Tuesday's Catch: Drifting Churches and More

Eight Warning Signs Your Church is Drifting from God’s Mission

Churches without purpose tend to drift. Like the flotsam and jetsam in the sea, a church adrift does little more than float along as aimless debris. I have yet to see a church drift towards God’s mission. The current of apathy always pulls away. It’s obvious to point out drifting churches as lacking purpose. But what causes this drift? What are some early warning signs of an unraveling in a congregation? Let’s look at eight practical indicators. Read More

Thom Rainer has also posted a podcast related to drifting churches on his blog.

Laypeople and the Mission of God, Part 2 – Reclaiming the Priesthood of All Believers

Every church must have a strategy and a process to equip people for ministry and mission. Thus, they create an environment where people are empowered and enabled to do ministry. Yet, and perhaps this is the greatest challenge in many churches, you have to recognize that there are many factors working AGAINST engaging all God’s people in ministry. Read More

Also see "Laypeople and the Mission of God – Killing the Clergy/Laity Caste System."

Seven Reasons to Consider Not Requiring Office Hours for Ministerial Staff

I’ve never liked the idea of requiring office hours for pastors and ministry staff. Ministry demands a “go” mentality. It’s hard to go when you have to sit at a desk all day. Assuming you have at least one person in a support role to answer phones and greet walk-ins, then you likely don’t need to require staff to have office hours. Here are a few reasons why I don’t require office hours for ministry staff. Read More

Is it Wise to Hire Family Members?

Don’t be too hasty to hire a family member because it’s quick and done. It’s convenient, but it is much more difficult to fire a family member than to hire one. Hire family after much thought and prayer, not under pressure or desperation, and hire because they are really good at what they do. There are several things you can do to help lower any impression of nepotism as well as safeguard against the potential realities of conflict from perceived favoritism. Read More