The Long Game
One of the most frustrating realities about a turnaround is that it takes more time to get ready for a successful turnaround than it does to grow a church. Let me explain. There are Several Ways to Grow a Church Give me a big enough budget and I can fill your church I don’t care […]
Where I Am In Life and the Most Important Lesson I’ve Learned
Several friends have emailed me recently about my station in life and what my plans are for the future. Those who know me well know my health is fair for a 78 year old and that I’m finding it hard to sit on planes for very long (I’ve only been on a plane three times […]
5 Steps for Creating a Hospitality Culture
There is a fundamental flaw in the church of the early 21st century. We have identified it quite clearly, but talk is inadequate. As the old GI Joe commercial went, knowing is half the battle. That’s great, but there’s another half to go. What’s the issue? Commercialization of the Church. How did we go from […]
How Important is Christian Hospitality?
Perhaps you’ve noticed, our culture is often evaluating church in a negative fashion. Church people are perceived as being hypocritical, looking very different in life expression than the claims from faith identity. And, in a related way, the church message is received as irrelevant, out of touch with the reality of how faith intersects our […]
The Consumer Church Metaphor
Church members don’t generally want to have their church compared to a business, but sometimes they just can’t help themselves and they fall into the metaphor themselves. The board meeting had a motion on the floor to upgrade the brand of Sunday morning coffee to one that was more appealing to the younger generation that […]
Making Disciples in Our Culture
Have you heard? The world is ending September 23. Nibiru, or infamous Planet X, is coming. All humanity shall perish. Okay, Nibiru was also supposed to come in 1995, 2003, and 2012. But… I like to say that Jesus is coming tomorrow. One of these days I’m going to be right! We just experienced an […]