Driving down the road last week, I (Mark) heard a radio journalist interview Hispanic immigrant voters (legal ones, for all you who worry about this) about how they’ll vote in this fall’s presidential election. One made the case that he…
Three responses to the volunteer shortage
Maybe it’s only me, but I don’t often encounter bombshell statistics, providing some radically helpful new insight. Not often, but not never. When they align with lived experience or shine the light on an insight we need, then statistics become…
Five truths about church committees and their work
It’s that time of year again when faithful church members might receive phone calls or emails with special invitations for the year ahead: “We’d like you to serve on a church committee or ministry team.” The “we” in a traditional…
Let’s stop the average Sunday attendance freak out
Remember “average Sunday attendance”? If you are the lucky one in your church who completes forms to send to your denomination, you recognize this metric. During the modern era (up to around the year 2000), this metric was a fairly…
The church’s missional focus: Tourist, traveler or pilgrim?
In our Lilly-funded Project Thrive endeavors, we have outlined seven key traits of thriving churches. It comes as no surprise that one of those is “missional focus,” meaning the ability to keep the congregation focused on its highest priorities. It…
How will your church rebuild after the disaster of the past year and a half?
Have you ever known someone whose home was destroyed by a fire or a flood or a tornado or other natural disaster? I have. And I’ve been thinking about those friends while watching the choices churches are making after their…
Despite COVID, ‘worst-case scenario’ did not emerge for church finances
Eleven months after the global COVID-19 pandemic forced the closing of churches and synagogues nationwide, faith communities of all stripes have stepped into the new year with new goals and expectations for how to fund and conduct their ministries and…
Rethink church staff evaluations during a pandemic
Many churches designate autumn as the best season to do staff evaluations. How is this important task even possible during a pandemic? I believe unprecedented times demand a different process. As a vocational minister for three churches over a period…
We’re asking the wrong questions about churches ‘reopening’
Every Christian I know longs for a return to pre-COVID congregational life. For four months, our beloved rhythms have been on hold, leaving us frustrated, exhausted and ready for the widespread acceptance of practices to help curb the spread of…