Emerging Key Issues Facing the Church of Tomorrow
Key Number One: How to minister in a multicultural world The boats are no longer coming to North America from Europe. Mainline denominations are finding it impossible to become multicultural in spite of their resolutions and affirmative action. As long as denominations remain dominated by European forms of worship, they’ll never develop multicultural congregations. European forms […]
Setting Clear Expectations
I was talking with a pastor the other day who was having trouble getting what he needed out of his staff. I asked him if he had set clear expectations for them as to what he was expecting. He said, “Sure, I told them I wanted their area of ministry to grow.” Well, folks, that’s […]
Electronic Giving
A discussion came up on one of the various forums I monitor. The question was “How do you feel about kiosks for giving?” My response was this: “Electronic giving is to worship today is like visuals were to worship in the 80s. If you don’t do it, you’ll be left in the dust.” The younger the […]
Making a Difference
The U.S. is full of clergy who go from day to day with no plan for how to make their world a better place. They do what others want them to do as if that is why God put them here. Well, I don’t think that’s God’s plan. I think when God calls us, he gives […]
How to Develop a Healthy Outlook on Life
Over 50,000 people committed suicide last year. Over 100,000 people this past year typed into Google “I want to die.” Suicide and looking for a reason not to blow their brains are both on the rise. I find it curious that this rise in depression comes at the very time that Christianity is on the […]
Focus Is the Name of the Game
One of the major problems pastors have is either the inability or lack of desire to focus on what’s important. Case in point. Yesterday, a pastor of a 150-member church told me he was exhausted from working so many hours a week. My response: Pastoring a church of 150 members isn’t a full-time job, and […]