Category «churchinfluence.com»
5 Reasons I Am Thankful for My Critics
Because I am wrong sometimes, perhaps often. Just because I received a criticism does not mean he’s wrong and I am right. I need to consider prayerfully the nature of the criticism to see if I can learn something. Because I need an extra dose of humility. If I can move to a greater level …
4 Ways Giving Thanks Improves Your Life
There are a lot of myths around the first American Thanksgiving in 1621, but one thing is for sure. The Pilgrims were lucky to be alive, and they knew it. “Eleven months earlier the Pilgrims had arrived at the tip of Cape Cod, fearful and uninformed,” says Nathaniel Philbrick in his history Mayflower. “By all …
Top 10 Worship Distractions
Starting late. Our secret shoppers know to be present in the worship center prior to the publicized starting time and to record what time the service actually begins. A late start may be unavoidable, but too often the tardiness is seemingly due to disorganization and apathy. A late start seldom strengthens an attitude of worship. …
8 Difficult Ministry Situations
Moral failure of a church staff member. “When our associate pastor confessed to his affairs and left his family, our entire church was devastated. It was over a year before we began to recover; I have really been involved in grief ministry with his failure and departure.” Funeral of a child or teenager. “I have …
10 Concerns of Young Leaders
They do not want to do ministry alone. Not only do they recognize the value of together facing struggles, but they also understand the strength of collective wisdom. Indeed, many argue that leading a church without a plurality of leaders is unbiblical. Whether in a local church or on the mission field, they want to …
5 Helpful Church Growth Ratios
Church growth ratios are a reference tool to aid in ministry action plans. Ratios are broad guidelines describing general characteristics that healthy, growing churches will exhibit. The Bonsai Theory or 80% Rule The 80% Rule observes that churches will grow to fill their available space. Ken Hemphill coined the term “Bonsai Theory” to illustrate this …
How to Overcome the 80/20 Church Rule with Social Media
A recent survey shows that the 80/20 principle is a fact of church life in most congregations — only 20 percent are heavily involved, while 80 percent are minimally involved and attend infrequently at best. They act more like spectators than members. Think of that for a moment. Four out of five members of our …
9 Strategies for Creating Leadership Culture
9 principles that will help leaders create a culture of leadership development. Build culture not leaders. The reason most churches have a leadership deficiency today is because they fail to build a culture of development yesterday. Model leadership development from the executive level. The values of the leader become the values of the organization. Leadership …
Did Jesus Call Us to Be Relevant?
Last week, Michael Paulson of The New York Times asked Pastor Brian Houston, founder of the Hillsong movement (which now has congregations in California and New York), “Can your pastors preside at same-sex marriages?” Pastor Houston replied (in part), “It can be challenging for churches to stay relevant. Because many mainstream churches upheld what they …