The Growth Gap: How The Megachurch Phenomenon Has Unintentionally Isolated Small Churches

As midsize churches adapt systems based on megachurch models the ministry gap between them and the average size church is expanding.

Sometimes it seems like the divide between big and small churches is so vast it’s almost insurmountable.

And it’s increasing, not diminishing.

Why is that happening? And why has the divide has become especially large in the last few decades?

I think it has to do with the advent of the megachurches. Not that they’re bad. They aren’t. But the massive difference in size between megachurches and the typical church is causing an unintentional rift that we need to pay attention to. Read More

Easter Aftermath: Stop Inviting People to Big Events

After a large event with a big spike in new visitors, your attendance reports are going to look pretty nice for a week or two. But it doesn’t take long for reality to set back in as you see a return back to your regular pattern in the weeks to follow. Why is there such a drastic fallout? I believe a major factor comes down to the lack of community and relationships.

People are more likely to stick around when they get to know other people in your church. Fostering authentic, biblical community and developing meaningful relationships around the Word of God are essential for growing a healthy church on mission for God.

This need for community is more evident today than ever before. In his book Bowling Alone, Robert Putnam claimed that the greatest epidemic in American life is not a disease, but loneliness. New technology has made communication easier, but connection rarer. It drives us to screens instead of to other people. It facilitates entertainment but, at the same time, isolation and loneliness. Humans are not designed to live in isolation.

The need for community is at the very core of who we are as human beings. Read More

Also See:
The Mysterious Mandate of ‘Small Discipleship’

How Did Jesus Build His Church? [Podcast]

Jonathan Leeman joins Brandon Smith and Trevin Wax to answer a question raised in Matthew 16, “How did Jesus build his church?” Listen Now

Also See:
Doing Church Biblically Can Be Messy

Churches Are Taking Too Long to Find a New Pastor

I wish I had objective data on the length of time between pastors. I can say anecdotally the time is much longer than it used to be. A whole lot longer.

To be clear, I know we cannot presume on the call of God. I get that. But, all things considered, more and more churches are struggling because they are going longer periods of time without a pastor. Attendance often declines. Budget giving often declines. Morale often declines.

So why are search committees and appointment processes (I will refer to all search entities as search committees for simplicity) taking so much longer? I see six clear reasons. Read More

Scotland’s Evangelical Island Gets Its First Mosque

The Isle of Lewis' famous standing stones

Why supporting Muslims on the Isle of Lewis is mere Christianity.

Despite its size and location, the Isle of Lewis off the northwest coast of Scotland occasionally makes national news in the United Kingdom because of its conservative religious practices—including the strict observance of the Sabbath by many on the island.

Lewis was the site of the UK’s last great revival—beginning in 1949 and carrying on for three years—and remains one of the most devout parts of the country.

Over the years, there have been controversies relating to the operation of ferries to the mainland on Sundays. More recently, a movie theater has opened seven days a week, while a leisure center maintains its Sunday closure. All have drawn media coverage with quotes from Christian spokespeople reported as being “outraged” by the proposals.

The latest twist in religious affairs has occurred in Stornoway, with 8,000 people the largest town in the group of islands. However, it doesn’t involve Christians outraged about Sunday openings, but that a Free Church of Scotland minister was not outraged by plans to build the first mosque on the largely evangelical churchgoing island. Read More

9 Things You Should Know About Christianity in Korea

Last week, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and the South Korean president Moon Jae-in met in a historic summit to discuss establishing peace between the two nations. The meeting has inspired cautious hope the end of the civil war is near and that religious freedom will once again flourish on the peninsula. Here are nine things you should know about Christianity in the divided land of Korea. Read More

We Must Keep the Work of Evangelism Central

It is a sobering fact that every generation must be re-evangelised. We should never take today’s statistics in Africa or anywhere in the world for granted. If we do not maintain and build upon the evangelism of the previous generation we will lose ground and Christianity will dwindle despite the fact that the number of church buildings may remain the same—at least for a little while longer before they become empty and start getting sold.

Again, I do not want to be judgmental, but the African church needs to look at what is happening to Western Christianity. The publishing houses are still there, churning out many good books as before. Christian organisations are still there, doing their works of charity. Bible Colleges are still there, fighting for the dwindling numbers of individuals answering the call to the preaching ministry. But ground has been lost. Many churches comprise octogenarians tottering to their graves. There are hardly any new converts!

I am not sure how the Western church found itself in this situation. My concern is for Africa. If we are not evangelising but simply talking about evangelism and the gospel we will soon find ourselves in the same situation as our Western counterparts. Sadly, I am observing that there is far too much of talking about the gospel but precious little of fervent gospel preaching. We need to reverse this before it is too late. We need to get back to red-hot gospel preaching. Read More

Also See:
4 Reasons Churches Must Pray for Missions

The Gospel In Every Sermon

Greg Stier offers three reasons for sharing a clear Gospel message in every sermon.

When I talk about sharing the gospel every week I typically get resistance from senior pastors across the country. I hear excuses like:

“Well the church is for the Christians and not the unchurched.”

