A Look Back At Fresh Ideas From 2024

As we bid farewell to 2024, now is a perfect time to reflect on the church renewal principles we discussed in this newsletter throughout the year. Below are some fresh ideas you might want to revisit or explore for the first time!

Ten Ideas from this Year about Church Renewal

1. Great Expectations

• As churches grow, the role of pastors, governing boards, staff teams, the membership, and visioning systems all have to evolve. It is critical they all work together seamlessly, and the only way for that to happen is for you to create and communicate expectations clearly.

2. How To Find Fresh Ideas

• Churches that are willing to explore and experiment with new ideas can create vibrant, relevant ministries. We offered five great places to find fresh ideas! We also shared seven simple commitments can help governing boards make to provide a good foundation for innovation.

3. How to reverse a decline while there is still time

• Often, the first step in church renewal efforts is having the courage to see and name reality. We laid out the steps you can take to begin to reverse a decline. Also, we offered advice on how to walk through the process of a restart.

4. Renewal and Kingdom Thinking

• Often, churches fall into preservation mode, focusing inwardly. Expansive, Kingdom thinking and pastoring the local community are powerful keys to renewal.

5. Election season sanity at church

• The presidential election may be over, but political debates can create tension year-round in church. Our principles for how to navigate a hostile and divisive political landscape are evergreen.

6. Finding a sustainable pace in church renewal

• In the work of church renewal, the task list is never finished, and it is easy to burn out. At this year’s Church Now Cafe, Andrew Root helped us understand what causes an unsustainable pace in church work and how to find a more sustainable pace.

7. Emerging trends in congregations

• The church is aging, and staff teams are getting leaner. Contemporary worship is on the rise, and multi-site strategies are becoming more common. We highlighted these and other emerging trends in church renewal that should be on your radar, as well as new statistics that can spark good conversations.

8. How to balance love and truth

• It is increasingly important for churches to excel both at proclaiming truth boldly and welcoming people lovingly. We offer five ideas about how to promote both love and truth.

9. How to measure church renewal

• How do you know if your church renewal efforts are working? Metrics matter, but what should we be measuring? We offer ten data points church renewal leaders should track.

10. A new generation becomes the core

• Millennials are stepping into leadership roles at church, bringing fresh perspectives and a different approach to ministry. Church renewal leaders benefit from knowing what makes Millennials tick.