Explode the Myths: An Idea for a Learning Center

This idea is borrowed from an old, now unidentified source. It still works well as a learning center.

Create a “stick of dynamite for each myth (a toilet paper tube or rolled up piece
of poster board works well when decorated in red or orange paper and given a pipe cleaner
“fuse”). Tape or glue the “Myth” to […]

Back to Basics: Build Relationships

The second step in Jesus’ 5 step exponential church growth model is to build relationships (step 1 is to get some attention and increase your first-time visitor count).

This is part 2 of a five part series.

Most, but certainly not all, churches get a first-time visitor every now and then. And if you’re following the […]

Reflections on St. Luke’s United Methodist Church

In the spring of 1993, Dr. Carver McGriff retired after 26 years as Senior Pastor of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. When he became Senior Pastor in 1967 there were about 900 members and when he retired 26 years later there were about 3800 members and on average attendance of 1800. […]

Halloween Outreach 2021

When I was a kid, Halloween was always a very special night in our neighborhood. We would dress up in costume, go trick or treating and we would always make sure we went to the door of the “good house” on our block. The goodhouse was the one whose owner handed out the best […]

The Right and Wrong Ways to Network

He finally took our advice and started spending time at the local coffee shop at the big box book store. Every Tuesday and every Thursday he was there from 9 to noon without fail, but after eight weeks he was pretty discouraged. He hadn’t had a meaningful conversation with anyone, hadn’t exchanged contact information […]

Four Key Strategies That Will Grow Your Church

Growing a church isn’t about finding a magic bullet or the latest trendy program. It’s about focusing on what truly matters. After decades of working with churches across the nation, I’ve found that sustainable church growth boils down to four core processes: Invite, Connect, Disciple, and Send. Bill Easum and I wrote about these […]

Attracting Men To Your Church

Some years ago, after reading David Murrow’s book, “Why Men Hate Going to Church”, I realized that most people assume that men are just less religious than women, but this is untrue. Other religions have little trouble attracting males and Jesus was a magnet to men. But today, few men are living for Christ, […]

4 Ways to Foster a Culture of Giving In Women’s Ministry

No matter the size, your women’s ministry is a community of sisters in Christ who gather to learn and worship. Whether you aim to instill leadership qualities into your church’s youth or equip believers to minister to others, the culture of your ministry’s community dictates how you’ll put your faith into practice.

The Christian church […]

Setting SMART Goals

Over the years, I’ve come to understand that when we talk about making plans in the church, we may not be speaking the same language. What I call mission may or may not be what you call mission. And the same goes for vision, strategies, tactics, and goals. the definitions for these terms are […]