What If He Actually Came Today?
After watching some of the latest historical Jesus shows on television, I wondered how Jesus would be received if he’d make a similar physical visit today. Would his mission be similar? He’d be coming...
View ArticleMeet and Greet: Shake and Fake?
Whenever a pastor or worship leader prods us to “stand and greet your neighbor,” I muster my little smile and go through the motions. “Good morning. Good morning. Good morning.” I assume the goal is to...
View ArticleIncognito Zone: Where the Church Is Booming
The final leg of our cross-country trip brought us to a sequestered zone where the church is thriving. After flying over multiple states where the majority of congregations are stagnant or shrinking,...
View ArticleIs Once-a-Week Church Too Much?
The habit of weekly worship attendance has already taken a hit among American churchgoers. Now a move is afoot to offer the Sunday morning routine just once per month. Even people who describe...
View Article2 True Tests for a ‘Relational’ Ministry
Many declare, “We do relational ministry.” That’s good. But some who declare it don’t really do it. When people claim to do relational ministry they often explain that their ministry is based on...
View ArticleChurch Planting: Just to Get Big?
What makes a successful church? Today it’s all about the numbers. Attendance, or rate of attendance growth–that’s the measurement of success. Or so you’d assume. But is the crowd-based model of church...
View ArticleWho Will Staff Your Church Tomorrow?
As the speed of change heats up, what kinds of people will staff the churches of tomorrow? We posed that question at Group’s recent Future of the Church summit. Panelists gave some surprising answers:...
View ArticleThe Lurking Drain Under Sunday Attendance
It’s no secret. Weekly church attendance is down. Where did everybody go? A local pastor gave me two simple answers to the question. He said his “regular attendees” may show up just once every six...
View ArticleLonely Kids and the Church
What’s wrong with young people today? We’ve all heard about the symptomatic things that may characterize today’s teenagers, such as lower church attendance. But what’s underneath these trends? For many...
View ArticleWhat COVID-19 Unveils About Today’s Youth Ministry
One age group is hit particularly hard with the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s teenagers. The virus spread just as their long-anticipated milestones were set to unfold–sports championships, prom, spring...
View Article
More Pages to Explore .....