There’s No Dignity in Death When …
Evangelistic fervor that reaches out beyond the church and into the culture. That’s the call to every follower of what Paul calls the Way in this extended passage. And yet evangelism is the least practiced of all Christian disciplines, including faithful stewardship. Yes, more people actually tithe than regularly share their faith with Nones, the […]
The Missing Piece for Making Disciples
It’s common for church people to resist the “ways of the world” when it impacts how we do church together. At The Effective Church Group, we are always ready for push back when we express practical advice which arises from the reality of how human nature works. We hear “It’ll never work; or it’s not […]
10 Things to Do – Turnaround Mid to Large Sized Church
Recently, I wrote a post about starting a turnaround effort in a small church that’s been in decline for years (Ten Things to Do to Lead a Turnaround). I immediately got requests from church leaders of declining mid-sized and large churches: “What about us? What should we do?” So, here is a list of things […]
7 Things To Do Outside the Church Office
I teach the Pastoral Leadership Course at the Center for Ministry Training Program at Phillips Seminary. It’s an eight-week online intensive on what it takes to be an effective leader in the church today. One of the things I teach during the course is that a pastor cannot grow the church by staying in their […]
10 Things to Do to Lead a Turnaround
I was recently asked what advice I’d give to a pastor getting ready to start a new transformation effort in a small church that’s been in decline for years. Here are the top 10 things I recommended. Hand off everything you possibly can. Hand off regular hospital visitation, shut-in visitation, member care, etc. Instead, build […]
Is it Time to Drop the Requirement: Part Two
My post, titled “Is It Time To Drop The Requirement,” resulted in several responses, which prompted me to do a little more digging into the subject of ordination. And after extensive reading on the subject I conclude there is absolutely no mention of ordination in the New Testament. By the second part of the second […]