I am working on developing one. It requires surrender. Only God can take away my need to complain. What is your source of frusttration? What causes u to lash out? In the church, there is lots of offense. Pastors that preach the gospel offend people who don’t want to hear what the pastor believes is true. Leaders that reach out offend people who feel that they have put in their time and their money into the church and don’t really want anyone new who isn’t going to be just like them. Musicians become territorial and take ... Read More

While I”m thinking of it, here are some books I’ve read and am reading that are worth the time. What’s new on your list? Top Ten Mistakes — Jim Griffith and Bill Easum; about starting churches … but useful info even for revitalization. Love Wins — Rob Bell. I”m in the midst of it right now. The Search to Belong — still on my top ten list. Joseph Myers Unbinding Your Soul — Martha Grace Reese. Profiles the main themes of Christianity, and includes a prayer journal and group exercises, and a ... Read More

I have gone through my “i am fed up with program church” phase. And I’m over it. I have learned that if you are leading people and you have developed an organization of about any level of complexity, you have to organize. And that leads to programs. Of course, the question is, which program. That’s the hard part. And, then, the next question is, what is required of me to make this program work in my context. That’s an even harder question to answer. There is no magic bullet for growing a church and growing a ... Read More

Most of the worship services I see are very traditional. But I don’t mean what you think I mean. It’s not about the music or the format or the robes or the bells. It’s about the LACK of relationship. It’s about the “doing” of worship “to” the congregation, vs. the participation of the congregation in the experience … THEIR doing of worship. The congregation doesn’t DO when there is so much performance and talking head. I have heard this criticism about contemporary worship, and ... Read More

I am learning a lot from my clients. One of the biggest lessons is what some will do for money, like hire a coach. In starting new ministries, it’s become common knowledge that a coach is important, and some denominational groups insist that their start-up pastors have one, tying the hiring of a coach to the receiving of funding. So the pastor takes the coach in order to get the money. But then they don’t do what the coach says because they see it as an obligation, not a benefit — even though the coach has far more experience ... Read More

The work we do is very tough indeed. We are trying to bring Christ into a world that sees the church as irrelevant. Changing minds and attitudes is one of the hardest things to do in life. It’s the task with which we are charged as followers of Christ. And then, as your worship service and ministry becomes relevant, and minds are starting to change, and friends start inviting friends, you gain momentum. Pretty soon peers of peers are helping you change minds. Then it’s not quite as hard as it was. Of course, now we have to keep ... Read More

I have a friend who does a lot of reading. He’s super smart. He reads the latest best sellers that some of the rest of us are reading, and more. He has a lot of discernment about what is going on in the field of ministry. He takes some of what he reads with a grain of salt, and pays attention to some things too. He seems to know what has value, because, well, he does the reading. So, what are you reading? On the other hand, it’s not just about the reading. It’s about the doing. Many of us read lots of books and then we never ... Read More

Like it or not, there is a marketing aspect to organizing and leading a faith community that impacts the neighborhood around your church — your church’s mission field (view my webinar under free downloads to learn about networking and mission fields). As church leaders — pastors, worship leaders, etc. — we are responsible for getting to know the people God has placed in proximity to our church’s building, and then we have to find ways that mean something to them through which to invite them to meet Christ and to ... Read More

Whatever u think of Rihanna, the truth is, she is one savvy business woman. She understands the role of partnerships in broadening her fan base. In church work, strategic partnerships are brilliant: finding persons and / or organizations who can help you broaden your ministry base and “extend your church’s shadow.” Churches need the community — the neighborhood in that surrounds the church — and the community needs the church. Why not form such partnerships? But the partnership must be right. There must be ... Read More

R U an excuse maker? I have been good at making them in my life. I grew up when I stopped, and took responsibility for myself and my behavior. Worship attendance numbers are an excuse petrie dish. Our space is too small; the weather is too bad; the big church down the road is stealing our people; I’m too tired to care; our neighborhood has changed; people don’t go to church any more; they don’t like the way we do things and they’re wrong… If you want to increase attendance in your church and expand your ... Read More