ThriveInFaith #PowerOfLove #ChristianMinistry #BuildingStrongCommunity #SpiritualGrowth #ChurchLeadership #PastoralWisdom

The Catholic Church from a Business Perspective: Exploring the corporate side of religious institutions has always intrigued me. The Catholic Church, as one of the oldest surviving institutes, offers valuable insights from a business perspective. #CatholicChurch #BusinessInsights

LEA's LEAven blog, The Value of Lutheran Education by Denise Rice, talks about the importance of hearing the Gospel message and learning the Christian faith. You can read it at https://lnkd.in/epK8-Zg3 #lea #LEAven #deniserice

Across the board, Christian churches and religious organizations are not the first groups that city dwellers think of as well suited to address a range of issues. While churched adults are slightly more inclined to feel churches and religious organizations could create meaningful change or tackle key concerns, they still favor the experience and leadership of other political or civil bodies. One standout, however, is that metro residents both inside and outside the Church think Christian churches are well positioned to address the problem of loneliness. This finding is notable, both for highlighting the top issue locals entrust to churches and as a sign of common ground in perceptions among the churched and unchurched. This data is from Inside the Urban Church—a Barna report created in partnership with World Impact Inc. Read more about the role the local church has in its city: https://lnkd.in/eQxXGYcr

In order for a church to effectively serve their local body of believers, they must know their church reach — the area in which most of their members are concentrated. Here are some ways to define and map your reach area. https://lnkd.in/gRTgkpMk

The common good is NOT simply the sum of individual interests. It is instead “the sum total of social conditions which allow people, either as groups or as individuals, to reach their fulfillment more fully and more easily.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1906) Learn the 3 essential elements of the common good in #Catholicsocialteaching → https://bit.ly/40Cijhc #CommonGood

When a local church is considering joining a denomination, there are numerous factors to weigh carefully to ensure a good fit and a fruitful partnership. This decision should not be taken lightly, as it can significantly impact the church’s mission, ministry, and identity. Key considerations for local churches contemplating denominational affiliation: - Doctrinal compatibility - Governance structure - Support for mission and outreach initiatives - Financial implications - Opportunities for collaboration and networking In this weeks blog, found in the comments, I discuss the various facts local churches should consider when asking the question if they should join a religious denomination or remain independent. #ChurchLeadership #DenominationalAffiliation #MissionImpact

🕊️ Civilize It: A Better Kind of Politics 🕊️     During this election year, we're all invited to engage in “a better kind of politics, one truly at the service of the common good,” as Pope Francis articulates in Fratelli Tutti (no. 154). 🌟     Civilize It: A Better Kind of Politics is a nonpartisan initiative from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. It aims to help Catholics counter polarization and division in the Church and society by following the example of the Good Samaritan, challenging us to “become neighbors to all” (Fratelli Tutti, no. 80).      As polarization permeates politics, the Civilize It campaign encourages faithful citizenship. Read Five Tips from Pope Francis on How to Engage in “a Better Kind of Politics” and take the Civilize It pledge.      Learn more and join the movement today: civilizeit.org      #ABetterKindofPolitics #CivilizeIt #FaithfulCitizenship #CommonGood #FratelliTutti     @WeAreSaltandLight @USCCB    

🙏🏼Please consider supporting the ADC School of Evangelization. While we offer our School of Evangelization to parishes free of charge, your generous support is essential to enable us to continue producing valuable media content. 💒Unlike other programs, which may suffer from low viewer engagement, ADC focuses on active participation and the formation of domestic churches/home churches. This hands-on approach encourages the practical application of faith in daily life, fostering a deeper and more personal connection to the Christian journey. https://lnkd.in/gbGzwqAT