There seems to be one thing Americans can agree on—whether we are on the right, left, or somewhere in the middle: we don’t trust and don’t like institutions. Our trust in institutions has been in …
What Initiates Church Renewal?
In last week’s Fresh Ideas newsletter, I noted that there have been several major epochs of church renewal but, most importantly, church renewal is a constant fixture in every Spirit-filled, Spirit-led congregation. At the Center for Church Renewal …
The Big Three and the Hidden One
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, …
Contextualization and Renewal
Bret is my friend at our local Barnes and Noble Café. I talk with him most Friday afternoons as I set up shop to work on my message for Sunday. He is a druid who …
Shaping Culture Through Axioms
In church revitalization healthy culture is more important than good strategy. As someone has rightly pointed out, “culture eats strategy for lunch.” But how do leaders shape a congregation’s culture? One important tool is employing …
