I’ve always tried to live my life and do ministry by this rule: Don’t try to be successful. Try to do good work. Not people-pleasing work, God-honoring work Not self-promoting work, Christ-magnifying work Not numbers-driven work, Spirit-led work The one time in my ministry that I abandoned this principle and did things for the numbers, I […]
Don’t Try To Be Successful – Try To Do Good Work Read More »
“I can’t” may be the two most liberating words missing from your leadership lexicon.
For years I’ve been told by well-meaning preachers and teachers that if I have enough faith, I can do anything I want to do.
But it’s not true. I can’t do anything I want to do. Neither can you. Knowing and embracing that truth has freed me. And it can free you, too.
Saying “I Can’t” May Be Your Missing Key to Success Read More »
The problem with churches and numbers isn’t when we celebrate growth. It’s when we make butts-in-the-seat growth our only factor for growth and health.
Just To Be Clear: Church Growth Is a GOOD Thing Read More »
I learned a few unexpected lessons on our recent trip to minister to Small Church pastors in Croatia. Most of them happened in the challenges we faced trying to get there. It started with a huge mistake that I made in Germany – filling our diesel car with gasoline (yeah, I know). Then, what should
6 Principles to Remember When Success Seems Elusive Read More »
Today’s post is excerpt from an interview I did for the July/August 2013 “Small Church America” issue of Outreach magazine. You can also find a short excerpt of a different part of the interview on their website. Between the two excerpts, you can read about 50% of the entire interview online. For the rest of it, click here
Think Kingdom Growth First (An Excerpt from My Outreach Interview) Read More »
In my last post, Grow It or Close It? Is There a Third Option for Struggling Small Churches?, we established that there are more options for a struggling Small Church than to grow it or close it. We can help it become a healthy Small Church. But there’s an inevitable question that follows, isn’t there? Namely, how?
The Essential First Step to Having a Healthy Small Church Read More »
“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 »
I think it is time for a new scorecard for success. When we focus mostly on attendance growth we are missing the mark in assessing faithfulness to the call and purpose of God. When the pastors on conference stages and magazine covers are always the ones with the biggest and fastest growing churches something is
Stuff We Like: Measuring the Orchard, by Geoff Surratt Read More »
Why do so many pastors not practice what we preach? Don’t get me wrong. I’m not a cynic. And I’m definitely not a pastor-basher. I have a great admiration for pastors and what they (we) do. Pastors may be the hardest-working, most undervalued members of our society. And that goes double for Small Church pastors.
Redefining Success Without Lowering Your Standards Read More »
Why do so many pastors not practice what we preach? Don’t get me wrong. I’m not a cynic. And I’m definitely not a pastor-basher. I have a great admiration for pastors and what they (we) do. Pastors may be the hardest-working, most undervalued members of our society. And that goes double for Small Church pastors.
Redefining Success Without Lowering Your Standards Read More »
