The Church Renewal forum provides fresh conversations and new ideas to help churches renew their atmosphere and journey towards mission in a post-Christian culture.
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Often pastors are not optimizing this new staff potential because they are insufficiently coordinating and encouraging the new staff teams. Here are 5 supervisory investments that increase staff impact.
If all agree that prayer is important and powerful, why doesn’t prayer hold a more prominent place in most council meetings?
The mission God invites us to is one of urgency. Creating that sense of urgency in the congregations we serve is more effective and deeply-rooted when we realize where that call comes from.
Many pastors believe they must do all the preaching, all the teaching, all the visiting, and all the administering because that is what they’re trained and paid to do. But the Bible has another idea about the work of pastors.
I think we have failed to recognize the power that we have to form the Christian identity of the young people sitting in our pews. Won’t you consider giving young people a voice at the table?
In 2010, Pastor Brian from Immanuel Reformed Church asked his congregation if anyone wanted $10. Many hands went up. Then he said, “If you take this $10, then you need to use it to help someone who has a need.”
Peter Bush, in his book In Dying We Are Born, writes, “All congregations, even ones that see themselves as healthy, need to be prepared to die, to take up their cross, so that God can make them alive.”
Every church leader is a good captain when their faith community is navigating quiet waters. The test of a great church leader, however, is when a congregation is traversing the turbulent seas of ministry change.
Henry Nouwen encourages us to counteract the hurry-up behaviors by adopting a “ministry of presence” instead. What if, in 2018, your congregation learned to practice this missional behavior in your community?
Perhaps the most common concern expressed by congregants regarding church leadership is the lack of communication. Hosting a monthly "Q&A" is something I initiate to help improve communication.
As my exposure to congregations has increased, I’ve discovered greater creativity than I anticipated. Let me share a story about The HUB's creative approach to “doing” church.
Whatever precipitates the conclusion “we cannot stay here” the next question always is, “so where do we go from here?” Churches asking that question have several next-step options.
Giving is the life-blood of every church. In today’s world of PayPal, ApplePay, and Venmo have we kept pace with how our people like to give? Here are some suggestions for creating a more giving friendly church.
Is leadership an innate ability bequeathed to a chosen few? Or, is the art of leadership something that a person can grow into and hone over time?
Christian doctrine is based on several theological twins e.g., truth & grace, fully God & fully human, sovereignty & free-will. Similarly, church renewal is elliptical. Renewal only happens when churches invest in the following twins.
Connecting with a public school links the church to the beating heart of the community. Here are a few ways churches can serve their local public schools.
Recently I heard Bill Hybels articulated eight elder approved statements that name their highest values. These statements can serve as a helpful conversation starter for ministries seeking to identify ministry priorities.
It's sometimes difficult for me to write about hospitality. In as much as it's something most churches speak about regularly, I feel as if it has become the latest buzz word, but without a depth of understanding and practice.
Congregations that are growing primarily by connecting the disconnected tend to be low bar/high bar churches. They have a low cultural bar (it's easy to walk and assimilate) but a high discipleship bar.
There are doubtless many “secrets” and tips for building a successful ministry team. But many of the things that build a team are among the simplest, everyday things. Like praying for each other. By name.
Someone once said that if you can teach your congregation to smile you’ll grow by 20%. Churches would also do well to teach their facilities to put on a smile.
The Ultimate Frisbee community, like any other group coming together over a shared affinity, has its own special values. As we integrate into these communities, we have an incredible opportunity to live out our faith.
Churches that are below peak membership but haven’t rightsized systems and structures look organizationally frumpy, exhaust members, and reduce their Kingdom impact. Here are some ideas to right-size a smaller congregation!
We have been active in a worshipping community for most of our lives. We know how to do “church.” But there is something remarkable about trying to find a new one.
Many people that we meet at the farmer's market don’t know where our church is located. The market has provided an opportunity to tell them both where we are and a bit more about who we are.