For the last half of the 20th century in America, local churches functioned as programmatic centers of activity. Embedded in a supportive churched and Christian culture, their role was to provide offerings that inspired, entertained and educated those who chose…
Congregations should keep eye on the (golf) ball for survival clues, church coach says
It’s become pretty common for churches struggling with declining memberships and tithing to study congregations that are doing well. But maybe they should focus on the game of golf, which has seen massive course closure rates since the economy tanked…
Identifying those pesky blind spots and headaches in the Church
Have you ever experienced a migraine headache? Across my life, I have struggled with occasional migraines. Thankfully, they have diminished in both frequency and intensity over the years. Mine are always preceded by significant distortion in my field of vision….
When all seems lost, apply the 20-year test
There is a school of thought running rampant in congregations these days that sounds something like this: “This is the worst Pastor/Group/Recession/President/Situation/Era/Event that we have ever known! We must get rid of him/her/it/them immediately or we are doomed.” As a…
Confronting the hard words — head on
Here are 10 words/phrases that I would prefer not to experience personally. Oncologist Hospice Bankruptcy Betrayal Depression Suicide Divorce Termination Conflict Jail Unfortunately, over the past 14 days, 10 different people that I care about have become personally acquainted with…
Despite decline, religiously affiliated remain devoted, says survey
By Jeff Brumley While the number of Americans who profess faith is in steady decline, there is evidence suggesting a steady devotion among those who remain religiously affiliated, new research shows. “Among the roughly three-quarters of U.S. adults who do claim…
Despite decline, religiously affiliated remain devoted, says survey
The Pew Research Center says that while religious affiliation continues to decline, dedication remains strong among those who are affiliated with religious groups. But those who coach and lead congregations say declining attendance remains a troubling trend. While the number…
2015 delivered battering to the church — but also blessings, ministers say
By Jeff Brumley Churches, ministries and clergy faced plenty of challenges in 2015. The “nones” and the “dones” were on the rise and church attendance continued to drop. Meanwhile, the number of Christians declined sharply in the overall population while…
Dissent and debate at church? Embrace it, experts say
By Jeff Brumley Churches should welcome, not shun, debate and dissent, a pastor told a gathering of Baptists last week. In fact, spiritual growth depends on tolerating and engaging those who hold divergent views, Taylor Sandlin of Southland Baptist Church…
Staffing for survival
By Bill Wilson What is the most important staff position at your church? Of course, as a former pastor, I must declare that we cannot function without a pastor. What would we do without a music/worship leader? We cannot live…
Churches must be creative to meet coming ‘Boomer wave’
By Jeff Brumley Congregational coaches are warning churches against becoming so fixated on Millennials and other young people that they ignore the surging population of Baby Boomers already in their midst. But those experts say most congregations simply aren’t ready…
Is your church fragile or agile?
By Bill Wilson One of the most excruciating congregational projects I’ve ever experienced was a strategy planning process at a church where I served on staff early in my ministry. Over the course of 18 months, I watched as a…