2017
There are two interesting, but conflicting conversations happening among church leaders right now. Especially, but not exclusively, on social media.
On the one hand, people are decrying the supposed shallowness of today's worship songs.
On the other hand, there's a push ...
When a pastor says "we count people because people count" and "numbers matter because every number is a person," I agree.
Everyone in a church service, a discipleship class or a small group is a person for whom Jesus died. And knowing how many of them are ...
Church planters are some of the great heroes of the faith. Especially when you realize how many church plants fail within the first few years.
But I wonder, how many failed churches might still be alive and well today if we didn’t pressure them to reach numerical goals ...
A lot of people are talking and writing about leaving the Christian faith lately.
For many, their reasons are profound and horrifying. I have and will write about those tragedies, but this article is not about that. It’s about others who are leaving for reasons that are ...
When you love something, there's always more to discover in it. That was the essence of a conversation I had recently about the value of small church ministry.
It began with a question.
"What you're doing with small churches is great, but won't you have to expand ...
If you were on Facebook in the last few days, you heard from Jayden K. Smith.
Actually, you didn’t hear from Jayden, you heard a lot about Jayden.
For those not on Facebook, here’s what happened.
Someone started a rumor that if you accepted a friend request from Jayden ...
The Bible uses many colorful words to describe the church. It’s a family, a body, a fellowship, a holy people, a flock, and more.
But not a business.
In my previous post, I wrote about Why It's A Bad Idea To Run A Church Like A Business. In today’s post, I want ...
Churches cannot and should not be run like businesses.
I’ve always felt that to be true. But, as a pastor, I only knew it in the abstract.
Then, a few years ago I started my own business. You're reading one of the products of it right now. The writing and speaking I ...
Whatever happened to grace?
Not God’s grace for us. That’s more sure than tomorrow’s sunrise.
But what about giving grace to others? Assuming the best of them instead of the worst? Giving people – especially fellow believers – the benefit of the doubt? ...
Jesus didn’t value crowds. He didn’t even trust them (John 2:23-24). But he valued the people in them.
Even though they chased him everywhere he went, Jesus and crowds had, at best, a strained relationship. As pastors, we need to keep this in mind as we look at how ...
What would you say if someone asked you the question in the title of this post?
“What are you improving at your church right now?”
Would you know what to say? It’s an important question.
In fact, if you can't answer that question with at least one specific ...
"When they zig, you zag."
I don't know who said it first, but a lot of people have said it since.
I'm a zagger.
I’ve tried to be a zigger. To go with the flow, not against it. To pick the low-hanging fruit.
But, time after time, without intending to, I find ...
Small churches are becoming big news!
Recently, I had the chance to be interviewed about small churches by two great ministries.
Both interviews were published this week. One in a podcast, the other in a written article.
1. The Thom Rainer Leadership Podcast #338
First, I was honored ...
There are so many ways to do church.
As long as you’re honoring the Bible, worshiping Jesus and loving people, no method or structure is wrong.
But any method or structure can be done wrong.
Thankfully, it can also be done right.
Whatever program, asset or resource you think ...
I love church growth.
I also love the Church Growth Movement. It’s brought some wonderful benefits to the church in the last 40 to 50 years. A renewed emphasis on outreach, accurate assessment tools, and an openness to try new methods are just a few of the positives.
But ...
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