Tag «Church Answers»

A Guide to Intentional Christmas Events for Ministry to Women

The twinkle of Christmas lights, the warmth of shared laughter, and the joy of coming together in celebration—this season offers a beautiful opportunity to create intentional and memorable events within your church’s women’s ministry. As we approach the Christmas season, let’s explore how we can plan gatherings that not only reflect the true spirit of…

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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…

Christmas Eve Is a Sunday This Year (The Big Opportunity)

The holiday season is demanding. Pastors and church leaders must move from one event to the next in rapid-fire succession. The whirlwind lasts from Thanksgiving to Christmas Day. Most pastors get a small break between Christmas and the New Year, and then it’s time to launch again. Ministry is a grind. The deadlines never end,…

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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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An Urgent Plea to Churches

I admit it: I’m pleading with church leaders with this post. I’m pleading on behalf of 19 million people in the United States. This past weekend, I led a collegiate conference at a local church. Every time I speak to college students, I’m reminded of two things: (1) they bring enthusiasm and potential to a…

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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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Seven Tips to Make Sermon Points More Memorable

My wife recently found a box of old church bulletins with notes from my previous sermons. She is a prodigious note-taker. These old bulletins contained thousands of sermon points. How many of them did she remember? I didn’t ask. Only a few congregants will remember specific points I make in a sermon several years afterward….

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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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Why Your Church Needs More (Often) Announcements in Worship

Most of us have entered the twilight zone of worship announcements at some point. A person approaches you with awkward determination three minutes before the start of a worship service. A piece of paper unfolds multiple times. If there was a way to collect all these scraps of paper, we pastors could create an epic…

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