Shifting from membership to missionary engagements When the world we are called to reach is increasingly secular, unchurched, de-churched and non- interested in church, it’s time to reframe membership policies and practices. ‘Membership’ served a church culture fairly well. Today,…
Welcome to the church of the casserole
Many non-mega congregations mistakenly believe they do not have any competitive advantages over a nearby mega church or one of its satellite campuses. Once again they are wrong. Their first mistake is the believing they have to compete. Beyond that…
Welcome to the church of the rationalization
Surely you have heard of congregations with names such as The Church of the Resurrection, The Church of the Redeemer, and The Church of the Reformation. But, have you heard of The Church of The Rationalization? You may not know…
Are some churches too cool?
Churches can rightsize staff, but they cannot blow up a building
As difficult as it is for congregations to RightSize staff, it is nothing compared to trying to blow up a building. I have helped congregations and other Christian ministry organizations RightSize their staff, or to deal with what happens after…
Want millennials back in the pews? Stop trying to make church ‘cool.’
Rachel Held Evans is a blogger and the author of “Searching for Sunday: Loving, Leaving, and Finding the Church.” Bass reverberates through the auditorium floor as a heavily bearded worship leader pauses to invite the congregation, bathed in the light…
Leadership is overrated
Leadership is overrated. There, I’ve said it… Recently in a meeting of church and educational professionals I voiced this bias and received a less than enthusiastic response. Most of the persons attending the meeting had some investment in the leadership…
Can a renewal movement be renewed? A review
Lament over the current “ecumenical winter” and analysis of the factors that have contributed to it have become commonplace in recent ecumenical literature. As he considers the future of ecumenism in Can a Renewal Movement Be Renewed?
The essential three s’s for your next church building
Stop! Before you build that new Structure or do major retrofitting of existing space, be sure you have answers to the first two of the three S’s for your next church building. Structure is the third S and should not…