“I don’t want my people to get bored with hearing the gospel every week.”

“We have too many elements in our church services already to add another one.”

But I think that behind these lame excuses lurk the real reasons. Reasons like....Read More

Also See:
No Altar Call? No Problem: How to Still Call for a Response in Your Sermon

We cannot assume that even the longtime members of our congregations are converted. A book that I recommend is Rob Smith's Leading Christians Christ: Evangelizing the Church. It offers insight into why so many Anglicans and Episcopalians fall in love with the Church and not the Church's Lord, a problem that is not confined to Anglicans and Episcopalians, and offers several ways a pastor can evangelize his flock, helping churchgoers make to the transition to disciples.

Gen Z: A Profile of a New Generation

Kids these days, amirite?

Although “millennials” may be the most studied generation so far in American history, another generation rises among us: Generation Z. Who are they? Read More

Also See:
Doctrine, Duty, and the Rising Generation of Kids Who Love Justice

One-on-One with Scot McKnight on ‘Open to the Spirit’

The Holy Spirit’s involvement in our lives through the cultivation of holiness, spiritual gifts, and worship.

Ed: You say that the secret to experiencing the Christian life is allowing the Holy Spirit to empower us to live as God wants us to live. Why do you think so many Christians today are nervous and hesitant to open themselves up to the Spirit’s work?

Scot: I see three types of hesitancy. First, some lack knowledge or education about the Holy Spirit. Some Christians come of age or are part of a church that goes mum on the Spirit, while others simply haven't listened carefully enough to hear what the Bible clearly says.

Second, some are afraid of the change that comes from transformation. The Spirit doesn't indwell in order to remain silent or to remain ineffective; the Spirit indwells us to make us like Christ. Since we are not Christlike we will have to change. The Spirit does that kind of transforming work.

Third, some have heard too many goofy stories about the extreme edges of Spirit claims. I grew up in a world that went mum on the Spirit because there were so many wild and crazy claims by some in our close circles. I understand that.

My church context was completely confident in eternal security so when I was at a church, as a youngster, and a family member told me a specific woman walking forward went forward weekly to get saved again and again, and then my family member said she needed to get baptized with the Spirit... well, I wasn't so convinced and I learned to be very guarded about the Spirit. Read More

Also See:
Five Extraordinary Benefits of Pentecost

image: christianitytoday.com

Pastors' Housing Allowance Faces Uncertain Future

For six decades, the housing allowance tax break has been one of a minister’s best friends.

The allowance, which lets pastors use tax-free dollars to pay for housing, saves pastors about $800 million in income taxes, according to the congressional Joint Committee on Taxation.

But it could soon disappear. Read More

Developing a Leadership Pipeline Starts with Yourself [Podcast]

In Episode 276 of the NewChurches Q&A Podcast, Daniel and Todd discuss how to curate a leadership pipeline with limited people and resources. Here’s Stephanie with today’s question:

How would a smaller church that does not have many leaders in place even begin the process of curating a leadership pipeline? You can’t bring leaders out of thin air, so where would you begin if leaders, money, and resources are scarce?

Listen Now

Also See:
10 Steps To Creating A Vision For Your Church Or Organization
One Terrible Leadership Mistake We Make as Pastors (And Leaders)
A 5 Step Process For Leaders To Handle Their Mistakes
7 Practical Thoughts on Forgiveness in Leadership

You Need to Stop Last Minute Sermons

Something is bothering me in the aftermath of Easter.

I’m trying to let it go, but I can’t.

A lot of pastors are only preparing their preaching week-to-week, and worse, many are just beginning to write their sermons on Saturday before delivering it on Sunday! Read More

Also See:
Best Preaching Year: A Preaching Course for Busy Pastors
7 Reasons You Need a Sermon Evaluation Team
Top 10 Sermon Delivery Mistakes [Podcast]
7 Tactics for Powerful Sermon Delivery [Podcast]

What I Do Between Services on Sunday Mornings

Sundays require stamina. We have four worship services—one in Spanish and three in English. I preach the three English-speaking services: 8:00 a.m., 9:30 a.m., and 11:00 a.m. I have to train my body and mind to keep the energy up throughout the morning. Often, I have at least one, if not two other speaking responsibilities following the three morning services.

It may seem strange, but I have to be strategic with the time between each of the services. People approach me in rapid-fire succession. There are emergency times of prayer, evangelism opportunities, quick counseling sessions, and, oh by the way, the gym commode is overflowing. Where’s the plunger? I love every minute of it, even the plunging.

How do I manage the time between services? How do I make these twenty minutes strategic? Read More

Guardrails for a Disciple Making Culture

2 Timothy 2:2 is one of the most quoted verses in regard to discipleship. And yes, Paul does talk about discipleship here. But sometimes in zeroing in on this verse, we miss the broader context of this Pastoral Epistle. Paul, an apostle, is writing to Timothy, a pastor, about how to develop and defend a disciple making culture in his local church.

In 2 Timothy 2:3-7, Paul gives Timothy some principles that can serve as guardrails for developing and defending a disciple making culture in the local church. Read More

Also See:
Disciple Labs: A Game-Changer for Discipleship in Your Church

Is Your Church Really Focused on Evangelism? Maybe Not.

