Tag «Discipleship»

An Urgent Plea to Churches

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

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 Cincinnati Bengals . . . and Discipleship

The Cincinnati Bengals . . . and Discipleship

I realize this post is an unusual one for me, but I trust it makes sense at the end. I started writing this post on a plane going from Atlanta to Cincinnati to speak in a church meeting Sunday and Monday. As a native of Cincinnati and a life-long fan of the Cincinnati Bengals, I…

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The One Thing that Solves Most Church Problems (Only 1% of Churches Actually Do This)

The One Thing that Solves Most Church Problems (Only 1% of Churches Actually Do This)

Church health will not improve until ongoing evangelism returns. A recent Church Answers poll found that only 1% of churches have an ongoing evangelism effort. This finding corroborated a more extensive longitudinal study we’ve been conducting since 1996, in which the lowest church health score across denominations is in the category of evangelism. The trend…

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Why Discipleship Matters

Why Discipleship Matters

Throughout my teens, twenties, and thirties, I always had several Bibles close at hand—yet I rarely remember picking any of them up unless I was walking out the door to go to church. Even though I always sensed there was something special about the Bible, it wasn’t until God allowed me to reach the end…

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Launching a Transformative Bible Study for Women: A Step-by-Step Guide

Launching a Transformative Bible Study for Women: A Step-by-Step Guide

The fall season brings with it not only colorful foliage and cozy cardigan weather but also the exciting opportunity for women to delve deeply into the Word of God. It’s a season of kick-starting various Bible studies, whether within church settings, homes, or workplace break rooms. If you’re considering leading your first women’s Bible study,…

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Why Every Single Word in the Bible Matters for You Today

Why Every Single Word in the Bible Matters for You Today

All of Scripture is for every part of our lives. Every single word in the Bible is powerful, purposeful, and prescient. Understanding the Bible as a whole is worth your whole effort. Every word in the Bible matters because every minute of your day matters. In Luke’s gospel, we learn that God counts the hairs…

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6 Tools for Holy Work With Children

6 Tools for Holy Work With Children

Tanya Campen offers six tools to help children process their experiences and discoveries about God. Through story, liturgy and ritual, relational awareness, memory markers, wonder, and work, children experience and respond to God’s presence and love. Recognizing that children learn about God in varying contexts and traditions, and acknowledging all children learn and process at […]

The post 6 Tools for Holy Work With Children first appeared on Lewis Center for Church Leadership.

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The Church That Could in a Town of 714 People

The Church That Could in a Town of 714 People

Bardwell Baptist Church is located in Bardwell, Kentucky, a town of 714 people. Twenty years ago in 2020, the population was 799. Bardwell is, for the most part, an unknown town in a rural area of Kentucky.  But God knows where Bardwell is.  Jason Burnette became the pastor in 2021. Worship attendance was around 100…

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Behind the Decline: Unraveling the Forgotten Reasons of Fading Neighborhood Churches

Behind the Decline: Unraveling the Forgotten Reasons of Fading Neighborhood Churches

No doubt you’ve heard the phrase, “There goes the neighborhood.” Historically, it has been associated with ethnic minorities moving into white neighborhoods. I don’t believe most people use the phrase today in such a way. However, during the civil rights movement and the following decades, many white neighborhood churches changed locations, often moving to the…

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