The Ten Most Influential Churches of the Past Century
My friend Elmer Towns just finished a book: The Ten Most Influential Churches of the Past Century. In the book, he gives a thorough examination of the contribution of each church. As always, his research and analysis of what makes a church historically influential is impeccable. And you may be surprised at which churches are in […]
Spark: Igniting a Culture of Multiplication
Reading Spark, by Todd Wilson, filled my eyes with tears. Where was this book when I restarted my church? What a difference it might have made. Folks, this is the first book of 2015 that will go on my classics list. The author addressed both the problem and the solution when it comes to developing a […]
Is Church a Verb or Noun?
Is the word “church” a noun or a verb? How you answer this question explains whether you understand the Gospel or have totally missed its point. So let’s start by asking a question –“Which image best portrays a church?” Which one did you pick? By the conversations of most Christians it would appear to be […]
Live by Consensus and Die from Constipation
I don’t know how long it has been going on; it started before my time. But it has become honed in the past fifty years. I’m referring to the passion for consensus in many of our churches today. So many are afraid to act without finding out where everyone in the church stands on the […]
4 Ways Your Greeters Make Guests Feel Welcome
When it comes to first-time visitors, you may be surprised to learn that perhaps the most influential person your guests will meet isn’t your worship leader. It’s not the choir director, Christian education leader, or the board chair. It’s not even your pastor. Believe it or not, probably the most influential person your first-timers meet is your church greeter. […]
The Secret to Effective Ministry
The world is changing dramatically. Pastors have been trained to do spiritual care. But now the goal is leadership – whatever that really means in a church. Do you struggle with what it looks like to be a leader in the church? Do you have secret moments when you feel like a failure, when you […]