The busy fall season is suddenly upon us, but I hope you were able to take some time away for quiet reflection during the slower summer months. I always take a study leave retreat in …
Questions to Discover Renewal Leaders
Everyone knows the importance of finding renewal leaders. At the Center for Church Renewal we often say, “As leaders go, so goes the church.” God himself leans heavily on leaders. The Bible’s redemptive story demonstrates …
How To Root Vision Into Church Culture
Most renewal-oriented congregations have developed a vision statement. Vision statements identify a congregation’s “main thing” and help them focus on loving God, loving neighbor and making more and better disciples. Unfortunately, most vision statements never …
How to increase you ministry impact
During Covid-19 renewal leaders are attempting to increase ministry impact for every Kingdom investment being made. During these times, as in all times, a helpful guiding principle is “the sharper the focus the greater the …
How renewal leaders reduce anxiety in anxious times
These are anxious times. The corona virus earthquake hit with an 8.0 magnitude and tsunami sirens are blaring warnings of economic and social destruction that may soon come on shore. Many of our congregants are …
Addressing sporadic attendance in church
Most churches are struggling with sporadic attendance. Recent studies suggest the majority of self-identified church goers attend Sunday worship once every 4-5 weeks. The downsides of uneven attendance are many. For example, consistent instruction is …
The Change Your Church May Be Avoiding
Many churches know something needs to change. They can feel it. Attendance patterns have shifted. Volunteers are harder to find. Outreach feels more difficult. Younger generations seem less connected. The surrounding culture has changed. The …
IS YOUR MINISTRY TOO COMPLICATED?
One of the most important questions church renewal leaders can ask is this: Are people truly being transformed? Or are we simply keeping them busy with a calendar full of the usual church programs? Churches tend …
Is Decision-Making Slowing Down Your Church
In this series of articles, we are exploring ministry bottlenecks that keep churches from moving forward. In the last article, we explored how the pastor can become a bottleneck when too much depends on one person. …
How to Find and Relieve Ministry Bottlenecks
Have you ever been in a traffic jam? Traffic gets backed up for miles and moves at a snail’s pace, adding a half hour to your trip. When this happens, it is usually not because the …