By Bill Easum
The words we use denote who we are and how we view the world. Change some of the words you use and you’re on the way to changing the system.
That’s why I hate the word “volunteer.” To me the word has come to mean “I’ll give you what I want to give […]
Radical Discipleship
The one ingredient missing in many of today’s churches is radical discipleship.[1] Radical discipleship was the norm for the early Christians.
So what is radical discipleship? It is allowing every facet of one’s life to be shaped by the life of Jesus. It’s more than attending a membership class or attending worship or even […]
Sure, spiritual growth is very personal, often unpredictable, and difficult to put into words. But it is really not as hard to measure as we may think. Count how many new small group leaders are moving through the process of identification, apprenticing, and starting new groups. Count how many members … adherents … and […]
How Churches Die Spiritually: Part One
By: Bill Easum
Most established Protestant churches today are spiritually dead. I don’t believe church leaders intentionally set out to cause their church to become spiritually dead. Most church leaders in established churches I’ve worked with believe their actions are meant for just the opposite – to keep their church […]
My years of education have let me down over the years. The only thing I use on a daily basis from High School and nine years of college, seminary, and graduate work is typing. And I use all my fingers, not just my thumbs! Even spelling, which I dearly hated, is done by a […]
There are several times during the calendar year when Jesus followers have a unique opportunity to connect the dots between God’s heart and the hearts of the multitudes of hurting people in our community. The Christmas season is perhaps the greatest of those times. In a way, we almost have an unfair advantage, because […]
I was working on a worship evaluation and thought that I’d share words and recommendations about a church’s welcome. If you’re going to be open and welcome to guests, you might want to consider the following.
Hospitality begins in the parking lot.
Well, it really begins when a guest goes to your website to find out […]
I teach the Pastoral Leadership Course at the Center for Ministry Training Program at Phillips Seminary. It’s an eight-week online intensive on what it takes to be an effective leader in the church today. One of the things I teach during the course is that a pastor cannot grow the church by staying in […]
How does a church get momentum for transformation? There are four steps to gaining momentum for church transformation.
First, in addition to preaching from the “vision lectionary” (see our EBA resources), encourage lay leaders from your team to share their stories of personal transformation in worship. The more individuals talk about how God is reshaping […]
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