For pastors, avoiding the topic of evangelism cannot become the default choice.

Evangelism has the ability to make some of us very uncomfortable. We worry about offending people. We agonize over saying something wrong, unorthodox, or unhelpful that might end up leading someone further from Christ in lieu of closer to him.

While we certainly don’t want to share Jesus carelessly or apart from the spirit’s leading, avoiding evangelism out of fear is not a God-honoring option. There is no ‘perfect’ way to share Christ—we’re told to do it and do it boldy trusting that the seeds we plant will bear fruit in his timing.

As D.L. Moody famously said, “Frankly, I sometimes do not like my way of doing evangelism. But I like my way of doing it better than your way of not doing it.”

For pastors, avoiding the topic of evangelism cannot become the default choice. For the church to continue thriving, we need everyone—churchgoers young and old—to buy into a shared passion for the spreading of the gospel. If our hearts are truly for the unbelievers—those who haven’t yet heard the good news of God’s love for them—we’ll be willing to face discomfort, difficulty, and even the possibility of failure to share it with them.

Here are some ways to practically encourage evangelism in our churches, organizations, and personal lives.... Read More

Six Myths about Outreach in the Local Church - Rainer on Leadership #470 [Podcast]

There are many myths that are pervasive which keep church members from actively inviting guests to church or initiating gospel conversations with them. Today, Thom Rainer and Jonathan Howe debunk them. Listen Now

6 Ways to Prepare for Summer Outreach

Even at this time of year here in northern Maine, several feet of snow can be found in far too many places. Snowmobilers are still flocking to our area to get in their last rides and the kids (and some adults) are still making snowmen. But even for our frozen towns summer is not too far away, and as everyone comes out of hibernation, this is the perfect time to engage our communities.

Here are some important things we’ve learned along the way as we prepare for the primetime of the Spring and Summer months. Read More

Society’s Self-Care Obsession Could Be a Good Thing

Americans are more likely to invest time and money in “self-care” activities such as therapy, reading, meditation, or spending time in nature, a trend with important implications for the church.

According to the Barna Group’s new research, 25 percent of adults surveyed regularly find time to spend reflecting while in nature, 21 percent read books on spiritual topics, and 16 percent intentionally practice some form of silence and solitude. Some forms of spiritual self-care such as journaling and physical exercise such as yoga have not caught on with all ages, but are highly popular with millennials, who across the board are more inclined to practice self-care than other generations. Here are four thoughts on what this means for the church. Read More

Also See:
How Spiritual Americans Practice Self-Care

The Holiness of God and the Sinfulness of Man

One word that crystallizes the essence of the Christian faith is the word grace. One of the great mottos of the Protestant Reformation was the Latin phrase sola gratia—by grace alone. This phrase wasn’t invented by the sixteenth-century Reformers. Its roots are in the theology of Augustine of Hippo, who used it to call attention to the central concept of Christianity, that our redemption is by grace alone, that the only way a human being can ever find himself reconciled to God is by grace. That concept is so central to the teaching of Scripture that to even mention it seems like an insult to people’s intelligence; yet, if there is a dimension of Christian theology that has become obscured in the last few generations, it is grace.

Two things that every human being absolutely must come to understand are the holiness of God and the sinfulness of man. These topics are difficult for people to face. And they go together: if we understand who God is, and catch a glimpse of His majesty, purity, and holiness, then we are instantly aware of the extent of our own corruption. When that happens, we fly to grace—because we recognize that there’s no way that we could ever stand before God apart from grace. Read More

Leadership Priorities: Five Thoughts on How We Can Lead Better

Being a leader is tiring. When I was pastoring in Buffalo in the early 90s, I was responsible for EVERYTHING. You name it, I did it:

Make the bulletins. Check.

Visit the hospitals and sick. Check.

Preach the message. Check.

Lead worship. Check. (I am still apologizing to Jack Hayford for my rendition of Majesty.)

Looking back, I am reminded that effective leadership is not in all the responsibilities or tasks we have, but rather in how well we develop the processes needed to accomplish them with excellence. We often lose sight of the fact that leadership, at its most basic level, involves the leading of people.

This means that we need to develop priorities in our leadership aimed at being efficient and effective with our time and energy.

I want to outline five ways that pastors, ministry leaders, and Christians as a whole can start to think through their leadership priorities. Read More

4 Steps From Good To Great Preaching

Most people can recognize a good sermon when they hear one, though they might have difficulty articulating why. For those of us who try to preach those “good sermons,” it is useful to understand what it takes to get those positive responses from our listeners.

Of course, listeners vary and have different things that they are looking for in a preacher. A listener’s theology will determine his or her sense of the sermon. Those who are committed to a high view of Scripture might expect something different than one committed to a more active view of the work of the Holy Spirit. Learning style is a factor in considering the effectiveness of a sermon. Some listeners learn best through reflection; others prefer a more active and participatory approach. Culture will affect one’s evaluation of a sermon. Where we come from, what generation we belong to, our denomination, our economic situation, and our gender all play a part in determining the kind of preacher we best respond to.

