Small Churches have down seasons and up seasons. And those seasons can switch very fast. Monday morning fast. The church I pastor has been experiencing an up season for a while now – several years, in fact. I wish I could say it’s because of my flawless leadership skills, but if you’ve read The Grasshopper Myth, you […]
3 Sundays, 3 Stories – Here’s What One Healthy Small Church Looks Like Read More »
I was wrong. And today I plan to set the record straight. Seriously. I’m figuring this thing out as I go along. As I sit down to blog three times a week, I’m still on a massive learning curve as to what I should and shouldn’t say, including what I do and don’t believe about
Pastoring a Small Church – A Great Calling, But a Lousy Goal Read More »
(Editor’s note: This post has had a significant update. It occurs in the final section.) It’s a moment that can only happen because of the internet. Yesterday I clicked on my RSS feed (a list of the blogs I monitor) and the first two headlines I saw struck me like a blow to the head.
“If it’s OK for a church to be small, how do you suggest we measure a church’s success?” Since starting the ministry of New Small Church, I’ve been asked that question more than any other. Maybe more than all other questions combined. At first I didn’t know how to answer it. Now I answer that
“How Will We Measure Our Success?” – The Question the Disciples Forgot to Ask Jesus Read More »
Megachurches are awesome. How could we not be grateful when thousands of people voluntarily gather together every week to worship Jesus? Everything about that is good. But… (you knew there was a “but” coming, didn’t you?) But while it’s wonderful to see 3,000 to 30,000 people meet to worship Jesus in one massive church, it
Megachurches are Not Normal – And That’s OK Read More »
“There are no Small Churches.” I’ve heard that sentiment expressed on many occasions from well-meaning people after I tell them I pastor a Small Church. I get where they’re coming from because I used to be one of them. I said “there are no small churches” for years because I believed the lie that Small
Six Reasons Why “There Are No Small Churches” Isn’t True Read More »
“There are no Small Churches.” I’ve heard that sentiment expressed on many occasions from well-meaning people after I tell them I pastor a Small Church. I get where they’re coming from because I used to be one of them. I said “there are no small churches” for years because I believed the lie that Small
Six Reasons Why “There Are No Small Churches” Isn’t True Read More »
I like Rick Warren. A lot. I’ve never met him, but I’ve learned a lot from him. And we both live in Orange County, California, so we have several friends in common. They all speak very highly of his kindness, integrity and generous spirit. “Genuine” is the word they use most often. As much as I
Size ≠ Health: My Friendly Critique of a Rick Warren Interview Read More »
The evidence keeps piling up. Mondays can be very hard on Small Church pastors. This past Monday, I received one of the most truthful, passionately written expressions of pastoral pain that I’ve ever read. It was written by the wife of a Small Church pastor in the comment section following one of my most widely
If Numbers Are Not Important, Then Why Are They So Important? (A Poignant Guest Post) Read More »
It’s one of the toughest tasks in pastoral ministry. Leading an existing church through a turnaround from unhealthy to healthy. But it’s even harder when we’re trying to do so without understanding some basic principles needed for a successful turnaround to take place. Here are four common, fundamental principles that are regularly ignored or unknown
The 4 Most Overlooked Truths About Leading a Turnaround Church Read More »
