The Five Pillars of Financial Wisdom: Equipping Your Members for Financial Success

Reprinted from Net Results Magazine

Can I be honest with you? The majority of your church members are financially illiterate. That’s a problem, especially when you consider that Jesus talked more about money than any other topic besides the Kingdom of God. In fact, in my opinion, it’s an untenable situation. Church members should be […]

The Great Sunday Morning Juggle: Keeping Hymns and Hipsters Happy

The Sunday morning worship service – it’s a cornerstone of church life, yet it’s a real juggling act. Trying to keep a multigenerational congregation engaged is no small feat. It’s like preparing a banquet for a room full of people, each with their own unique tastes and dietary restrictions. So, how do we create […]

The Secret to a Memorable, Life-Changing Sermon

Startling Statistic: By Wednesday afternoon, your congregation remembers 10 percent or less of what you preached. That’s according to an Air Force study some years ago (and I can assure you, our attention spans and memories have not improved since then).

Sad Story: I was having breakfast with a church leader on Monday some years ago. I was […]

Easter Church Growth: Solving 3 Key Dilemmas

Easter Sunday rolls around with a kind of predictability that’s both comforting and challenging for pastors across the board. Let’s check out the scene: the church is brimming more than usual, the air is thick with the scent of fresh flowers – mostly lilies, and the folks sitting on the pews create a colorful […]

Church Planning for 2024: Connecting with the Unchurched in the New Year

As we stand at the cusp of a new year, it’s time to face a hard truth: what used to work in church growth and engagement simply doesn’t cut it anymore. Whether it’s a ripple effect of the post-COVID era or a broader shift in cultural tides, the old playbook of church invitations is […]

The Great Worship Juggling Act: Keeping Millennials, Gen X, and Grandma in Harmony

In an era where the tapestry of our congregations is as diverse as ever, the concept of targeted worship has emerged as a pivotal strategy in church growth and community outreach. Gone are the days when a one-size-fits-all approach to worship could meet the spiritual needs of every attendee. Today’s churches are a melting […]

Build a Christmas Eve Your Neighbors Won’t Forget

As the leaves turn and the air grows crisp, our thoughts inevitably drift towards the festive season. Christmas, a time of joy, reflection, and community, holds a unique place in our hearts and calendars. For churches, this season presents a golden opportunity to connect with the community, both the faithful and those on the […]

Getting Unchurched Bob and Barb Into Church

Think about the implications of that statement. If you’re committed to growing your church, that means:

The people you’re trying to reach intentionally didn’t want to go to church.

And more to the point: They didn’t want to go to YOUR CHURCH.

There are a LOT of reasons why the unchurched “say” they don’t want to […]

Christmas Sunday 2022

Remembering back to when I was pastoring a growing church, I had to face a particularly issue in both 2005 and 2016. Those were years when December 25th fell on a Sunday. This year, 2022, Christmas day is also on a Sunday.

So how should your church plan services as Christmas day is Sunday, knowing […]