As a church grows, the roles played by the staff, the council, the laity, the visioning team, and the pastor must shift appropriately. In a new series of newsletter articles beginning today, I’ll tackle each …
How To Find Fresh Ideas
Have you ever made a copy of a copy? How about a copy of a copy of a copy? Over time, the copies begin looking blurrier and blurrier until you can barely tell what is written on …
New Data About Clergy Health
October is Pastor Appreciation Month, and one of the best ways to show appreciation to your pastor is through empathy and understanding. How are ministers doing today? How is your minister doing today? In today’s …
How to Reverse a Decline While There Is Still Time
My wife and I are fans of the British Television show “Silent Witness.” The show focuses on the way a person who died under unknown circumstances can tell a story through an autopsy. As we …
Just Ask: The Power of an Invitation
Despite tectonic shifts over the centuries, one of the best ways to grow a church remains the same — the simple act of extending an invitation. According to Thom Rainer’s book, The Unchurched Next Door, 82 …
Fresh Ideas From The 1860’s
Those who know U.S. history know that the 1860s was a time of great turmoil, not only in the United States’ politics, but also in its churches. These years provide useful lessons for our churches today. …
Election Season Sanity At Church
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 …
