As we noted in the last article, there is a deep fracturing in the evangelical church that can lead people in the pews to suspect those sitting next to them of not being sufficiently Christian …
Facing Reality: Aging Congregations
Last week, we named some of the most common hard realities churches today are facing: aging congregations, leadership gaps, volunteer decline, stalled outreach, blurry vision, and conflict. We said that acknowledging the hard realities your church is …
Facing Reality: Naming the Challenges Churches Today Can’t Ignore.
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, …
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 …
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 …
Church Renewal During the “Great Dechurching” of America
Where did everybody go? If your church’s pews are less full than they were a few decades ago, you are not alone. Research shows that 40 million American adults stopped attending church over the last …
Tim Keller’s Lessons for Church Renewal Leaders
Church planter and author Tim Keller left behind a rich legacy for those who work in church renewal. Keller planted and grew a thriving congregation in Manhattan, co-founded The Gospel Coalition, launched a church planting …
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 …