Still, if preaching is preaching, there are certain things that can be said across the board. If the following things are in place, we can be fairly confident that our sermons will be well appreciated and lead to the kinds of responses we expect. These, then, are the factors that result in “good” and maybe even “great” preaching. Read More

Top 10 Things I Wish Worship Pastors Would Stop Saying

 

In which a crusty old curmudgeon rants a little about annoying songleader banter. Don’t take this too seriously, except maybe do. Read More

The Postmodernism That Refuses to Die

People aren’t talking about postmodernism nearly as much as they were fifteen or twenty years ago. Thirty-five years ago, graduate students in English departments in many universities of the Western world spent more time reading Lyotard, Derrida, and Foucault than Shakespeare, Keats, and Frost. Proof of mature reading of a text was tied rather more to creative deconstruction than to trying to understand the text in its historical and cultural framework. More important than the English texts was postmodern theory.

Much of this has changed. Far fewer students are assigned major readings from Jacques Derrida and Michel Foucault. The founding writers of postmodernism (understood, for the sake of this brief editorial, as an epistemological enterprise) are largely sidelined from college curricula.

But that doesn’t mean the impact of postmodernism has entirely dissipated. What seems to be taking place, rather, is something like this: some of the conclusions of postmodernism are now adopted with little question as cultural “givens” without a felt need to justify them. Why defend stances that large swaths of the culture accept as obviously true? So, what we find is substantial numbers of postmoderns who rarely think of themselves as postmoderns, and who know next to nothing of the literature and debates that occupied so much attention a bare generation ago. They understand neither the theory nor its critics, but they presuppose many of its conclusions. Read More

I observe this to be the case not only among my fellow students at the university that I attend but also among the members of the small group in which I participate. The group is comprised of believing Christians in their late 30s, 40s, and older.

The Dying Away of Cultural Christianity

Christianity’s Collapse...or Clarification?

The number of people in the U.S. who call themselves Christians is shrinking. And that’s a good thing. Every few years, new data shows an ongoing decline of Americans who identify as Christians and an ongoing rise in those who identify as religiously unaffiliated (“the nones”). Yet headlines announcing the death of American Christianity are misleading and premature.

“Christianity isn’t collapsing; it’s being clarified,” wrote Ed Stetzer in 2015 following the release of Pew Research data showing the Christian share of the American population declined almost eight percentage points from 2007 to 2014. Stetzer points out that the surge in “nones” is because nominal Christians are giving up the pretense of faith while convictional Christians remain committed.1 Read More

The Questions You Need to Ask Before You Attempt a Revitalization

Southside Baptist. A once grand—but now shrinking—church.

Southside Baptist was founded in 1944 and experienced years of growth and stability, but 2009 brought an end to the era as a turnover of pastors began. Attendance dwindled, offerings decreased, they were in survival mode.

One pastor reluctantly took on the charge of breathing new life into a church desperate for CPR.

Enter Dr. Harry Fowler, an expert in church growth, an author of several books on the topic, and a pastor of over 30 years who took on the challenge. He knew the signs of a dying church but found a remnant at Southside Baptist, people who weren’t ready to give up. Read More

Five Loves You Must Have to Be a Successful Pastor - Revitalize & Replant #038

A love for the Word, your Savior, and your calling is foundational to ministry. But what other loves should a pastor have? Today, Thom Rainer, Mark Clifton, and Jonathan Howe discuss five of them. Listen Now

The Mission Deserves Margin: Minister To The Church You Have, While Preparing For More

While pastoring the people we have, we need to create in-house systems and outward ministry suitable for a church of double our current size.

A church of 50 people needs to be pastored like a church of 50 people.

You can’t act like a church of 500. Or even 100. The systems, methods and relationship dynamics simply won’t fit.

So how can a church grow, either in its size or effectiveness, if we’re only pastoring the people we have?

While pastoring the people we have, we need to create in-house systems and outward ministry suitable for a church of double our current size. Read More

On Mission at McDonald’s

For a good number of evangelicals, the word “missional” next to “millennial” conjures up the coffee connoisseur doing relational evangelism at upscale restaurants that cater to foodies. If millennials resist chain restaurants and opt instead for something more authentic than mass market productions, surely those who want to reach millennials should adopt similar attitudes, right?

The problem with this idea of “missional millennials” is that it’s a caricature of both millennials and the meaning of missional. Only a certain class of millennials frequents upscale coffee shops and sneers at Starbucks. And an essential aspect of being “missional” means you contextualize methods for the people you’re called to reach.

