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Bringing Innovation to an Established Small Church
Why bother trying to resurrect an old, dying church? I’ve heard that question a lot. There was a time when it seemed like every pastor I went to Bible College with was pastoring a dynamic, growing church, but me. They followed church growth principles and started new churches. In a few years they were buying
Becoming an Innovative Small Church: Start In the Shallow End
Change is hard. Don’t make it harder than it has to be. If I could only give one piece of advice to pastors struggling to turn a dying, unhealthy, static Small Church into a fresh, healthy, innovative one, this would be it. Do the easy parts first. It’s a basic principle of life that we
You Can Overcome Small Church Discouragements
Sometimes the most dangerous threat to the truth is not a lie, it’s a lesser truth. Lies are usually easy to spot, but lesser truths are harder because …well… they’re still true. At virtually every moment of our lives, there are at least two truths battling for our heart. A greater truth and a lesser truth. The
What Do Congregations Want in a Pastor? Surprise! It’s Us!
If you asked a few hundred church members what characteristics they were searching for in a pastor, what do you think they’d say? You don’t have to wonder. Thom Rainer asked that question a while ago and published the top ten responses on his blog last week. When I first read the list, I smiled.
20 Years Pastoring My Small Church: The Joys
So what’s the point of it all? As hard as pastoral ministry can be, why would anyone want to stay in the same Small Church for two decades and counting? Because, as wild as the ride can be sometimes, the joys far outweigh the challenges. Here are just a few. (Today is the last of
20 Years Pastoring My Small Church: The Cautions
What now? I have 20 years under my belt as the pastor of my Small Church. 30 in pastoral ministry all together. Since there aren’t a lot of us that get to this landmark, there’s not a lot of advice about what to do next. One thing I know for sure. I don’t want more
20 Years Pastoring My Small Church: The Keys
The average length of a pastorate isn’t much over 2 years. In Small Churches, it’s lower. It’s a high-stress job, with long hours, high demands, emotional extremes and little (sometimes no) monetary compensation. But last month was my 20th year at Cornerstone Christian Fellowship. And last night my Small Church threw a party for me
Grasshopper Myth: My Church Can’t Compete With Megachurches
OK, so technically, this one’s true. My church can’t compete with megachurches. Trying to do what they do on a Small Church scale would, did, and does lead to disaster and burnout. What makes the statement a myth is that it’s built on a faulty premise. The premise that we’re supposed to be like megachurches,
Surprising Insights About Church Growth from Small Church Members
People love Small Churches. It’s pastors who have a problem with them. The Grasshopper Myth book has been in the hands of the members of my church for about a month. And I’m currently teaching through the principles of it on Sunday mornings. (They’re being recorded and will be podcast here soon.) So the feedback
