Category «churchinfluence.com»

The One Big Reason Church Attendance Is Declining (and Most Church Leaders Are Unaware)

The One Big Reason Church Attendance Is Declining (and Most Church Leaders Are Unaware)

This one data point might be the most important information on the church and faith I have heard this year. We at Church Answers have done a pretty good job of explaining the “what” of attendance decline: the frequency of church attendance has declined, and people have simply left the church altogether. What we have…

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Teen Ministry: Why Their Questions Matter and Why We Should be Prepared to Answer

Teen Ministry: Why Their Questions Matter and Why We Should be Prepared to Answer

The foundations of teen identity are shaken and eroded by the simple yet complex question, “Who are you?” Teens are asked this question in every social interaction, whether at school, in public, or even through social media. The question of who they are is asked by judgmental eyes assessing what they wear, through passive-aggressive comments…

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Whose faith is the subject of Hebrews 11:11?

Whose faith is the subject of Hebrews 11:11?

Πίστει καὶ αὐτὴ Σάρρα δύναμιν εἰς καταβολὴν σπέρματος ἔλαβεν καὶ παρὰ καιρὸν ἡλικίας, ἐπεὶ πιστὸν ἡγήσατο τὸν ἐπαγγειλάμενον (Hebrews 11:11, Westcott and Hort)

The traditional translation of Hebrews 11:11 implies that it was (at least…

The Best Metric to Determine Evangelistic Health in Your Church

The Best Metric to Determine Evangelistic Health in Your Church

I fear too many churches are sitting still and becoming apathetic with evangelism. Unfortunately, this apathy means fewer people are hearing the gospel. It’s time to move outward again. The Conversion Ratio It’s helpful to diagnose the degree of the problem in your church. One way of determining evangelistic health is through a metric called…

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Why Small Congregation Worship Matters

Why Small Congregation Worship Matters

Teresa Stewart has faith in the future of small congregations because she has faith in a God who shows up even in small and forgotten places. She believes that small churches are critical learning laboratories as the church navigates a future far too complex for one-size-fits-all patterns of ministry. Let’s start with this fundamental agreement […]

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Two Approaches to Digital Playlists for Faith Formation

Two Approaches to Digital Playlists for Faith Formation

How can a digital playlist enhance hybrid and online faith formation? John Roberto shares two approaches for creating digital playlists to strengthen faith formation. The digital playlist has become an essential resource for designing hybrid and online faith formation. What the textbook was to the print era, the playlist is to the digital world. It […]

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How to Keep Preaching Fresh: An In-Depth Interview with Teresa Fry Brown

How to Keep Preaching Fresh: An In-Depth Interview with Teresa Fry Brown

How can preachers keep their preaching fresh? Doug Powe of the Lewis Center staff interviews Professor of Preaching, Teresa Fry Brown about preaching familiar texts for different generations, preaching for in person and digital audiences, as well as sermon preparation for bivocational pastors.  Listen to this interview, watch the interview video on YouTube, or continue reading. […]

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Leading Topics: Paving the Way for Smoother Pastoral Transitions

Leading Topics: Paving the Way for Smoother Pastoral Transitions

Paving the Way for Smoother Pastoral Transitions The transitional time when one pastor is leaving a church and another is picking up the mantel of their leadership is a critical chapter in the life of any congregation. It is also a key juncture in the ministry of any pastoral leader. Both outgoing and incoming pastors […]

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How to Throw Away Accumulated Junk in Your Church

How to Throw Away Accumulated Junk in Your Church

You might be surprised that this issue really exists in churches. It really does in a lot of churches.  In fact, it is so bad in many churches that the junk takes up valuable room for ministry, small groups, and offices. In our consultations with churches, we often ask them where they keep their donated…

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