When I reflect on some of my favorite locations for disciple-making in the past decade, I think of McDonald’s. As an associate pastor in a rural town in the South, I led a class of young married couples. We had evening fellowships at McDonald’s because it gave the kids a place to play, it kept the food affordable for all of us, and it was in a central location that made it easy to have some good conversations about life and faith. Read More

Every cafe and fast food restaurant attracts a particular clientele, each of which may represent a different segment of the community's population. Here in Murray we have Burgar King, Crackerbarrel, Hardee's, Huddle House, Hungry Bear Pancakes, Martha's, McDonald's, Renfro's HihBurger Inn, and Wild Mountain Bakery & Cafe, just to name a few of the local eateries. Those who hang out at one of these eateries do not hang out at the others. As a part of "exegeting" the community a pastor should identify the local eateries and who goes to them. This includes local convenience stores and groceries that sell gas, serve coffee, sandwiches, and hot food. and may have a table or two where customers may eat their food.

Can You Explain the Gospel in 3 Words?

Could you explain the gospel to an unbeliever using only three words?

That was the challenge someone posted a couple of weeks ago on social media. “One can’t explain the whole gospel in only three words,” I mumbled to myself. “That’s why we have a canon of 66 books.” The more I thought about it, though, the more my mind changed, and I became open to taking up the challenge.

I think I could explain the gospel in three words, so long as I would have follow-up time to explain all three words. And those words would be “Lord Jesus Christ.” Read More

Nigerian Mass Becomes a Massacre: Herdsmen Kill 18 Worshipers, Adding to Hundreds of Victims

‘Vile, evil, and satanic’ attacks by Fulani now outnumber Boko Haram, one of the world's deadliest terror groups.

An attack on morning Mass at a Catholic church in central Nigeria yesterday left 2 priests and at least 17 parishioners dead, adding to the hundreds killed by herders in the region so far this year.

Police suspect Fulani herdsmen were responsible for the shooting rampage at Saint Ignatius Catholic Church in Mbalom, where about 30 attackers also ransacked a burial ceremony and burnt dozens of homes in the community, according to reports. Read More

Thursday's Catch: "Teaching the Truth" and More

Teaching the Truth

The pastor’s responsibility to teach his people is his first and most important priority. Read More

Will the Real Pastor Please Stand Up?

Craig Thompson identifies six ways that pastors can help their people to know who they really are and help their people know how to interact with them. Read More

The One Mistake Fallen Pastors Make

The pitfalls in a pastors life haven’t changed. They’re as old as sin, itself. Read More

How Does John Piper Do Sermon Preparation? (Surprise! He Starts on Fridays) [Video]

Of sermon preparation, John Stott said, “The golden rule for sermon outlines is that each text must be allowed to supply its own structure. The skillful expositor allows the text to open itself up before our eyes, like a rose unfolding to the morning sun and displaying its previously hidden beauty.” Stott’s quote is a fairly succinct description of how John Piper prepares to enter the pulpit. Watch Now

Two Extremes to be Avoided in Preaching

How do you see your congregation? Read More

How Vulnerable Should a Pastor be When Preaching?

To rephrase the question... “When preaching, how much should pastors open themselves up to hurt, the possibility of being wounded, to criticism, or assault?” Read More

What Judges Teaches the Church

What we can learn about Israel's departure from the Lord a generation after Joshua and our own vulnerability from the book of Judges. Read More

How to Do Justice and Not Undermine Evangelism

How do Christians work for justice in the world and not undermine the centrality of evangelism? Don Carson responds. Read More

7 Reasons Churches Stop Reaching Out

There are many reasons churches abandon outreach. Here are a few, in hopes of helping you reverse the trend. Read More

I first posted a link to this article when it was originally posted on Thom Rainer's blog. That was not too long ago. However, the article is a helpful reminder of several reasons why churches abandon outreach and can be used to gauge our own outreach efforts or lack of them.

Are the Lost Worth the Cost?

Reaching the lost will cost you resources, time and patience. The parable of the lost coin provides some insights about whether it’s worth it. Read More

Rosaria Butterfield: Christian Hospitality Is Radically Different from ‘Southern Hospitality’

It has nothing to do with entertainment—and everything to do with addressing the crisis of unbelief. Read More

The Rise of Unmarried Parents in America

A new report finds more than 16 million Americans are raising children without being married - and increasingly doing so with a live-in partner. Read More

How families are changing in the United States and Canada has implications for North American churches and the way that they minister to families.

Seven Dangers Facing Your Church

It’s a dangerous time for the church. There’s no denying it. There’s no point burying your head in the sand. Every church is in danger—and that includes yours.

In Revelation chapters 2 and 3, we read about seven churches and the dangers they faced—the very same dangers that we still face today. It’s both a warning that we need to be on our guard and, much more importantly, an encouragement that we can trust fully in our all-powerful, all-conquering Savior.

As you read through these seven dangers that could be facing your church, don’t forget that God is with us, God is for us, and God guides us through his Word. Read More

Church Sickness #5: Activity Acclimation [Video]

Activity Acclimation happens when church members see busyness as the same as commitment and/or godliness. Watch Now

Why Legalism Destroys Churches and Kills Christians

The Law as a guide to salvation is a terrible taskmaster.

What if your church’s elders passed down a fiat that members could not take more than 1,999 steps on the Lord’s Day without facing church discipline? One more step would be too closely akin to taking a long trip and that is a no-no on the day God set aside for worship.

