Last week, I compared leading church to running on a treadmill. The pace of change in today’s world is relentless. We feel like we have to run faster and faster just to stay in the same …
Leading at an Unsustainable Pace
Leading a church can feel like running on a treadmill. You have to run faster and faster just to stay in the same place, and if you stop for a second, it feels like you’ll …
Forming a Strategy for Church Renewal
One aim of church renewal is to help congregations regain a sense of purpose and calling. However, many churches struggle to form and implement a compelling vision for the future. Why do so many churches …
EMERGING TRENDS IN CONGREGATIONS
If you are curious about what other churches are doing, this week’s newsletter is for you! The National Congregations Study tracks important metrics over time so that trends can be measured. Today, I will share …
To Livestream Or Not To Livestream
Does offering a worship livestream siphon people off from participating in-person? New data by the Pew Research Center says that is generally not something to worry about. Most people are not substituting online worship for in-person …
How To Balance Love and Truth
The Gospel of John says Jesus came full of grace and truth (John 1:14), and the apostle Paul urged Christians to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). Even so, many churches today are struggling to …
Trends in Staffing Relevant for Church Renewal
In many churches, staff members play a crucial role in accomplishing the mission. They are seeing and solving problems. They are working in the trenches of ministry day after day. The investments we make in the …
Pursuing Justice in Church Renewal
Is the world a better place because of Christianity? Increasingly, authors, bloggers, and influencers are saying that religion promotes injustice and violence. They believe that many non-Christians care about the poor and vulnerable more than the Church …
Is Church Decline Over?
New surveys show the rise of the “Nones” may be coming to an end, but it’s not all good news. This month, the Cooperative Election Study published new findings, showing that 36 percent of people now identify …
How To Become An Outward-Focused Church
The gravitational pull of churches will always be toward the wants and needs of insiders. It takes intentional effort to keep a church focused on its mission of reaching those outside the faith. At this year’s …
