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 …
A World of Campfire Stories
Imagine sitting on chairs in the church’s parking lot; multiple “campfires” are burning safely in their containers, and people are roasting marshmallows and telling stories. They smile as they tell small “c” campfire stories about …
Facing Reality: Stalled Outreach
In this series of newsletters, we have been naming six challenges churches today cannot ignore. We have already discussed aging congregations, leadership pipelines running dry, and the decline of volunteerism. Today, we’ll turn to the fourth challenge, stalled …
One Door and Only One?
“One door and only one, and yet its sides are two. I’m on the inside. On which side are you?” I remember this song from my childhood, but I am not sure how to think …
What About Love?
Several years ago, I was sitting in a restaurant with a church leader who was working on building a faith formation pathway. As we talked, I asked him how his team defined discipleship. His answer was …
Every Church Can Support Church Planting
Church planting is a powerful way to expand God’s Kingdom, but not every congregation will be ready to launch a daughter church this year. Still, every church can take concrete steps today to prepare for planting and to …
Comparing Five Church Planting Models
Church planting is one of the most effective ways to reach nonbelievers with the gospel. As we noted in Part 1 and Part 2 of this series, they tend to be more nimble and more …
No Justice, No Renewal?
Church leaders often find that one of the hardest parts of church renewal is engaging the congregation in the work of justice. Because justice is often perceived as unrelated to renewal, it can get pushed to the …
Five Ideas for a Modern Reformation
EDITOR’S NOTE: This summer, we’re bringing you our most popular articles from recent years. I originally wrote this article on Reformation Day, but its message continues to have traction year-round! On Oct. 31 more …
Planning a Vision Retreat
The work of church renewal hinges on ministry leaders’ clarity about the church’s mission and their role in helping to accomplish it. Summer is the perfect season to plan a retreat that allows your team …