Tag «Administration & Finance»

The Deacons Every Pastor (Should) Love

While churches and denominations have varying viewpoints on the role of deacons due to polity differences, what should be universal is how pastors place a high value on deacons who serve well. I don’t often come across posts from pastors praising their deacons. That’s why I’m writing this one. My deacons are not just the “other office of the church;” they are people with whom I entrust the most sensitive and critical parts of ministry within our congregation. Here are some of the deacons every pastor should love.

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Your Church Is Probably Not Paying Your Pastor Enough

Most pastors do not take a vow of poverty when called into the ministry. They deserve a fair wage for their work like everyone else. Moreover, almost every pastor is motivated by factors other than money. I don’t hear many stories from pastors beginning with, “I decided to go into ministry because of the money.”…

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8 Things I Would Look for on a Church Website If I Were Looking for a Church Home

I’m not looking for a new church home. We love our pastors and the church’s vision, and we have no intention of going elsewhere. At the same time, though, I’m often in correspondence with people who are looking for a new church. They most often turn to the website to determine whether to visit a…

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Why Many Churches Will See Giving Go Down in 2024 (Plus Practical Tactics for Resilient Church Budgeting Amid Declining Giving)

Many church experts (us included!) predicted a dip in church giving when the pandemic hit in 2020. The drop never came. Three significant reasons stand out why church giving remained stable through the pandemic. God’s people rallied and support…

When Pastors Doubt Their Leadership Ability

It is a key issue in pastoral leadership today. Here is a quote from a pastor I coach. It is indicative of this issue: “I don’t feel like I am leading well. Sometimes I wonder if God’s anointing and calling is no longer on my life.” That pastor is not alone. As I work with…

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The Top Ten Misaligned Priorities in Struggling Churches

Churches decline for two main reasons—both having to do with a shift in priorities. First, they lose passion for the Great Commission and the Great Commandment. Second, as a result, they no longer give God glory. When a church no longer pushes outward with the gospel, the people will no longer look upward to God’s…

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5 Surprising Approaches Churches Are Using to Increase Attendance

I like outliers. Outliers are, by their definition, exceptions to the rule. They are different from others. Our Church Answers team closely watches church attendance, especially attendance since the pandemic. Most churches had a decline in attendance. Since many of these congregations are intentional about recovering from the decreases, we note what approaches these churches take. …

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The ONE Big Change Taking Place in Church Hiring Practices (and It’s Under the Radar)

It is a movement. It is an undeniable movement. In the midst of all the changes taking place in churches, this one factor is rarely mentioned. For sure, a lot of the focus has been on change in churches since COVID. I get that. The pandemic and quarantine changed much of society including churches. That…

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Is Passing the Offering Plate Dead? 7 Thoughts

For hundreds of thousands of churches, the tradition stood the test of time. The majority of churches passed the offering plate (or some type of receptacle) during a designated time of the worship service typically called “the offertory.” There is no doubt that the number of churches passing the offering plate has decreased dramatically in…

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Pastoral Whiplash Syndrome: Five Causes

The metaphor has changed. For most of my ministry, we often referred to the up and down of pastoral ministry as a roller coaster. It made sense. One day the pastor will celebrate five new believers in Christ. The next day the pastor is met by a long-term church member who is leaving the church…

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