I. Introduction
A. Let me contextualize my thoughts.
1. It is my contention that the world, and especially North America, is more like the first century than the 20th century. If that is true, our strategies must be different and the world is ripe for a major new movement that could reshape the world. The question is […]
Five good books for creating a Mission Statement:
The Path, by Laurie Beth Jones, New York, NY, Hyperion, 1996Managing By Values, by Ken Blanchard and Michael O’Connor, San Francisco, Berrett- Koehler Publishers, 1997****Building A Shared Vision, C. Patrick Lewis, Portland, OR, Productivity Press, 1997Built to Last, James Collins, and Jerry Porras, Harper Business, 1997Clarifying our […]
It is becoming increasingly clear that if outreaches to our cities are not both caring for the people as well as aware of the environmental footprint we leave behind we are not going to make our greatest impression. It is high time that we open our peepers to become aware of the complete imprint […]
The following is one of our most asked-for blog posts. It was written two decades ago, but it is still as relevant today as it was then.
Throughout all my consulting ministry, I have seen a disturbing pattern: most established churches are held hostage by one or two bullies. Either one individual or a small group […]
A careful study of Jesus life and ministry reveals that Jesus core ministry was that of small group leader. He taught the masses; he helped and healed the many; he concentrated on the few. There seemed to be a kind of gravitational pull toward the small group. He often tried to get away from […]
Jesus taught that is the responsibility of every generation to reinvent the wineskins–the forms that hold the gospel. We are never to tinker with the wine of the gospel itself. We must be constantly creating new wineskins.
“No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the new piece […]
Several years ago, I wrote the following Christmas Eve fantasy account. It was a compilation of some of the Christmas Eve hospitality practices that I’ve experienced in churches I’ve led as well as some things that I’ve seen in other churches. Since it was published, I’ve heard of several churches who have taken on […]
In order to connect with the unchurched you have to have three ingredients: a knowledge of God’s word, a good relationship with unchurched people, and the ability to make the leap from a world of organized faith to a world of searching faith. Most clergy and some laity have the first ingredient. However, very few clergy […]
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 […]
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