Renewal never begins with denial. Renewal begins with telling the truth. And the truth is that churches today are facing daunting challenges. It can be tempting to look the other way. Whether it is stalled growth, …
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 …
How Pastors Can Beat Burnout
The difficult work of church renewal can push pastors into burnout. If you feel like you’ve hit a wall, it doesn’t have to be the end of your ministry. It can be the beginning of a new chapter …
What Causes Pastors to Burn Out?
The work of church renewal can be exhausting! If pastors give without being replenished for long enough, the body will eventually say, “Enough,” and burnout will set in. Last week, we began a series on burnout by looking at …
Warning Signs of Pastor Burnout
About two in five pastors may be at high risk of burnout, according to a recent study. On the heels of Pastor Appreciation Month, let’s acknowledge that we live in a time when 42 percent of pastors say they have …
Renewing the Pastors Who Renew Churches
Pastors know that church renewal is about more than buildings and budgets; it’s about people! However, pastors today are struggling to flourish in the area of personal relationships, according to new data from Barna’s State of …
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 …
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! …
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 …
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 …