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Saturday, June 05, 2021

Saturday Lagniappe: The New Church Metrics and More


Spiking your church’s numbers by hijacking the algorithm or using vanity metrics is like living on energy drinks. The boost lasts for a few hours and then you crash. You can’t build your future off 3 second views.

Am I Called to Ministry? A Checklist to Consider
However we view calling, we must be sure about God’s qualifications for ministry and certain He has set us apart for such service. Along these lines, review with me seven questions, indicators that God has called you into the ministry.

A New Paradigm For Pastors
Pastors are lonely. We hear that often, and I know from experience that it can be true. It isn’t only pastors. Our culture is isolated and alone. Recently Lifeway wrote that even among church goers, only about 2 in 5 took it upon themselves to check on other church members during the pandemic. 3 in 5 church goers said no one from their church checked on them during the pandemic. No doubt, there are many reasons why these realities exists, but increasingly I wonder if part of the loneliness of pastors and the isolation within the church comes from the way we educate and train pastors.

Hiring Church Members to Become Staff Members
One of the most important decisions a ministry leader will make concerns staff selection and staff development. Hiring someone who possesses an excellent Christian character, has a healthy family life, exhibits the core competencies for the position, and understands the culture and mission of the church are essential in the hiring process.

More Than a Quiet Time: Living Out the Word of God Together
We asked our local pastors here in Madagascar how someone becomes “equipped for ministry,” moving from salvation through maturity to leadership—in other words, how to make a disciple. We expected a curriculum, possibly key doctrines, study plans. Instead, our pastors overwhelmingly answered with two main ideas: 1) relationships, and 2) God’s Word working in everyday life.

The Healing Support of Fellow Small Group Members
Recently, I was able to read more on this concept of inner healing, as introduced by Dr. Terry Wardle in his book Healing Care, Healing Prayer, an excellent resource for any minister or caregiver that provides care at the individual level. However, what if we were to instead explore Dr. Wardle’s work through the lens of a church’s small group ministry?

The Neglected Tools of Evangelism, Part 3
In this article, the third in the series, Ben Jack takes a look at the neglected tool of evangelism--thanksgiving.

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