We did it again. In almost all locations throughout North America we performed our annual spring ritual. We set our clocks forward one hour over this past weekend. We know to spring forward — and eight months from now to fall…
Hospitality: I’ll worship like a dog
Do you know Andrew Hozier-Byrne (aka Hozier)? Rapidly growing in popularity, this Irish musician and singer-songwriter is responsible for the song, “Take Me to the Church.” Here is the refrain: Take me to the church I’ll worship like a dog…
Essential practices for young congregations, part 3
Impacting the Vitality and Vibrancy of Churches For Decades to Come The ministry practices congregations establish during their first seven years of life, that must be re-envisioned and renewed every seven years thereafter, are institutionalized by the time congregations are…
Don’t just tell me what you believe: Evangelical worship, part 1
Every week I plan worship for my church’s worship services. Our church has four of them; one is traditional, led by choir and orchestra, and the other three are modern, led by band and vocal teams. We are, for the…
Essential practices for young congregations, part 2
Impacting the Vitality and Vibrancy of Churches For Decades to Come The ministry practices congregations establish during their first seven years of life, that must be re-envisioned and renewed every seven years thereafter, are institutionalized by the time congregations are…
De-toxifying charity: Taking steps to make your mission and ministry projects more effective
In his popular book, Toxic Charity, Robert Lupton challenges churches and other charities to reconsider and revise their mission strategies in order to make them more effective. If a church deems Lupton’s assessments to be valid, what are the steps…
Essential practices for young congregations
Part One Impacting the Vitality and Vibrancy of Churches For Decades to Come The ministry practices congregations establish during their first seven years of life, that must be re-envisioned and renewed every seven years thereafter, are institutionalized by the time…
Hope in conflict
Today’s mainline denominations are doing plenty of fighting. Some of the disagreements break into the news and public consciousness, while others only affect the faithful. All of this fighting is deeply unsettling, but it also reflects what one observer calls…
A minister to median adult households trumps a youth minister
Did you get a chance to read my post on having a minister to young adult households trumps having a minister to children? For those of you who thought that was an interesting approach worth considering, how would you feel…
Should a pastor know what church members give?
Every time I teach a stewardship workshop or class, this question invariably comes up: “Should a pastor have access to contribution records?” In some congregations, pastors are prohibited from knowing what people contribute. In others, pastors choose to shield themselves…
The alternative to a senior pastor
I never wanted to be a senior pastor. Well, that’s not the whole truth. When senior pastors would introduce me by saying, “this is my education man,” it crossed my mind to be senior pastor – in an alternative way!…
What does your congregation expect of people connected with it?
Jason slipped into a seat at the back of the worship center just after the choir entered. This was his first time at worship this month. He grew up in church as part of a family present practically every time…