As election season heats up in the US, church leaders face the daunting task of guiding their congregations through an increasingly hostile and divisive landscape. Our mailboxes, inboxes, TV screens, and social media feeds are littered with …
Navigating Our WEIRDER World
Andrew Wilson’s book, Remaking the World: How 1776 Created the Post-Christian West, takes the reader on a journey to show how the happenings of 1776 changed the way we perceive life today. Wilson reminds us …
Finding a Sustainable Pace In Church Renewal
Last week, I compared leading church to running on a treadmill. The pace of change in today’s world is relentless. We feel like we have to run faster and faster just to stay in the same …
The Death of Hope
Hope is draining away for many in America. One recent analysis found that that 44 percent of American 8th, 10th, and 12th grade students reported feeling that their lives are “not useful.” Almost half added, “I do not …
Transformation in a Secular Age
A critical task of pastors and ministry leaders in a renewal process is to lead people toward being transformed by God. Paul writes to the church in Rome, calling them to be transformed by the …
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 …
How To Measure Church Renewal
How do you know if your church renewal efforts are effective? Most of us have a general sense of how things are going at our churches. Feelings are not enough. We need objective measurements of church …
2024 Survival Guide
Where will the path lead this year? In last week’s newsletter, Keith Doornbos highlighted eight emerging trends in the field of church renewal. This week, I want to offer several of my own predictions for 2024, along with …
Church Renewal Trends in 2024
Happy New Year! Last week, we looked back on the biggest “fresh ideas” of 2023. Now, as we enter into 2024, we would like to look forward toward emerging trends in the new year. Below are several …
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 …
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