What if they forbid you to carry your Bibles to church because such heavy lifting would too closely resemble work? Anything heavier than a dried fig is strictly taboo on this day, they say.

Or, what if they added a clause in the constitution and bylaws that members must not leave a radish in salt because that vegetable might become a pickle and pickle-making is work, which is, of course, forbidden on this day.

And, they added sub-paragraphs to the constitution that prescribed disciplinary action for those found guilty of other activities on the Lord’s Day such as carrying a pen (lest you be tempted to write with it), carrying a needle (lest you be tempted to sew with it), helping those who are sick but with non life-threatening maladies (it can wait till Monday), looking in the mirror, spitting, removing dirt from clothes. You get the picture. Read More

Legalism is a real problem here in the Bible Belt. It is not confined to one particular denomination but it is often found in Church of Christ and Southern Baptist churches. It is a major reason that young people are rejecting Christianity. 

The Difficulty of Community

Many things in our culture work against the maintenance of real community. We are conditioned in countless ways to think and act as individuals only, not as members of any body, and even our individual relationships are ‘thinned out,’ based on images rather than presences. Since this is the opposite of how we are supposed to live as Christians, let’s look at how just one cultural reality contributes to this—contemporary communication technologies. Read More

The Underrated Strategic Value of Church Buildings

What hath bodily resurrection to do with church buildings?

This question is vividly on my mind because the building where our church formerly worshiped is being converted to luxury condos, and ground-breaking just began. For the first time in 100 years, that sanctuary was empty and silent on Easter Sunday.

There’s an emerging trend of historic church buildings being bought by developers and converted to condos. In cities like Washington D.C, sacred spaces are quickly disappearing from the civic landscape. And as I recently explained elsewhere, I believe this isn’t only sad for the church but also bad for the neighborhood. Read More

Five Decisions that Helped Turn Around My Small Town Church

I believe your small town church can grow; I believe this because I’m living it.

The small town church where I serve as Executive Pastor will turn 12 years old this year. In those 12 years we’ve experienced incredible growth in many different areas. We’ve seen hundreds of people experience salvation and take their next step through baptism. We’ve seen our giving increase tenfold. And we saw our average weekend attendance top 700 people, in a one stop light town with a population of 2,200. I believe small town pastors have amazing opportunities to do big things in their communities. I believe your small town church can make a big impact, and I believe your small town church can grow; I believe this because I’m living it.

But, before I get you too excited, let me warn you that it wasn’t always this way. Read More

A caveat: what Travis Stevens presents in his article is NOT a formula for church revitalization. Rather he identifies five areas in which his church implemented changes that proved to be key to the turnaround of that particular church in its particular community.

Wednesday's Catch: "5 Leadership Insights I Wish I’d Known" and More

5 Leadership Insights I Wish I’d Known

You won’t glean these insights in seminary, but if you take them to heart you can save yourself a lot of ministry headaches. Read More

7 Questions That Can Help You Crush A Plateau And Gain Momentum

Here are 7 questions I’ve collected over the years that I ask myself on a semi-regular basis to push through to the next level and find momentum. While I can’t guarantee they will help you, I promise they have helped me get unstuck over and over again. Read More

8 Sins You Commit Whenever You Look at Porn

We know that pornography is an ugly and harmful sin. We know that those who indulge in porn have committed the sin of lust, but there is so much more to it than that. When you open your browser and begin to look at those images and videos, you are sinning in ways that go far beyond lust. Here are 8 sins you commit when you look at porn. Read More

Making Disciples Takes More Than One Big Weekend

The problem with big days, however, is that we sometimes see them as the end goal, and they’re not. High-attendance days are just one part of a bigger picture when it comes to making disciples. Read More

One-on-One with Sam Chan on Evangelism in a Skeptical World

The essence of evangelism is the gospel message—true for all peoples, all places, and all times. Read More

Good News in Word and Deed

Evangelistic crusades, street preaching and spontaneous evangelism may be waning in their effectiveness, but there are many effective ways to share our faith. Read More

This Church Found ‘A New Way of Seeing’

The congregation of Bethel Lutheran Church has learned to seek out ‘park bench’ moments to share their faith in the course of everyday life. Read More

California to Ban Books? Or Just Christian Speech?

The California State assembly has passed a bill that would seriously abrogate the freedom of speech for Christians in California. Read More

80% of Americans Believe in God. Pew Found Out What They Mean.

Does God talk to you? Has God punished you? Here’s how denomination, gender, and political party relate to how we see the divine. Read More

3 Principles to Maximize Your Lifetime Impact

Maximize impact? I well remember the days of wondering if my life would ever be significant to anyone other than my parents and family. I questioned and searched for purpose. Even as a half-hearted follower of Jesus I prayed that my life would have an impact on the world around me. But at a deeper level I was afraid of the future. I was afraid of failure.

In spite of those thoughts, God has taken me on a journey far beyond what I imagined as a kid. As I look back in hindsight, there are three principles that continue to challenge me to pursue the future aggressively and with hopeful optimism. Read More

Tuesday's Catch: "Tribalism Outside the Church. And In." and More

Tribalism Outside the Church. And In.

