It’s that time of year again – when we take a deeper look inside the current state of the church. In 2017 and 2018 these were our most read and shared posts of the year, and we hope this installment is just as helpful. By going over some of the most important church statistics, you’ll […]
You are reading a free research sample of State of the Church & Family Report The Christian church has been a cornerstone of American life for centuries, but much has changed in the last 30 years. Americans are attending church less, and more people are experiencing and practicing their faith outside of its four walls. Millennials […]
The following research is based on the survey of Barna Group, What People Want (1997). We asked 100 people of the most important qualities of the pastor, and they answered: 1. Makes decisions which are in the best interests of the people, even if those decisions might not be popular (29%) 2. Trains and develop […]
Growth begins with investment in a process which will cause change. Churches which experience dynamic growth focus on the following important dynamics: (1) Genuine experiences of the presence of God; (2) High level of self-motivation; (3) Unified vision and purpose; (4) Clear goals; (5) Pioneering or establishing a precedent; (6) Finding people in the community […]
One of the most frequent concerns we hear, when working with congregational transformation, is “We don’t have enough people to do all the ministries.” Interestingly, when we investigate, we’ll hear these same words from both staff and volunteers – as well as from church members who are only marginally involved. Using the Pareto Principle as […]
Why do businesses still turn to this century-old axiom to solve problems? Because we’ve learned that it doesn’t just apply to Italy’s economy. It applies to most things involving humans, money and time. In this case, it may mean that the 20 percent that matters when it comes to increasing giving in your church may be […]
Excerpted from The Rest of Your Life (Zondervan) Remember the 80/20 rule? Italian economist, Vilfredo Pareto, first noted the principle that 20 percent of our efforts produces 80 percent of our results, and vice versa. And the rule (which is actually not a rule at all but a useful working generalization) extends into every nook […]