Brad Lomenick, leader of Catalyst, recently shared twelve attributes of what he calls "all in leaders." These leaders are totally committed, and willing to do whatever it takes to be successful. Lomenick's list includes the following attributes: You are trustworthy. 100%. Always with no exceptions. We is much more important than me. If I win, the team wins. If the team wins, I win. You get it done no matter how long it takes. Your intentions and goals are clear. Your Read More …
Christian? Who Knew? (#1155)
Who knows that you are a Christian? According to a LifeWay Research survey of Protestant churchgoers, most Christians believe most people who know them are aware that they follow the way of Jesus. More specifically, in response to the statement "Many people who know me are not aware I am a Christian," respondents replied Disagree: 72%, Agree: 14%, and Neither: 14%. So What? I would be intrigued to know the results if 100 people who have some connection to me were asked Read More …
Most Americans Bank Online (#1154)
According to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center in April and May, the majority of Americans now bank online. More specifically: 51% of U.S. adults, or 61% of internet users, bank online; and 32% of U.S. adults, or 35% of cell phone owners, bank using their mobile phones. So What? Over the last several years more and more people have joined the online world. In general, the adoption rates are highest among the youngest adults. While the percentages decline as Read More …
How Leaders Destroy Teams (#1153)
Scott Williams, author of Church Diversity: Sunday the Most Segregated Day of the Week (2011 – read my review here) and leadership guru, recently shared five ways leaders destroy their teams: using the "my way or the highway" approach, being "all about the numbers", always talking - never really listening, making changes for the sake of change, and not caring about the people on the team. So What? Whether a given task happens in the life of a church, a Read More …
Sermon: Faith in Naples (#1152)
A few Sundays ago I had the privilege of preaching a sermon on faith at Naples United Church of Christ. My text was Hebrews 11:1-3 and 8-16. Scripture The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living (Hebrews 8:1, The Message). Sermon Text I have a confession to make: I am a neat freak. In my world, everything has a place, and everything lives in the place I have assigned to it. Read More …
Taking a Break (#1151)
Time for a Break A great deal has changed in the world of blogging since I started writing on a daily basis nearly three years ago, and much has changed in my own life as well. What Next? Over the next few weeks, I plan to gather input from many sources. I encourage you to leave your thoughts as a reply to this post. More specifically: What about this blog do you find most helpful? What type of content would you be most interested in reading in the future? When you think of Read More …
1,000 Days of Daily Blogging (#1150)
This post marks 1,000 days of blogging on a daily basis. I launched sowhatfaith.com just over 4 years ago. Almost three years ago, I started blogging on a daily basis. At several points along that journey I paused to reflect and share my experience: 100 Days, 1 Year, and 2 Years. So What? I hope my daily posts have been substantive, relevant, and actionable. I believe even more strongly now than I did when I launched this blog that it is important for people who Read More …
North American Christianity is Broken (#1149)
New York Times best selling author Frank Schaeffer, recently wrote a strong critique of both the evangelical and progressive forms of Protestant Christianity in North America in which he claims that "The problem with North American Christianity is not the window-dressing– it’s the whole package." So What? Like Schaeffer, I believe the current trend of decline among Protestants in North America signals that Protestant Christianity as we have known it for the last hundred years has major Read More …
Review of But I Don’t See You as Asian (#1148)
Meet the Author Bruce Reyes-Chow is an ordained Presbyterian pastor, and 3rd generation Chinese/Filipino. He is a consultant who previously served as founding pastor of Mission Bay Community Church. His effective use of social media while serving as moderator of the General Assembly of the 2.3 million member PCUSA helped many mainline leaders appreciate the value of social media for ministry. Reyes-Chow has written two e-books: The Definitive-ish Guide Read More …
Church Signage Tips (#1147)
Really awful church signage regularly appears on my social feeds. While there are far too many examples of church signage, there are relatively few helpful resources for church leaders who want to think strategically about signage. Church Marketing Sucks, however, recently featured multiple posts on the topic: Tips for Your Primary Exterior Sign by Erin Williams, Tips for Secondary Exterior Signs by Erin Williams, and 8 Steps to Making Interior Signs Work for Your Church Read More …