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I haven’t met a child yet who wasn’t afraid of the dark.  Was that ever you?      I distinctly remember one moment in my life where I panicked in the darkness.  I was at Falcon Youth Camp and I think I must’ve been about 8 years old.  I went to camp by myself that year—there were no other children from our church who went, so I was in a dorm room with other boys I didn’t really know.  I remember sleeping in a bunk bed, and it seems I was on the top bunk.    I remember the roo

By Thom S. Rainer Founder of Church Answers Read the original article HERE The United States Census Bureau released a report in 2020 that provided a striking reminder about who we are as a nation. In a report titled “America: A Nation of Small Towns,” they noted that about 76% of all incorporated places—nearly 19,500 of them—have fewer than 5,000 residents. Even more astonishing, almost 42% of incorporated places have populations under 500. That means the overwhelming majorit

Artículo de Joel Pava Director de Ministerios Hispanos Cornerstone conference IPHC Reconocemos que semanalmente tenemos la oportunidad de encontrarnos en nuestras iglesias y ocasionalmente en algún otro lugar, lo cual es de gran bendición. Pero mas allá de nuestras encuentros locales, la Convención Hispana 2025 fue indudablemente una maravillosa oportunidad para juntos alabar al Rey de Reyes y Señor de Señores. Una oportunidad para el crecimiento, enriquecimiento y fortalecim

Article by: Aaron Earls Lifeway Research Read the Original Article HERE “Rural church pastors recognize the trials inherent to those areas but believe God is working in their congregations and communities.” Life in rural America has its charms and challenges. Those who pastor in small towns across the United States recognize the trials inherent to those areas but believe God is working in their congregations and communities. A Lifeway Research study of pastors in small towns

Article by: Stephen Jones Director of Discipleship Ministries Cornerstone Conference IPHC Hot take: I’ve never met a person without insecurities.    You might think my circles are inordinately small—that maybe I haven’t met very many people, that maybe I’m surrounded by weak people, or that maybe I just need to get out more.     But I don’t think the average person is overly self-confident.    Have you ever chosen a different outfit because of what someone else might say or t

Article By: Stephen Jones Director of Discipleship Ministries Cornerstone Conference IPHC Raising up this generation of leaders sounds so overused right now.. you’ll likely hear that phrase or something like it from every book, leadership blog and even from our own Conference communications.. But it’s super important! If we want to see the Kingdom of God advanced in this world, If we want to see the legacy of our faith passed on to our children, If we want to see our church c

Article by: Pam Rooker Girl's Ministry Specialist Cornerstone Conference IPHC The Cornerstone Conference Girls Ministries gathered for an unforgettable weekend at this year’s Finish Line event—an experience designed to inspire girls, moms, and leaders to draw closer to God and to one another. From the very first moment to the last goodbye, the atmosphere was filled with excitement, laughter, and a genuine hunger for more of Jesus. Our theme, “Finish Line,” reminded every atte

Article by: Stephen Jones Director of Discipleship Ministries Cornerstone Conference IPHC Are you looking for more volunteers, or more leaders? Do you have a system in place to equip and empower people from your church? Have you thought about those children and teens in Kids Church and Youth Group? What if those children and teens could form a new army of volunteers to help you reach your community? Before you dismiss the possibility, let me share an idea with you. There’s no

Article by: Thom S. Rainer Founder of Church Answers Read the full article HERE It’s a massive change that few church leaders are noticing. For decades, the conventional wisdom was simple: younger generations flocked to bigger churches with contemporary music, better tech, and full-service programming. That assumption may now be outdated. According to a groundbreaking 2023 national study of churchgoers, a majority of 18- to 34-year-olds—exactly 55%—say they prefer smaller chu

By: Tim Nelson Mentoring Program Director Cornerstone Conference IPHC The School of Ministry and the Ministerial Mentoring Program joined efforts in October to sponsor an impactful day of training, focused on mentoring. Dr. Richard Clinton, who leads the Clinton Leadership 2.0 ministry, provided an exceptional day of training and development, emphasizing the importance and necessity of mentors in a leader's life. Dr. Clinton and his father, Dr. Robert Clinton, began researchi

Building Community Through Women’s Discipleship It is a joy and honor to serve our Cornerstone Women as the new Women’s Discipleship Specialist. Over the past several months, I have enjoyed meeting many of you and hearing how God is moving among the women in your local churches. For those I have not yet had the opportunity to meet, I sincerely look forward to connecting with you soon. Each conversation I’ve had has reminded me that women’s ministry is not just about programs—

Article by: Thom S. Rainer Read the full article HERE “Numbers can’t capture the full heart of ministry, but they can shine a light on trends, challenges, and opportunities that would otherwise remain hidden.” Every Church Has a Number - But Most Don’t Know It In this first installment, I want to talk about a number that quietly influences nearly every aspect of church life—budgets, staffing, outreach, missions, and even the long-term health of the congregation. It’s called W

This image belongs to findarticles.com When’s the last time you gave any thought to the end of the world?  When’s the last time you seriously considered the Second Coming of Jesus to this earth?    It’s not a topic many folks talk about much anymore.. but maybe you’ve had some thought about it only too recently, considering all that’s happening in the news and around the world.    All the conflict between Hamas and Israel..   All the global catastrophes and natural disasters.

By Stephen Jones Discipleship Ministries Director Cornerstone Conference IPHC Our IMPACT event promises to be like nothing else we’ve...

By: Anthony Craver MCEP Director Cornerstone Conference IPHC Thanks for continuing to get those CEU credits in. We just finished the 2025...

Article by: Mike Honeycutt Men’s Discipleship Specialist Cornerstone Conference IPHC I spent 42 years in youth ministry, mostly in Royal...

Article by: Karl Vaters Read the full article HERE Small churches aren’t just for small towns. Big city people need small churches too....

By: Daniel Henderson Read the Original Article HERE Proverbs 3:27 says, “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in...

The second Sunday of October is a significant day in the life and ministry of the church. It is Pastor Appreciation Sunday, an...