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I am not a young man. Though I encourage leaders to lead change, I realize in my advanced years, change can be more difficult. Routine is a comfort food. It has been 34 years since I led my first church consultation. My team and I have done hundreds of on-site consultations, and we’ve conducted thousands…
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Frustration can raise stress levels. Anger can leave you and others on edge. While neither frustration nor anger are inherently sinful, both raise the temperature in the room. Both are also inevitable. People will become frustrated and angry. Since these two emotions are unavoidable, how do you lead those who are frustrated and angry in…
The post Leading Others When They Are Frustrated and Angry with the Church appeared first on Church Answers.
I recently shared my annual trends report for churches as we head into 2022. In this article, I look at seven church practices that may emerge into major trends. With each church practice, I provide you with a link or an example if you desire to dig more deeply. Some of these resources are provided…
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As I promised last year, I will review different resources in 2022 on occasion in my weekly article. For the new year, my review is of one of the best church resources I’ve ever seen. Let me explain why I’m having trouble curbing my enthusiasm. The Origins of Rooted This resource has its origins in…
The post Rainer’s Resource Review #1: Rooted Might Be the Best Discipleship Pathway I’ve Seen appeared first on Church Answers.
Though it is cliché, change is the constant in our culture. Even before COVID, the world was changing steadily and constantly. When the pandemic came, change was accelerated, and the challenges were exacerbated. In earlier years I was an advocate of “eating the elephant” change, that is making incremental, “one bite a time” changes. I…
The post Seven Ways Your Church Must Deal with Rapid Change appeared first on Church Answers.
It’s that time of year when people partake in the annual ritual of making well-intended promises that end up broken by February. I also realize the presumptuous nature of this post—as if I could tell you what promises to make (and then inevitably break). However, I do believe every pastor should consider these ten resolutions….
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I wish I could tell every one of my young students that ministry will always be easy and churches will always be supportive. That’s not always the case, though. Sometimes this work is just hard. If that’s the case for you today, I hope these thoughts encourage and strengthen you. Here’s what the Christmas story…
The post 6 Things Christmas Means for Church Leaders in Tough Situations appeared first on Church Answers.
God is not done with our churches. His activity and his work remain powerful and pervasive. Let me share with you four examples of churches that have been used by God when they made a specific and powerful commitment: They wanted to serve and minister to their communities more effectively. 1. Single moms and the…
The post Four Success Stories from Churches that Made a Commitment to Know Their Communities Better appeared first on Church Answers.
What is your favorite Christmas tradition? Is it putting up the Christmas tree? Gathering with family? A beautiful candlelight Christmas Eve service? It’s hard for me to pick just one, but one of the Christmas hallmarks in our house is wish lists. Toys, clothes, games, and even Bibles fill virtual pages with gift ideas for…
The post The Perfect Gift: Prayer appeared first on Church Answers.
The magical age for ministry is somewhere between 38 years-old and 56 years-old. I use the word “magical” because far too many churches look at the age of a ministry candidate as some sort of magic bullet. Any younger than the mid-thirties, and you’re too young. Any older than the mid-fifties, and you’re too old….
The post Ageism: The Real Struggle for Church Staff Close to Retirement appeared first on Church Answers.