Church & Culture

Church & Culture
Hey, Boomers! Let’s Step Up And Be The Elders The Church Desperately Needs Right Now
We've been doing this badly, folks. Here are three simple steps to help my generation of Boomers become better at discipling the next generation.

What’s wrong with today’s younger generations?

I hear that question all the time. Especially from my fellow Baby Boomers.

The quick answer?

Nothing.

Nothing is wrong with the current and upcoming generations that hasn’t been wrong with every previous generation. ...

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Church & Culture
10 Ways to Disagree Online Without Being a Jerk
Insults are more likely to push undecided people away from your side, not towards it.

The internet is a great place for debate. I love throwing ideas out there, stirring up interest and reading other passionate opinions.

But the anonymity of the internet also has a way of turning mean people loose. And that stifles, sometimes kills, the opportunity for healthy, ...

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Church & Culture
5 Reasons To Preach ABOUT The Bible, Not Just FROM The Bible
Teaching people how to read and study the Bible is the best way to help them distinguish good teaching from shallow or bad teaching.

The Bible has never been more popular.

It’s everywhere. From our bookshelves, to our laptops, phones, e-readers and audio books.

Virtually anyone can gain instant access to the Bible in multiple languages and translations, including the original Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek. ...

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Church & Culture
The Importance Of Doing lowercase ministry In An ALL CAPS World
We can be loud, or we can be heard. But we can seldom do both.

There are a lot of voices yelling at us.

Stop that! Buy this! Do it now!

And it’s all accelerated by the device you’re currently using.

In such a loud, hurried world, it’s tempting to think that the only way to get our message and our ministry heard is to raise ...

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Church & Culture
Has The Rise Of Megachurches Elevated Our Communities?
Communities with successfully growing churches should be feeling the impact of those churches on their overall culture.

For over 25 years I’ve lived and pastored in Orange County, California.

In the last 50 years this county has experienced as much megachurch success as anywhere else on earth. We’ve given birth to the Crystal Cathedral, Calvary Chapel, The Vineyard, TBN, Saddleback ...

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Church & Culture
9 Common Social Media Tactics That Never Draw Anyone Closer To Jesus
For most, maybe all of these tactics, I can see the good motive behind it. But good intentions are not enough.

Social media has no moral component to it – except the ones we give it. It's just a tool.

A very powerful one.

And we’re only beginning to grasp its impact.

When used well it can connect, inform and entertain us. But when it’s used poorly, as it so often is, ...

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Church & Culture
Church Attendance Patterns Are Changing And We Have To Adapt
It’s not enough be an attractional church, a caring church, or even a teaching church. We need to become an equipping church.

Church attendance is changing.

As recently as 20 years ago, if ten people became church members (either formally or informally) the average attendance grew by eight or nine people.

Not any more.

Today, if ten people become church members, average attendance grows by five or six. ...

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Church & Culture
A Friendly Reminder: “Come To Jesus” Is More Important Than “Come To Our Church”
We have become so used to tethering evangelism to our church’s programming and attendance that we can forget they're not the same thing.

Here’s a sincere question for my fellow pastors and other church leaders.

What if the members of our churches started sharing their faith, but it wasn’t in a way that brought more people to our specific church? Would we celebrate and encourage that?

If not, we may ...

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Church & Culture
Love God, Love People, Make Disciples – Everything Else Is Scaffolding
Every program, building and denomination is temporary. They should stay in place only as long as they are being effective.

When a building is being repaired or erected, scaffolding is the temporary structure that is built around or inside it to give workers access to the construction site. But when the building is completed, the scaffolding is removed.

Every church program, building, denomination ...

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Church & Culture
Yes, Our Church Still Calls It Easter – Here Are 5 Reasons Why
The word "Easter" is commonly believed to have pagan roots, but many scholars are making some strong arguments that this may not be so.
Yes, Our Church Still Calls It Easter – Here Are 5 Reasons Why
Image: CornerstoneFV.com | Created using canva.com

Wouldn’t it be great if Easter wasn’t called Easter? If everyone knew it as Resurrection Sunday instead?

But they don’t.

Our church uses both terms. But, as you can see in the artwork above, Easter is our church’s go-to term, not Resurrection Sunday. Especially ...

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