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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
Want a Great Small Church? Avoid These Common Mistakes
A lot of websites define themselves by what they’re against, instead of what they’re for. No, I won’t name any – that would make me one of them. Unfortunately there are a lot of churches that do the same. Here at New Small Church, we prefer to be in favor of good things before we’re
8 Simple Words that Can Transform Your Church
Encouraging, Connecting and Equipping Innovative Small Church Leaders. Eight words. Eight simple words that can transform your church, your ministry and your life. How do I know that? Because the principles behind those eight words helped transform my life and my church from being defeated, wounded and sad to being strong, healthy and joyous. Those
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Author
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Karl Vaters produces resources for Helping Small Churches Thrive at KarlVaters.com.
He's the author of five books on church leadership, including his newest, De-Sizing the Church: How Church Growth Became a Science, Then an Obsession, and What's Next. His other books include The Grasshopper Myth and Small Church Essentials.
Karl also hosts a bi-weekly podcast, The Church Lobby: Conversations on Faith & Ministry, featuring in-depth interviews about topics that concern pastors, especially those who minister in a small church context. He has served in small-church ministry for over 40 years, so he speaks and writes from decades of hands-on pastoral experience.
You can follow Karl on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, and LinkedIn, or Contact Karl to inquire about speaking, writing, and consultation.
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