Many years ago I discovered a style of basketball defense played by small high schools called a box and one defense. Four players would form a box near the basket they were defending, and the fifth player would follow whoever…
Top 10 unhealthy negative reasons people are NOT leaving Your Church
Who in your church do you wish would leave? Yes, I know, that is not a Christ-like attitude. But it is true. Everyone has someone they wish would leave. The church would be a better church without them. There is…
Top ten healthy, positive reasons people are NOT leaving your church
Surely you have heard the organizational management idea that you want to get the wrong people off of the bus and the right people on the bus. Well, this is an article on why the right people stay on the…
Why people are NOT leaving your church
The Internet is full of articles about why people are leaving church—or never attending church in the first place. Some are called “nones” and recently many people are using the term “dones” for those who are finished with church—at least…
We’ve only just begun to deal with our prejudice
In the United States some people are prejudiced against African-Americans. Some against Anglo-Americans. Some against Hispanic-Americans. Some against Asian-Americans. Some against Native-Americans. Some people are prejudiced against immigrants, whether legal or illegal. They fail to acknowledge that most all of…
How a Mountain Hike is Like a Congregation’s Transformation Journey
How is taking a mountain hike like a congregation’s transformation journey? Not much unless . . . Before you read too far let me admit this article took shape during a mountain hike with my family was in North Carolina…
“Show Me the Money” No Longer Works When Denominations Talk to Churches
Rather than a Jerry Maguire demand of “show me the money,” denominations often find themselves asking “where has all the money gone?” Depending on the denomination, funds to denominations began declining between 30 and 50 years ago. However, it took…
When It Comes to Congregational Vision May You Be With the Source
“We need to get a new pastor who will bring us vision and get us moving in the right direction”, or something similar, is the number one statement I hear from lay leaders of congregations during the transition from one…
Networking on Airplanes the Tony Campolo Way
Anyone who has experienced Tony Campolo in person probably has Tony Campolo stories. Not stories about him, but stories he tells that you retell. Yeah, me too. Since I claim over two million airline miles during my life–a small amount…