What do high impact congregations have in common? That is the question the developers of the REVEAL Survey (REVEAL measures the discipleship health of a congregation) wanted to answer when they asked pastors from the highest …
Renewing the Inner Life
As pastors, we have the opportunity to be autobiographical in our preaching and in our leadership. We even have the option of showing our own brokenness and need of the Gospel. But how much vulnerability …
When Something Blocks Your View of the Son
Right on schedule at 3:13 p.m. yesterday, everyone in Cleveland looked up to the sky and gasped in delight. Almost 240,000 miles away, the moon moved into perfect alignment with the sun. Because the moon is …
How To Engage “ChrEasters” and Reverse the Decline in Attendance
Pastors sometimes joke about “ChrEasters” or “CEOs” (Christmas/Easter Only attenders), but the reality is no laughing matter. The frequency of church attendance nationwide continues to drop at an alarming rate. The Household Pulse Survey revealed that 49 …
Prayer In Church Renewal
“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul…” -Hebrews 6:19 All of us need anchors in our lives, to keep us centered, grounded and attached. As the writer of Hebrews points out, Jesus …
How to Structure for Renewal
Good governance is essential for healthy renewal. Governance is about how we decide things and how we get things done. It is about the relationship between boards, staff, teams, and volunteers. Governance is like a …
New Church Renewal Statistics Offer Insights and Spark Questions
Last week, I shared five podcasts that can help church renewal leaders continue to learn and grow. One of them was Tony Morgan’s Unstuck Church Podcast, which releases original research into church health and growth trends. …
Contextualization and Renewal
Bret is my friend at our local Barnes and Noble Café. I talk with him most Friday afternoons as I set up shop to work on my message for Sunday. He is a druid who …
Dealing With Doubt and Deconstruction
As church renewal leaders, we dream of building vibrant, growing churches, but the trend of deconstruction reveals that infrastructure may be fracturing. Young people are increasingly leaving behind the faith in which they were raised, …
How To Get Your Church On Mission 24/7
At the heart of church renewal is helping people move beyond attending church and move toward being the church. We love when people discover God’s calling on their lives and pursue it seven days a …