While no two of us are completely alike, we tend to find fellow humans who share at least one if not more of our convictions. Read More

How to Determine If Your Church Is Multiethnic

The method I propose is not the only way to measure church diversity, nor is it likely to be the best approach. But it has the advantage of being simple, practical, and doable by anyone armed with an internet connection, a spreadsheet, and a church directory. Read More

Was Gnosticism Tolerant and Inclusive? Debunking Some Myths about “Alternative” Christianities

Here are five claims often made about Gnosticism that prove to be more myth than reality.... Read More

False Teaching Out There and In Here

We need to take heed to ourselves and our teaching even as we seek to protect God’s people from errors. Read More

Catch This—The Evangelism Contagion

If we model evangelism, equip people to do it and then encourage them to share when they do it, it can become contagious. Read More

Be a Gospel Neighbor

Being a good neighbor is a crucial component to being a faithful evangelist. We should all aspire to be gospel neighbors. Read More

3 Takeaways from New Research on Americans and the Bible

Every year, Barna and the American Bible Society release new research on behaviors and beliefs about the Bible among U.S. adults. Click here for a summary of the surveys with charts and graphs to help you visualize the research. Three findings stood out to me. Read More

Monday's Catch: "A Friendly Reminder: 'Come To Jesus' Is More Important Than 'Come To Our Church'" and More

A Friendly Reminder: “Come To Jesus” Is More Important Than “Come To Our Church”

We have become so used to tethering evangelism to our church’s programming and attendance that we can forget they're not the same thing. Read More

Autopsy of a Deceased Church Outreach Ministry

Thom Rainer offers some ideas that may explain the death of ongoing outreach by churches in the Southern Baptist Convention and other denominations. Read More

9 Hidden Things That Make Or Break Leaders

Changing your mind about how you lead, feel and think changes everything. Read More

Why NOT Getting Hired, Promoted, Or Recognized Is A Sign Of God’s Blessing

The following is a brief excerpt from Brian Jones' new book Finding Favor from a chapter called “Intentional Obscurity.” Read More

10 Options When You Don't Want to Go the Church Office on Monday

I know it happens, because I’ve been there. You so look forward to Sunday, but that day is a flop. Your sermon seemed like a failure. Attendance was down. Your friendly critic wasn’t so friendly. The events of the day bothered you on Sunday afternoon, and you just don’t want to go to work on Monday. What do you do? Here are some options.... Read More

3 Spiritual Vitality Warning Signs for Pastors

It’s often difficult to discern the level of your spiritual growth when you are professionally immersed in spiritually oriented church work. Read More

Is It Necessary to Preach Divine Wrath?

Faithful pulpit ministry requires the declaration of both judgment and grace. The Word of God is a sharp, two-edged sword that softens and hardens, comforts and afflicts, saves and damns. Read More

What Am I Saved For?

We know what we’ve been saved from, but knowing what we’ve been saved for is just as important. Read More

3 Ways to Keep Your Sheep From Being Stolen

Recently, pastor and theologian David Fitch engaged Ed Stetzer on his data about megachurches and sheep stealing, it seemed that the only thing they could agree on is that there were too many church transfers.

This is part of who we are as a country. The average American moves 14 times over his or her lifetime. And 58 percent of people who have changed churches, changed for reasons that had nothing to do with location.

here may be reasons to leave a church. In a way, church-hopping is very American. It makes sense in a place full of personalized playlists and individualized movie recommendations.

It would be easy to write off church hopping as a cultural phenomenon. You could even cite the individual for a lack of spiritual maturity. But churches have a responsibility as well.

Imagine if your sheep were so deeply committed to your church that it would be hard to accept a job offer in a new city.

Imagine if there was such a level of commitment that they would be willing to put up with poor preaching and bad music.

Church-hopping and sheep-stealing don’t have to be inevitable.

But it will require doing at least three things differently. Read More

College Grads and Retirees Make Great Church Planters

College students “discovered” the Summit in 2003. If I’m remembering rightly, it went something like this: One week about five college students visited. They pulled up in one car at the drop-off zone, parked it there, and then piled out. They liked the service, and because college students travel in herds, the next week they brought back 250 of their friends. They all arrived in that same one car. In a period of less than a month, our attendance doubled. And during that same time, our weekly average giving increased by $13.48. College students bring a lot of great things—enthusiasm, optimism, evangelistic zeal—but money is not one of them.

One of my favorite memories as a pastor is a Sunday morning when an usher came up to me after the first service with a bacon, egg and cheese biscuit from Bojangles. One of the college students had placed it in the offering plate with a little note on it that read (charitably misquoting Acts 3:6), “Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have, give I unto you.”

The leadership of our church realized something pretty quickly. With such a huge influx of college students, we might not be the wealthiest church, but we would always have a large pool of potential missionaries. So we began to challenge our graduating college seniors to let ministry be the most shaping factor in determining where they would pursue their careers. We asked our college students to spend their first two years after graduation pursuing their careers in a place where we are planting a church. As we tell them now, “You have to get a job somewhere. Why not get one in a place where you can be part of a strategic work of God?” We tell them, “Give us two years, and we’ll change the world.” Tongue in cheek, we sometimes refer to this as our “Mormonization strategy.” But it has caught on.

