Tag «Grow»

Five Reasons Why the Disappearance of the Offering Plate Is So Significant for Churches

My childhood memories are vague. Still, I do recall with some surprising detail the passing of the offering plates in my first church. I never questioned its validity or efficacy. It was just something churches did. Most churches used an offering plate or its equivalent prior to the pandemic. Now, most churches do not. It…

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What Is Our Story?

How can Americans, and American Christians in particular, work toward a more comprehensive and equitable national narrative for all? The exclusivist aspects of the core narratives that have defined the United States make clear that we need a new narrative. We need a general consensus of values and a feeling that we’re part of the…

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The Proactive Church

We’ve all heard the old saying, “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.” This phrase simply means if something is working adequately, leave it alone. Unfortunately, this phrase is inherently limiting to whoever applies it. As church leaders, one of the primar…

7 Steps to Structure Your Guest Follow Up Process

In a recent post, I talked about the importance of following up with first-time guests (FTGs). On either side of that process, there are often assumptions: the assumption from the guest is that if they give a church their contact information, someone will actually follow up. The assumption from the church (or church staff member)…

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10 Reasons I Would Seek to Raise Up Staff within My Church

More and more churches are deciding to raise up staff from within their congregation. While I wondered about that direction when it first began to gain steam, I have come to see the value of it. Here are 10 reasons I encourage you to consider this option: You likely know them better than outside hires….

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Five Reasons Why Decreasing the Number of Worship Services Might Be the Best Move

For years, the conventional wisdom has been that increasing the number of worship services is the best path to go. You rarely heard leaders advocating decreasing the number of services. The concern is that the reduction of choices results in lower overall attendance. So, don’t consider going from three Sunday morning services to two or…

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Hymns, Hymnody, and Hymnals: Five Significant Trends

Are the worship wars over? While the answer is not definitive, we see signs that the post-quarantine world may include an unexpected benefit: worship wars are waning. While our evidence is anecdotal at this point, it is still worth looking at five significant trends that have developed or accelerated since the pandemic quarantine. 1. More…

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The Various Voices a Pastor Must Use to Communicate

You’ve likely heard the adage. How you communicate is an essential component of what you communicate. Content is critical, but so is delivery. Finding the voice in which to share content is sometimes just as difficult as determining the content itself. Leaders are often the first to communicate a new message. As a pastor, your…

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Five Warning Signs of False Teachers

Five Warning Signs of False Teachers Several years ago, I received an email with a link to a sermon given by a pastor in my community. The person sending the email was genuinely concerned. “Is he preaching heresy?” The sermon included a terrible conclusion about how Jesus emptied Himself in Philippians 2. The pastor taught…

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A Thought on Leaders Making Memories

I don’t often write about my story, but this topic—a topic I trust you will see relates to Christian leadership—was on my heart this past week as we celebrated Father’s Day. My first memory is being a frightened three-year old as my father wrecked our home in a fit of anger. Now almost sixty years…

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