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The call from the pastor was not that unusual. Indeed, it was a part of a pattern we’ve observed at Church Answers. “Hey Thom,” the pastor asked, “Are you seeing anything about church giving declining? We thought it was a temporary pause at our church, but giving is consistently down about five percent.” While we…
The post Five Cautions about Church Budgets for the Next Twelve Months appeared first on Church Answers.
There is always a danger in basing an article on numbers. They can seem to be ultimate or penultimate goals when they should be neither. Numbers, however, like a thermometer, can be a rough gauge of our current health. In that regard, looking at churches’ data can be a good exercise. Though the data is…
The post Comparing Your Church’s Current Data to 2019 appeared first on Church Answers.
Trust is eroding in various sectors of our society, including education, government, and even religious institutions. As followers of Jesus, we have a responsibility not only to possess good character and integrity but also to dedicate our time and efforts toward instilling and promoting these values both individually and corporately as image bearers of God. …
The post 4 Keys to Creating A Culture of Trust appeared first on Church Answers.
AI. Robotics. Work-from-anywhere. The disappearing middle manager. The stress of blue-collar and service workers. Gigs and side gigs. The headlines state the obvious. Work is changing. The pandemic accelerated the change. Workers are adjusting. Companies are adjusting. The marketplace is adjusting. I am concerned, however, that most churches are not adjusting. The most common question…
The post The Future of Work in Church: Ten Realities You Might Not Know appeared first on Church Answers.
Accountability is the acceptance of responsibility for your actions. But what does this acceptance look like with paid church staff? It’s more than theology. For example, a church leader may believe in the biblical nature of accountability but not follow through, like a person who believes exercise is good for the body but never goes…
The post Five Essential Accountability Standards for Pastors and Paid Church Staff appeared first on Church Answers.
Many churches are barely hanging on, but there is hope. Churches are simultaneously both fragile and resilient. They hang on by their fingernails, but those fingernails are surprisingly strong. Every Sunday seems to have the potential to be the last one. Yet the same church survives year after year, decade after decade. Struggling churches tend…
The post Shifting Your Church Out of Survival Mode and into Hopeful Optimism appeared first on Church Answers.
December 15, 1967 was a major moment in American history. I bet few of you know what happened on that day. I sure didn’t until I began studying the world of microstresses. Let me explain. On that fateful day in 1967, the Silver Bridge collapsed, and 46 people died. The bridge connected Point Pleasant, West…
The post Nine Microstresses of a Pastor appeared first on Church Answers.
The second chair position is paradoxical for two reasons. First, a second chair involves the tension of submitting as a subordinate to the first chair while at the same time leading with a high level of influence. Second chairs maintain a dependence on the first chair while at the same time managing the significant amounts…
The post The Top Three Ways Lead Pastors Can Serve the Second Chair appeared first on Church Answers.
Can you really predict your church’s worship attendance for the next year? Our answer is “maybe.” I know such certainty gives you a lot of comfort! Here’s the reality: the answer is in God’s hands. His Spirit can move as He pleases. So why would we even attempt to project worship attendance? It’s a fair…
The post Predicting Your Worship Attendance for the Next Year appeared first on Church Answers.
“You’re missing an opportunity to listen,” the consultant told me. He was kind but blunt. I knew he was right. “Start meeting with each team member one-on-one, at least once a month.” I followed his advice and have not looked back. These one-on-ones have helped me lead the church staff unlike anything else. Setting up…
The post This One Meeting Revolutionized How I Listen to My Church Staff appeared first on Church Answers.