Church leaders should expect newcomers at all worship services, and plan accordingly. Thom Rainer, president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources, recently shared a list of helpful hints reflecting on his visits to a number of churches over the last seven months. He recommends congregations: have plentiful signage on the outside and inside, offer user-friendly websites, and help newcomers easily locate parking and restrooms. So What? Rainer's recommendations Read More …
Discipleship
The New Front Door (#1098)
A recent short video produced by the New Media Project features three pastors sharing their experiences with new media. While each short presentation offers helpful insight, one provided a compelling visual image for the role of new media. Eugene Cho, founding pastor of Quest Church, considers new media to be the church's new front door: . . . the front door of our churches have now changed. The front door is no longer the front door. In fact, I would tell you probably Read More …
Being Fully Present (#1094)
I follow the way of Jesus. This means seeing the world and my interactions with all within it differently. As I continue on the journey of faith I find it easier to approach life from this vantage yet more challenging to respond appropriately to the many situations that are a part of daily living. In many ways the more I learn and the more I experience, the more I recognize my own shortcomings. So What? There are many ways to live the way of Jesus in the mundane and everyday Read More …
Are Christians Loving? (#1091)
A recent research project directed by David Kinnaman (president of Barna Group) in conjunction with John Burke (author of Mud and the Masterpiece) explored "whether Christians have the actions and attitude of Jesus as they interact with others or if they are more akin to the beliefs and behaviors of Pharisees, the self-righteous sect of religious leaders described in the New Testament." The Christian participants responded to 20 statements regarding their actions and attitudes. The Read More …
Pastors & Member Giving (#1089)
The May 2013 edition of Christianity Today includes a conversation about whether or not pastors should know how much church members give (p.16). The piece features six perspectives placed on a continuum from yes to no. So What? Over the years, I have been involved in many conversations about this topic. It is one about which many people have very strong feelings. Which of the following best describes what you believe is appropriate? Which best describes your local congregation's Read More …
Things to Hate About Spiritual Formation (#1087)
John Ortberg is the Senior Pastor of the 4,000 member Menlo Park Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) and the author of multiple books on spiritual formation. Recently in a Leadership Journal article, he revealed 7 things he hates about spiritual formation. His list includes: I hate how spiritual formation gets positioned as an optional pursuit for a small special interest group within the church, and I hate it when we forget that the goal is producing truly good people, Read More …
Unity in Your Church (#1083)
Thom Rainer, president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources, recently shared four ways you can advance the cause of unity within your local congregation/church/community of faith: preach on it, talk about Jesus' emphasis on it, model it, and get everyone on the same page -- literally (using a single resource for congregation wide study). So What? While I usually use this blog as a forum to promote Christian unity on a broader scale, it is of great significance that this begin Read More …
Dealing with Change (#1080)
May has arrived. One of my routines as one month draws to a close and another begins is to ensure I have completed all of my tasks for month that is ending and to review my planned activities for the upcoming month. As I look at the month of May, I realize it is a time when I will experience several significant changes, including: teaching a course (perhaps two courses) I have never taught before, welcoming (and working for) the first ever dean of online learning at Hodges Read More …
A New Vision for Christian Education (#1078)
Yesterday, I spent a good deal of my day at church. After worship, the Board of Christian Education gathered in a meeting room for a five hour retreat focused on planning for the future. While a summary of of those proceedings will likely fill many pages, one sentence sets the tone for the future: Vision: To have as many participants each week in educational experiences as are present in worship. While retaining high quality standards, our congregation's educational programs for Read More …
Future of the Faith (#1077)
This past Thursday Yale Divinity School hosted a one-of-a-kind event: The Future of Faith. This two-part event featured author and scholar Diana Butler Bass and New York Times Op-Ed columnist Ross Douthat. The first hour,"The Future of Faith: Two Views," was moderated by Bob Abernethy, host of Religion & Ethics Newsweekly. The second hour, "Future of Faith and Church Life," was moderated by Lillian Daniel, a writer and United Church of Christ pastor. Bass' Read More …