Three miles from Torrance Community Church of Christ, the Pacific Ocean keeps a steady rhythm — going out, then coming back in, each motion depending on the other. Torrance’s members have chosen to reflect this natural, steady occurrence. Going out to serve their neighbors and meet the people God places in their path, and being…
The biblical principle of stewardship applies directly to the oversight of church properties. As Scripture teaches, “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful” (I Corinthians 4:2). How can we “prove faithful” in church property stewardship? The responsibility feels heavy to church leaders who are currently facing declining…
For more than 40 years, Mike O’Neal has helped churches navigate legal matters. His early desire to advise leaders how to protect church members and assets from those with less than noble intent has grown into proactive legal services for congregations at every stage of their lifecycle. This expertise now forms a pillar of Heritage21’s…
Renewal happens when churches turn their focus from inward preservation to outward mission, leading to joy in reaching the unreached. When Long Beach Church of Christ faced the point between slow decline and courageous change, they chose to flip their church inside out. They shifted from wondering how long they could survive to celebrating how…
Sometimes the most powerful partnerships begin when one organization has exactly what another needs. Kingdom growth often happens when leaders choose collaboration, allowing their contributions to multiply impact rather than divide it. This kind of strategic unity requires both vision and trust. The vision to see beyond immediate needs and the trust to believe that…
The Challenge Eastside Church of Christ in Antioch, California was navigating difficult decisions after their congregation had dramatically dwindled following the Covid pandemic. Despite the efforts of their devoted leadership, the remaining members found themselves facing the reality that maintaining their current ministry was no longer sustainable, nor was it good stewardship of kingdom resources….
The Challenge Stateline Church of Christ, a rural church near Fayetteville, TN, was at a crossroads when they reached out to Heritage21 in October 2024. With just a few active members remaining, they realized they were making limited kingdom impact and were struggling to see a way forward. With a facility and property that were…
Conducting a nationwide survey of Churches of Christ is, obviously, a big task! We began with the mailing list from 2018 that had 10,890 congregations listed. Yep, a big task, particularly since Churches of Christ are not a monolithic, homogenous whole. Even the concept of a “fellowship” of churches may not reflect our reality appropriately….
In the heart of Tucson, Arizona, a congregation’s decision to close eventually birthed new life. The Mountain Avenue Church of Christ’s legacy continues through Trekko Church, a vibrant church plant made up of adults and students who want to see people find the loving embrace of God. Their story shows how, with prayerful planning and…
Ryan Burge has become one of the best known and most active demographers of American religion and politics. Burge is a faculty member of Eastern Illinois University. Through his substack @ryanburge, Burge sends out twice weekly, informative posts on statistical insights on American religion and politics. Through our project to do a census and survey…
I bet you have thought about your church and wondered if you were the only ones dealing with . . . We all do that from time to time. We’re not trying to play into the “misery loves company” syndrome. It’s helpful to know others are dealing with the same thing we are and that…
Heritage21 has joined with 21st Century Christian, and the Christian Chronicle to form the Church Research Council, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit entity. Joining this group in a supporting role is the Siburt Institute for Church Ministry. Additionally, we are talking with our universities and other ministries about joining together in this partnering work. Ah yes,…
In our quest to serve churches as they seek God’s guidance for Renewing, Repurposing or Replanting, the Heritage21 team will be on the campus of Pepperdine University for their 81st annual Bible Lectures, Running with perseverance, on April 30-May 3, 2024. H21 will host a Dinner Fellowship on Wednesday, May 1 from 5:00-6:30 pm in…
Happy New Year friend! The New Year’s season is made for reflection about the past year and looking at the possibilities for the new year. We at the Heritage 21 Foundation wish you a good year, a year in which you see God at work in and through your church. The New Year is the…
The week prior to Thanksgiving NPR radio aired an interview about the origins, meaning, and traditions surrounding Thanksgiving. What was left out, erased, from this “story” was any mention of God and thankfulness as a “believer’s virtue.” Listening to that reinterpretation, which chose an arc that erased a Christian perspective, I wondered what will be…
As Americans pause to offer thanks in this season, I’m mindful that is about more than family and food and football (though I’m certainly a fan of all three!). The spiritual discipline of thankfulness is fueled by faith. Thanksgiving is grateful prayer language. We pray thanks in faith for what God has done, is doing,…
Transitions are simply just a part of life. Situations change and it’s important for each of us to always be willing to adjust accordingly to new findings and situations. Heritage 21 Foundation is no different. Throughout 2020 – 2022, we anticipated that the Covid 19 pandemic could likely become a major factor impacting so many…
I am a Christian today because a group of first-century Christian leaders had the courage to go on a road trip to Jerusalem for a meeting. You know the story but let me set the scene. Jerusalem was the hotbed of Jesus followers who were mostly Jewish or had adopted Jewish customs in their desire…
Soon I will have been preaching the gospel of Christ for 59 years. I’ve been blessed to do local works in a country church that thrived, in a medium-sized urban church that was growing, in a big city church, in a downtown, urban church that reached out to all different cultures and now with a…
Recently a church called me asking about how they could get more people attending their church. That is quite a loaded question. Most church leaders I know would love to have that answer. I would too! But we still need to look for an answer. The most common difficulty I encounter in these conversations is…
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