As 2023 comes to a close, it is helpful to look back and thank the Lord for all he has done. I’m truly grateful for the privilege of connecting with you each week in this newsletter and …
Being Light in the Darkness
One of my favorite holiday traditions is hanging lights on the Christmas tree. I love how they make the house bright and cheery! The Bible says the very first Christmas was also filled with light. When Jesus came …
The Crisis of Comfort in Our Churches
Michigan winters can be brutal. Some days it never gets above freezing. Worse still, the sun doesn’t come up until after 8:00, and it will remain hidden by clouds most of the day. I have a …
The Gravitational Force of Gratitude
Gratitude has a gravitational effect, pulling church renewal efforts along when nothing else seems to work. Earlier, when I wrote about the “Physics of Church Renewal,” I listed several principles church leaders can leverage to get …
Reaching Out At Christmas Time
There may be 41 days left before Christmas, but today is the perfect time to begin thinking about how to use this season for church renewal and reaching out! Now you might say,” But Bill, …
Where Did All The Volunteers Go?
Healthy churches are filled with excited, thriving teams of volunteer leaders. These highly involved laypeople get to experience God working through them. They push the mission and vision of the church forward. And they develop …
Five Ideas For a Modern Reformation
Happy Reformation Day! On Oct. 31 more than 500 years ago, Martin Luther ignited a movement that persists to this day. Luther found that the Church had strayed from its message of salvation by grace …
How to Overcome Resistance to Change During Church Renewal
Growth requires change, but human nature often opposes it by default. As church renewal leaders, one of the best investments we can make is learning about the art and science of change. In some churches, …
Your Pastor Needs You!
October is Pastor Appreciation Month, and let me assure that, yes, your pastor could use some good ol’ fashioned appreciation! In fact, many pastors are not doing OK, and they need our help in a big …
Church Renewal During the “Great Dechurching” of America
Where did everybody go? If your church’s pews are less full than they were a few decades ago, you are not alone. New research shows that 40 million American adults stopped attending church over the …
