Only Four Things Grow Churches
I’m fond of reminding church leaders that only a few things grow churches, but there are literally thousands of things that keep churches from growing.
When it comes to growing churches, you can do one of two things. You can focus on trying to fix what’s broken so that you end […]
I’ve yet to enter a congregation where their biggest complaint was that they had too many leaders and not enough ministry for their leaders to do. Obviously, the opposite is the rule. However, over the years I’ve discovered that, except in churches embroiled in conflict or in some other downward spiral, churches generally have […]
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)
Thanksgiving for the Christian is not just a holiday, I believe it is a Holy-day commemorating Christian pilgrim people who sought a new life in a new world where they could freely worship […]
“You can’t judge me!” It was a church member who was saying that as the pastor gently explained that their unseemly behavior at the previous board meeting had been unacceptable.
“Judge not” has become the rallying cry for tolerating bullies and terrorists in the church because, well, it just doesn’t seem right to “judge” […]
When I went to seminary, we were taught that the best, most authentic, relevant way to preach was to create an expository sermon. For the uninitiated that’s a sermon that starts with a scripture passage, “expose” it by digging in to teach what the passage says, what the author meant, and then apply it […]
Transitioning to Multiplication
Turning the tide from Mainline Decline to a Multiplication Movement isn’t an overnight sensation. And it’s not a task for the timid. To change today’s Mainline churches demands leaders who are as strong as elephants, have the hide of crocodiles, and in the words of Jesus, have the cunning of serpents (Mt […]
I don’t disagree with a thing Bill Easum wrote in his adjoining column in the May 2012 On Track newsletter. Jesus is more than just the reason for the season. But I want to put another slant on the importance of theology in the church.
Over the years I’ve heard suggestions that the reason XYZ […]
Congregations have four levels of maturity – okay, good, quality, and excellence. As the church grows in numbers, it must also grow in its maturity. People expect more the larger a church becomes, and it takes more maturity to disciple people as the church grows. So here is how it works. Rate where your […]
What happens during the transition?
The pastor must carefully and slowly chip away at destroying the dependent culture and establishing a growth culture. For eight years, I chipped away at changing the culture to one of equipping. I spent those 8 years filtering out whom I had to see and get fired and whom I […]
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