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The Over-Enthusiastic Volunteer Syndrome
One of the best characteristics of many Small Churches is that everyone wants to pitch in. One of the worst characteristics of many Small Churches is that everyone wants to pitch in. Sometimes that volunteer spirit has great results. Sometimes…not so much. The split-screen photograph in this post is an especially hilarious example of the
Could You Be OK Giving Your Success Away?
We want numbers to verify our successes. There are two huge problems with that sentence – and they’re found in the words “numbers” and “our”. First, not all successes have numbers to verify them. Second, the successes of the church are not our successes. We need to start getting comfortable, in the first instance, with
You May Be a Small Church Pastor and Not Even Know It
Are you a small church pastor? Seems like an easy question, right? But it doesn’t have an easy answer. Many Small Church pastors don’t know they’re Small Church pastors. I’ll tell you why in a minute. But first, here’s a short quiz you can take to find out if you’re a Small Church pastor. 1.
Can Measuring a Church Hurt It?
Earlier this week, I wrote a couple mini-rants in the comment sections of two ministry websites. The authors of the blogs weren’t the targets of my frustration. They actually brought up some good ideas. But the underlying issues got me going, so I jumped in. Here’s what the blogs posted about, followed by what I
No TLCs (Timid Little Churches)
New Small Church is not about timid little churches. It’s not about pastors and leaders who operate out of guilt or fear. It’s not about congregations that don’t want to move forward. And it’s definitely not about settling for less. It is about discovering who we are as churches, leaders and congregations, then using that
Bigger Fixes Nothing: 7 Great Ideas for Small Churches from Robert Irvine & Gordon Ramsay – Part 2
Restaurant experts know that telling a hard-working, exhausted restaurant owner to build a bigger restaurant is not a wise or helpful strategy. Church leaders need to figure that out, too. Instead of telling hard-working, exhausted pastors of struggling congregations to build bigger churches, let’s help them build healthy Small Churches. This is the second of a
Bigger Fixes Nothing: 7 Great Ideas for Small Churches from Robert Irvine & Gordon Ramsay – Part 2
Restaurant experts know that telling a hard-working, exhausted restaurant owner to build a bigger restaurant is not a wise or helpful strategy. Church leaders need to figure that out, too. Instead of telling hard-working, exhausted pastors of struggling congregations to build bigger churches, let’s help them build healthy Small Churches. This is the second of a
Bigger Fixes Nothing: 7 Great Ideas for Small Churches from Robert Irvine & Gordon Ramsay – Part 1
Inspiration can come from unlikely places. But innovators can’t just look in the usual spots. Gordon Ramsay and Robert Irvine are world-class chefs and restaurant owners. On their shows, Kitchen Nightmares and Restaurant: Impossible, they try to turn someone else’s struggling restaurant into a thriving business again. The principles they use are time-tested and valid, even if the theatrics
Bigger Fixes Nothing: 7 Great Ideas for Small Churches from Robert Irvine & Gordon Ramsay – Part 1
Inspiration can come from unlikely places. But innovators can’t just look in the usual spots. Gordon Ramsay and Robert Irvine are world-class chefs and restaurant owners. On their shows, Kitchen Nightmares and Restaurant: Impossible, they try to turn someone else’s struggling restaurant into a thriving business again. The principles they use are time-tested and valid, even if the theatrics
