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 …
Leading at an Unsustainable Pace
Leading a church can feel like running on a treadmill. You have to run faster and faster just to stay in the same place, and if you stop for a second, it feels like you’ll …
Forming a Strategy for Church Renewal
One aim of church renewal is to help congregations regain a sense of purpose and calling. However, many churches struggle to form and implement a compelling vision for the future. Why do so many churches …
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 …
To Livestream Or Not To Livestream
Does offering a worship livestream siphon people off from participating in-person? New data by the Pew Research Center says that is generally not something to worry about. Most people are not substituting online worship for in-person …
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 Balance Love and Truth
The Gospel of John says Jesus came full of grace and truth (John 1:14), and the apostle Paul urged Christians to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). Even so, many churches today are struggling to …