Category: Ministry
-
Leading in the Construction of Christ’s Church
As one who has benefited from reading Jim Collins, John Kotter, Stephen Covey, and several other leadership gurus from the business world, I found this quote from Tony Morgan‘s Developing a Theology of Leadership to be a very helpful reminder and convicting corrective: It is true that we church leaders can learn from business leaders,…
-
5 Things Church Members Wish Pastors Knew
Anyone who has ever served on a ministry staff for any measurable amount of time knows the twin realities of the incredible joys and the exhausting difficulties. Perhaps this tension is part of the reason why there is such large drop out rate among pastors and other ministry leaders in the American Evangleical Church. Ministry is a tremendous privilege,…
-
Ministry Diagnosis Questions
As a pastor it is not only requisite to be a student of God’s Word, but it is also essential to be a student of the people to whom I preach and teach. This is true for any church or ministry leader. If we do not know the Bible, and sound doctrine, we have nothing…
-
To Stop It or Not to Stop It, That is a Question
The ministry web site, ChurchLeaders.com, reported news of an unfortunate event in Colorado, and then asked the provocative rhetorical question: “How would you have handled it?” After a little thought I decided I would take a stab at taking the question, taking it beyond the mere rhetorical, and actually trying to answer it – albeit…
-
Three Times a Month
Thom Rainer recently noted that there has been a marked change in the measure of comitment the average Christian had to his or her church. At least there has been a change in one measurable detail: An active church member 15 years ago attended church three times a week. Now it’s three times a month…
-
Is Bigger Really Better?
No matter how much I have grown to despise the discussion, it seems I cannot avoid it entirely. Almost any conversation about church, it seems, inevitably gravitates in some form toward the Bigger is Better or Great Things Come in Small Packages debate. It is not always an actual debate. In fact it is probably…
-
Messy Christian Communities
As our church makes the slow but intentional shift toward Missional Communities, I found this illustration to be a good picture of the contrast between common perception and ideal reality of what such communities, or small groups, and even church is like. On the left side, “What People Think It Looks Like“, we see the…
-
Downward Slide
Ed Stetzer offers thoughts on the paradox he sees growing in Evangelical circles: Church planting and other ministry initiatives are on the rise, while evangelism is suffering a downward slide. Stetzer: Downward Slide
-
Advent Conspiracy
Advent Conspiracy is designed to remind us of what really matters during this Christmas season. While there is nothing inherently wrong with our traditions of gift giving and celebration, consumeristic forces are constantly at work, eroding our connection with the reason we celebrate. What is helpful to remember is that Christ Jesus came into the…
-
Honest Answer to Honest Questions, and Open Dialogue Wherever Possible
Boyce College professor, Denny Burk, has posted an interesting warning about a common tactic employed by some with theological agendas – especially those with liberalizing theological agendas. His post is titled: Should Churches “Dialogue” About Sexuality? Having read through it a couple of times I find myself appreciating Burk’s concern. Burk notes that many a subtle debate…
-
More Than Numbers
Here is a needed reminder: I’m not so sure God cares how big your church is. Seriously. If your numbers aren’t “growing,” so what? I’m also not sure that the sign of a vibrant healthy church is ever-increasing growth, significant growth. It seems to me that the sign of a vibrant, healthy fully alive church…
-
Thoughts on Easter Giveaways
I was stunned the first time I read about the plan of a church in the area where we then lived to give away prizes at an Easter gathering. And they were not just going to give stuff away, they were planning to create a frenzy. A helicopter was leased, piloted by some guy in…
-
Numbering the Sheep on the Ranch
Blogger Tim Challies is at the Together for the Gospel Conference, surrounded by other church leaders. No surprise then that he is hearing this common question all around him: “How many people go to your church?” And apparently Challies, whose primary vocation is writer not pastor, has some concerns about this question: I’d like to…
-
Happier Elsewhere: Singing ‘Happy Trails’ to … Some
I appreciate the practical wisdom Ed Stetzer provides in a post titled: Why I Have No Difficulty Helping “Issue Christians” to Move On. Few seem to think this way in our consumerist church culture, where numbers are the only measuring stick of success, and faithfulness is but a tool to… well, numerical success – so…
