Pastors are not called to do ministry for people. Pastors are called to equip others to do ministry. Certainly, in most smaller churches, there’s some chaplaincy for the pastor to do, but that should never be our main function no matter how small the church may be. This is the primary shift that most small […]
The One Change Every Small Church Pastor Needs To Make Read More »
There’s only one good reason to move a church toward change. Because the mission demands it. This is also the only way to sustain the change in the long term. This is why, despite all the bad reasons for and against change, the church must constantly be in a state of mission-driven change. No church has
The Only Way To Promote And Sustain Necessary Change In The Church Read More »
The world is changing. In good ways and bad. If you live in America’s Bible Belt (predominantly the Midwest and South) you are probably feeling the impact of these changes to a greater degree than those of us who live outside it. And those feelings are likely to grow for at least another generation. If
There are two different types of churches, organizationally.
Static and dynamic.
As we saw in a previous article, Why Most Small Churches Don’t Use (Or Need) An Organizational Chart, the smaller the church, the less necessary it is to use a static organizational system.
Static churches have a thorough Org Chart, with positions that need to be filled, and each position is arranged in some sort of hierarchy. Everyone knows what they’re supposed to do and who reports to whom based on the Org Chart.
Some statically–organized churches have a physical chart on display, while others operate by an unseen, but just as strongly defined system.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with having and/or using an Org Chart. In fact, the bigger the church, the more essential it becomes. When you’re trying to coordinate dozens, even hundreds of leadership positions, the Org Chart reduces chaos and helps create stability.
But if you’re pastoring a small church and you want to move from static to dynamic, how do you do that?
Here are 5 starter steps:
5 Steps To Move A Church From A Static To Dynamic Organizational Style Read More »
Imagine a hallway full of doors, all of which lead to the same destination.
All your life, you’ve seen people go through one particular door, so you use it, too. But one day you try to go through that door and it won’t open for you.
What do you do?
Insistence says, “get me a battering ram, a crowbar or a prayer group. We’re going to push, pry or pray this door open!”
Innovation says “let’s try another door, and another, until we find one that opens. They all go to the same place, after all.”
Both options have their merits. After all, there are times when a door is stuck because of a problem that needs to be fixed. But not always.
We all have to fight the tendency to commit to a door, rather than to the goal on the other side of the door.
Innovation Or Insistence? There’s More Than One Way To Reach Your Goal Read More »
Every church has a calling.
In addition to the mission we all share – namely, the Great Commandment and Great Commission – every congregation has a specific reason they exist.
For Hillsong Church, a big part of that calling has been to write, sing and send their songs around the world, to be sung by hundreds of thousands of other congregations.
In a recent article, The Christian Post quoted Hillsong’s pastor, Brian Houston from a recent Catalyst conference talk. Houston said that if you go to Hillsong church, you won’t be hearing their most famous songs, like “Shout to the Lord” or “Oceans” anymore. They’ve moved on.
Good for them.
Hillsong Church Doesn’t Sing “Shout To The Lord” Anymore? Good For Them Read More »
Every church has a calling.
In addition to the mission we all share – namely, the Great Commandment and Great Commission – every congregation has a specific reason they exist.
For Hillsong Church, a big part of that calling has been to write, sing and send their songs around the world, to be sung by hundreds of thousands of other congregations.
In a recent article, The Christian Post quoted Hillsong’s pastor, Brian Houston from a recent Catalyst conference talk. Houston said that if you go to Hillsong church, you won’t be hearing their most famous songs, like “Shout to the Lord” or “Oceans” anymore. They’ve moved on.
Good for them.
Hillsong Church Doesn’t Sing “Shout To The Lord” Anymore? Good For Them Read More »
The last conversation I had with David Mainse was over dinner after a family funeral. (My parents have worked with David since they attended college with him and his wife, Norma Jean. And my sister Karen married into David’s family). After bustling about the room and catching up with friends and family members, he and I ended up at a table next to each other.
Most of the conversations happening around us were about the past – as they usually are at a funeral. But David had no interest in that. Instead, his eyes lit up as he talked to me about his latest ideas to share the gospel in new ways.
David and I chatted about our common interest in blogging, then he talked my ear off about his upcoming projects, including building a podcasting studio in his new home in Florida, and working with students at the nearby Bible college. Although in his late 70s at the time, David’s eyes lit up with childlike excitement as he giddily told me about the latest technology and its potential to break down barriers and reach people for Jesus.
Reflections On My Last Conversation With David Mainse (1936–2017) Read More »
There’s a lot of upheaval going on in the church right now. And it’s not even close to being over.
There will be a great many local congregations and denominations that will not survive into the next generation or two. But that doesn’t mean the church is dying. Or even in trouble. It’s just changing.
The church of the next generation will not look like it does today. Or like it has for generations.
I have no idea what the church of the future will look like. But I’m okay with not knowing. Because it’s not my church. It belongs to Jesus. And he knows what he’s doing.
Why I’m Not Worried About The Future Of The Church – Or The Church Of The Future Read More »
“How did you get through all the bigger is better noise and start getting traction with a small has value message?”
The first time I was asked the question, I shrugged my shoulders and said “I really don’t know. I just keep doing it, God keeps blessing it, and it keeps working.”
But I knew there was more to it than that. So I reverse-engineered it. After all, if I want it to continue, I need to know the why.
Here’s what I discovered:
7 Steps To Help Your Good, But Slightly Off-Center Message Break Through The Noise Read More »
