When Jesus was talking about not pouring new wine into old wine skins he was communicating the fragile nature of change. Change is difficult, especially in churches so, we need to develop a purposeful process for change. Here is a five-step process you can use to implement real and lasting change in your church.
Step 1: […]
There is so much misunderstanding about small groups. Some think they are the way to grow the church – but usually they aren’t. Instead they help retain and grow people. Some think they are basically bible studies – but they aren’t.
So what are the three things that make small groups effective today?
They are […]
For some, the thought of congregational unity may be more like a fantasy than a vision of reality, and yet there are churches dotted across the nation that are not only missionally aligned, but they are unified in all they do. That doesn’t mean the members are all automatons or that everyone agrees with everything. […]
I read a goal statement for a youth program recently. In sum, the statement read:
The goal for the Youth Program is to reach the youth in our congregation and encourage them to bring a friend to each gathering.
The question I pondered on was what does it mean to “reach the youth”? An […]
For the week of April 18, 2005
DNA Accountability – Part 3
By: Tom Bandy
Churches need to move beyond discernment of DNA, to using DNA as a primary vehicle for accountability. There are five basic ways to do this. Here is the third:
Embed the DNA into the very lifestyle expectations of your core leaders. Their daily […]
For the week of April 11, 2005
DNA Accountability – Part 2
By: Tom Bandy
Churches need to move beyond discernment of DNA, to using DNA as a primary vehicle for accountability. There are five basic ways to do this. Here is the second:
Align every tactic (including budget lines, job descriptions, and even the decorations in the […]
For the week of April 04, 2005
DNA Accountability – Part 1
By: Tom Bandy
Churches need to move beyond discernment of DNA, to using DNA as a primary vehicle for accountability. There are five basic ways to do this. Here is the first:
Refine the DNA in every annual meeting or annual staff visioning retreat. Talk about […]
Many churches across the country seem to be caught in what may be described best as a web of inhospitality, especially when it comes to their worship services. They’re not trying to be unfriendly and they often have years of tradition to defend their practices. And yet, after years of conversations with the unconnected, […]
An important step in the growth of any church is to do whatever you can to encourage your first time guests to return for a second week. Notice I use the word ‘guest’ not visitor. To treat first time attenders as a welcomed guest, there are five things I would like to suggest that […]
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