Hundreds upon hundreds of these students have answered that call. In fact, recent college graduates account for a third of the people we send on our domestic church plants.

As we have made room for them, God has provided for us. One week, after we commissioned dozens of college students, a guest from the West Coast visiting our church was so moved by the number of students he saw that he committed to give us $186,000. I stood up the next week and told our students, “Okay, guys, for the foreseeable future, financially, you are covered.”

Reaching college students isn’t just about creating enthusiasm and energy for your church. It’s about seeing God fulfill his promise in Psalm 2:8 to raise up a generation that will carry the gospel to the nations: “Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance.” Read More

Also See:
Don’t Sideline the Women in Your Church Plant

End of an Era: Once Vibrant Kentucky Church Closing Its Doors

‘It’s like taking care of your mother with dementia; We did everything we could’

Once a bustling congregation of nearly 1,500 members, Pollard Baptist Church is closing its doors.

Decades of decline had taken their toll at Pollard, leaving five faithful members to make the heart-wrenching decision to pull the plug.

The final worship service will be May 1.

“We grieve over what has come to pass,” said Wes Smith, Pollard’s pastor for the last six years. “We understand every living organism does die eventually. As great as the churches listed in the New Testament were, none of those are around today.”

For the tiny remnant of believers, the closing creates a deafening silence from the pulpit where God’s Word had been proclaimed for the past 126 years.

“It’s heartbreaking; it really is,” said 70-year-old Linda Cornwell, who has known no other church. She was enrolled in the "cradle roll" as a baby and committed her life to Christ at age 15. “It was August 1962,” she said. “Twenty-five people were saved on the same night.”

Churches close every single day in America and even though some have been around for more than a century, like Pollard, they fade from existence due to irrelevance, population shifts, societal changes and poor church leadership.

Churches, like human beings, are born and they live and they die. Read More

Just a reminder of the real need for vigorous church revitalization as well as aggressive church planting in North America.

image: kentuckytoday.com

Saturday Lagniappe: "6 Ways to Avoid Owing Taxes Next Year" and More

6 Ways to Avoid Owing Taxes Next Year

Tax Day has come and gone. For many, yesterday was a painful experience as they realized they owed the government more than expected. The good news is that, a year from now, filling out your 2018 taxes does not have to result in a repeat performance. Read More

Navigating the Gray Areas of Church Finance

When it comes to church finances, there are countless gray areas. It’s a good idea to get advice from an independent group. Read More

Why Study Theology

When large numbers of professing evangelical Christians are not sure whether the deity of Christ is an article of the Christian faith, then we have more than a problem. We are the proverbial lemmings, rushing headlong toward the precipice. Read More

4 Reasons Why Pastoral Honeymoons Are Shrinking

Why are pastoral honeymoons shorter now? There are at least 4 reasons.... Read More

Too Many Pastors Are 'Digging Their Graves with Their Teeth'

One of the chief occupational hazards of a pastor, whether evangelical or mainline, is overeating. Read More

Authentic Preaching: Bringing Yourself Into The Message

Craig Groeschel encourages pastors to make sure they don't miss the key ingredient for authenticity in preaching. Read More

What Is the Biggest Problem Facing Evangelicalism? Comfort

The biggest problem facing the British Evangelical church today is, without doubt, our own personal comfort. Far too many of us are happy in our middle-class Christian enclaves, in comfortable areas of the country, going to churches full of people exactly like them. If they are even willing to countenance joining a church plant – and many won’t because it is far more demanding to join a small core team rather than remain a consumer in a larger church – it is nigh on impossible to get them to consider a council estate or deprived community. Read More

Comfortable Christians Are Killing the Church

In this earlier article Stephen Kneale identifies as a major obstacle to church planting in England the problem getting workers to move to the less desirable parts of the country, a view that he reiterates in the preceding article. Read More

A part of the problem may be the approach to church planting that Kneale and others are employing in England. It entails recruiting a core group of Christians from existing churches in one region of the country to work with a lead church planter in pioneering a new church in another region of the country. This approach has its drawbacks as Kneale is experiencing. It is just one of a number of church planting approaches that Ed Stetzer and others have identified. To re-evangelize England's North and to plant new churches in that region may require a different approach or more than one approach. I do not disagree with Kneale's premise that many evangelicals are reluctant to leave their comfort zones and pioneer new churches. This problem is observable in the United States as well as the United Kingdom. But the solution may be to adopt a church planting approach that is keyed to the particular region as Stetzer and others advocate.

Student Walkouts Sweep the US

Friday was National Student Walkout in which thousands of students across the the United States walked out of their classes in a nationwide call for gun reform legislation. Read More

Ukraine Moves to Split Church from Russia as Elections Approach

Ukraine's Orthodox church could become independent of Moscow under the terms of a presidential initiative lawmakers approved on Thursday, a move that President Petro Poroshenko said would make it harder for Russia to meddle in Ukrainian affairs. Read More