The Model Church
1 Thessalonians 1:6–8 You became imitators of us and of the Lord … And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. The Lord’s message rang out from you … your faith has become known everywhere. The Thessalonian church had, at least ostensibly, become models of a functional church. They […]
Are 14 Steps for Making Disciples Too Daunting?
My wife and I were just not that “into” jewelry. Had nothing against jewelry. Just not interested. That is, until our Alaskan cruise. Due to masterful “discipleship” from several people, I am now a jewelry “believer.” I marvel at how intentional and insightful these people are at paving the way for bringing people from no […]
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 […]
Church of Tomorrow – Invested and Committed
My wife and I just completed a trip that we wanted to do since we were kids. We went to Alaska, land of 10,000 blogs (BTW – Alaska has 3 million lakes; sorry Minnesota). The first part of the trip was a cruise up the inside passage. There’s a reason that you are told to […]
To Make Disciples You Must Look Like a Disciple
My bucket list is now empty. Jesus can take me home. My wife and I took a trip of a lifetime to Alaska. It was a group trip at times which means it didn’t always feel like a vacation. Sometimes it seemed like church – at its worst. We gathered onto a motor coach in […]
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 […]