Third rails are electrified metal rails supplying power to subway trains. If you touch the other two rails, you will live. If you touch the third rail, there are no guarantees. A “third rail” has …

Even though snow is still on the ground in many places, it is the perfect time of year to begin planning for summer ministries. Many churches that had traditionally offered Vacation Bible School are now …

The Super Bowl is an annual reminder of the power of good storytelling. Many football fans watch the ads just as closely as the big game itself because everyone loves a creative and entertaining story. …

Mission drift is a silent killer. Long before most churches close their doors, they had been subtly, slowly, and almost imperceptibly drifting away from their purpose. A key task for church renewal leaders is stopping …

Change is scary, but not changing is even scarier. Just ask Kodak or Blockbuster. Improvement requires change, so if you never change, you can never improve. This is true at camera companies, movie rental companies, …

Most North American churches need downsizing.  Lifeway Research (see here) notes that today’s median worship attendance is 65, down from 137 in 2000.  This downsizing trend has been accelerated by three factors: a cultural shift …

Church renewal hinges on good communication. Surveys have found that 83% of people choose a church home because of the quality of the sermons. It is consistently the top reason people say they select one church over …

What do you love? What does your congregation love? These are essential questions to dig into because St. Augustine states, “Wherever I am carried, my love is carrying me.” Putting it another way, our congregations …

If you’re like me, at some point you have set wildly ambitious goals for a new year… only to watch them fall apart within a few weeks. Maybe you’ve been through that cycle a few times. …

Essential to church renewal is congregational health.  Without healthy relationships revitalization is impossible.  Sadly, many congregations needing a fresh start are mired in unhealthy dialogue about same sex attraction, gender identity and Christian discipleship.  These …