Anyone who has stayed at a growing church for more than 15 years knows that several things are inevitable.
Sooner or later you will hit burnout. I did my 10th year. It was so severe that I told my board I wanted to quit. Instead they sent me off for a three-month sabbatical. It […]
I just finished what I consider to be the top book I’ve read so far this year and one that I feel will become a classic in the missional movement: Reggie McNeal’s Missional Communities. The book both explains the movement and gives examples of actual places where the movement is succeeding. This is a […]
Just a few hours ago, we posted a sample board meeting agenda. Within minutes, we started receiving requests: “What would an effective staff meeting agenda look like?”
The primary difference between a board meeting and a staff meeting is that the staff is leading the programs and ministries of the church. They’re responsible for making […]
There are lots of things that frustrate church consultants. For me, at least lately, the biggest bang-my-head-against-a-wall issue is denominational distractions.
Let me give you a real-world example. Last summer, my denomination (Disciples of Christ) took a historical vote on who’s welcome on which side of the Lord’s Table. We’re not the first mainline denomination […]
The role of the church is changing, whether we like it or not, whether we’re ready for it or not, and whether we believe it or not. Back in the day, […]
Many churches I work with suffer from low self-esteem and a sense of hopelessness. There are many reasons for this malaise, a common one being that the congregation has come to believe their circumstances are insurmountable (they’re not, but that’s a post for another time).
I’m working on a recommendation report from a consultation with a church […]
Here’s a mind bender for you. Below is a simple scenario. Put your church consultant hat on and contemplate – what would you do?
Four mornings each week, he sat in his office doing Facebook updates, responding to the occasional email, and tending to the church’s website. On Wednesdays he planned worship and worked on the bulletin. […]
I just returned from a church growth training event at a local church where we reviewed and evaluated their vision. Their vision statement was a bit wordy, but overall it got high marks.
However, this question arose from some of the members: “What about those in the congregation who don’t support the vision… those who don’t […]
I got a note the other day asking about what a bar ministry might look like. There are a couple ways that churches are doing successful bar ministries. Here are the two dominant models:
A church buys a bar and operates it as one of its outreach ministries. These bars are far from preachy […]
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