Tag «Monday/Wednesday Featured»

Ageism: The Real Struggle for Church Staff Close to Retirement

Ageism: The Real Struggle for Church Staff Close to Retirement

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….

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Ten (Very Different) Church Trends for 2022

Ten (Very Different) Church Trends for 2022

I’ve been doing trends and predictions for churches for many years. My track record is good, but it has nothing to do with my sagacity. To the contrary, my approach is straightforward. I look at the data points and try to connect them to see the trends. This COVID year is different. We know the…

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Seven Ways to Equip Your Church to Give Sacrificially

Seven Ways to Equip Your Church to Give Sacrificially

Giving patterns in churches are changing. The ways in which people give are changing. What does not need to change is the heart for sacrificial giving. How can you equip your congregation to give sacrificially? Here are seven items to consider. 1. Teach why sacrificial giving is necessary for God’s mission. If what you are…

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10 Reflections on Church Consulting for 25 Years

10 Reflections on Church Consulting for 25 Years

I’ve been doing some level of church consulting for over 25 years. If you’re a consultant (or one studying consulting through Church Answers), maybe these reflections will be helpful to you: 1. Assessing a church’s health requires much more than analyzing numbers. We can’t ignore numbers, but the factors that contribute to church growth or…

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What If COVID Becomes a Permanent Reality? 7 Implications for Churches

What If COVID Becomes a Permanent Reality? 7 Implications for Churches

Do you remember the first time your church responded to COVID? For most of us, it was early in 2020. Hundreds of thousands of churches closed their doors and stopped having in-person worship services. Many of us thought it was a short-term problem, that in three or four months, we would be back to normal….

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The Danger of Envying Another Church and How It Affects You

The Danger of Envying Another Church and How It Affects You

Maybe you’re like me. Maybe you’ve looked at another church or pastor with envy. It’s that spark of elation you feel when first hearing about a mega-platform pastor falling—envy. I’ve felt the flicker of “I knew it!” without even knowing the person. Envy must be stomped out. Church envy happens at the local level as…

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10 Ways the Enemy Attacks Church Leaders

10 Ways the Enemy Attacks Church Leaders

For more than 25 years, I have studied the biblical reality of spiritual warfare. In no particular order, here are ten common strategies I’ve seen when the enemy attacks church leaders: 1. Encouraging leaders to live in self-reliance. Because most leaders can lead, they are always susceptible to leading in their own ingenuity and strength….

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A Brighter Tomorrow Awaits Your Church

A Brighter Tomorrow Awaits Your Church

If God can save any person, He can save any church. No church should die. Ever. Perhaps a church is far gone, deep into a toxic state of disunity. Perhaps a church has decades of decline. Perhaps a church has veered far from doctrinal convictions. Would the death of these churches advance the kingdom? Would…

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9 Questions to Ask

Nine Questions to Ask Before Visiting Someone in the Hospital

For the last two years, hospital visitation has been a challenge. That’s beginning to change, and it’s time to rethink the strategy for hospital visits. When I started pastoring, I didn’t think much about the strategy of a hospital visit. I just went. In most cases, a simple ministry of presence is the key. However,…

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A Proposal: One Reason We Don’t Evangelize

A Proposal: One Reason We Don’t Evangelize

In some studies, fear is the #1 reason Christians give for not sharing their faith. I think there’s another reason, though, we cannot ignore. The Gospel of Mark has helped me to see this problem, and I invite you to review the Word as you read this post. In several stories in the first half…

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