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 …
A Fresh Look at Church Planting
If you care about church renewal, you cannot ignore church planting! As we seek to move our congregations out of maintenance mode and into a multiplication mindset, church planting should be on all our radars! …
Four Ways to Reach the “Nones”
When churches rediscover their core mission, they naturally turn outward with the Gospel. In today’s culture, many of the people outside our walls identify as “Nones” — people who say they are atheist, agnostic, or “nothing …
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 a …
Encouraging People: Being a “Barnabas” in a “Paul” World
Recently, I was on a call discussing the need for encouragement in this season of life and ministry. Many of our friends and colleagues are walking away from ministry and the church. It can be …
Praying Together For Church Renewal
Church renewal is fueled by, sustained by, and powered by prayer. As theologian Karl Barth said, “to clasp the hands in prayer is the beginning of an uprising against the disorder of the world.” Many …
The 2030 Problem: Church Renewal Steps For Graying Congregations
By the year 2030, all Baby Boomers will be 65 or older, and for the first time in U.S. history, older adults will outnumber children. This profound demographic shift is known as the “2030 Problem,” …
Learning To Love the Institutional Church
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 …
In Defense of Church Growth
We all long to reverse numerical declines and see our churches grow once again… or do we? I used to assume this was universally true, but recent conversations have convinced me that a discussion is warranted. …
Those Were The Days
A lifetime ago, there was a show called “All in the Family,” and each episode began with two people at a piano singing a song that longed for a bygone era. Sometimes, the church sounds …