My conversion took place some 52 years ago and occurred over a relatively short period of time – about six months. It began with my dating a girl that demanded I attend church with her. Then I connected with the pastor because we both played golf, and the rest is history. I would characterize […]
Few churches know how to offer adequate hospitality to a non-Christian visitor. Being nice, loving, warm, and friendly isn’t the same thing as being hospitable. For instance, does your church bulletin use any of the following words:
InvocationBenedictionDoxologyPrayer ResponsePastoral PrayerHymnOfferingIntroitPreludePostludeor a host of others)
If so, then the bulletin isn’t pre-Christian ready because a […]
My wife is currently the pastor of a small church here in Columbia, Missouri (Oakland Christian). It’s a small church, but putting what she knows about church growth, evangelism, follow-up, and leadership development into action the church has recently begun to show growth – especially with the younger adult crowd.
The church’s nursery is in […]
Roy Lessin, Co-founder, DaySpring Cards in his devotional book Meet Me in the Meadow, shares this encounter he had when he was paying his utility bill.
“One day, while paying my electric bill, I decided to thank the company for the service they were providing me. “Thanks for my electricity,” I said, “It’s really quite […]
Anyone who knows me well knows that I’m a bit of a Trekkie… but not a huge fanatic by any means (I started watching when Kirk started his career and quit when Picard retired). You know, you can learn a lot about leadership watching Star Trek, both how to lead effectively and how not […]
During national tragedies like natural disasters and mass shootings, the phrase “in our thoughts and prayers” is often used by officials and other public figures to express concern in difficult times.
The phrase has recently received criticism for its repeated usage in the context of gun violence and has been labeled by a word […]
We get asked about get church visitors back and turn them into returning guests pretty regularly. Over the years, we’ve been gathering some of the best ideas we’ve seen. Below is a list of some of the best practices we’ve seen used from first visit to membership. You’ll notice that most of the initial […]
During my years of pastoral ministry I learned two very helpful tactics to raise needed funds. Keep in mind this tip is not for churches that have taught tithing for years and tie tithing to membership. But if you are still doing a year stewardship drive, then these two tips might bring in some […]
There’s an axiom in the consulting world that goes: “Only two things grow a church … and about a million things keep it from growing.” Of course the second part is an exaggeration, to a certain extent, but the first part holds true across our nation.
Let me help explode a couple of myths that […]
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