Over the past five years of working on church renewal projects, I’ve discerned that most congregations face the “Big Three” and the “Hidden One.” Some of us who are older may remember when GM, Ford, …
How To Find Fresh Ideas
Have you ever made a copy of a copy? How about a copy of a copy of a copy? Over time, the copies begin looking blurrier and blurrier until you can barely tell what is written on …
How to Foster an Innovative Spirit
In the 1980s, GM and the United Auto Workers said they were ready to step into innovation by creating “a different kind of car” and “a different kind of company.” The result was Saturn. You may remember …
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 …
Does Your Church Need a Restart?
Essential choices must be made when a church moves onto the downward slope of its lifecycle. This is especially true as the church moves from early to late aging. When the church enters this stage …
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 …
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 …
A Tailor-Made Approach to Change
How do ideas spread? That is the question behind Everett Rogers’ classic book, The Diffusion of Innovations. As church renewal leaders, learning the art and science of change is crucial to our work. Developing those skills by reading …
How To Engage “ChrEasters” and Reverse the Decline in Attendance
Pastors sometimes joke about “ChrEasters” or “CEOs” (Christmas/Easter Only attenders), but the reality is no laughing matter. The frequency of church attendance nationwide continues to drop at an alarming rate. The Household Pulse Survey revealed that 49 …
How to Structure for Renewal
Good governance is essential for healthy renewal. Governance is about how we decide things and how we get things done. It is about the relationship between boards, staff, teams, and volunteers. Governance is like a …