I did not want to write this post. Indeed I have resisted for several months for fear I would do more harm than good. But the conviction to write it is too great. I pray that God will use it for His glory, and that I will not be an impediment to His work. Here is the simple thesis: There is a growing tension between some pastors and some laity in churches across America. It is not pervasive, but it’s growing. Frankly, I don’t even like the seemingly opposing labels of pastors and laity. I just don’t know how to Read the full article…
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May 2013
The Importance of Launching New Groups
May 15, 2013 17 Comments
Most church leaders want their churches to grow, and for the right reasons. They want new people to encounter God, grow in their faith, and join God on His mission of serving others. But there is often a wide gap between a church leader desiring to grow and the church possessing a mentality of multiplication. During my church consulting days, I could quickly assess a church’s multiplication mentality by asking just one question: How often do you start new groups (or classes)? I would ask the question because I’d seen over and over again a close relationship between the churches that were growing Read the full article…
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May 2013
Expectant vs. Reactionary Churches
May 14, 2013 6 Comments
By Chuck Lawless Most churches that contact my church consulting firm do so after they’ve recognized a problem; that is, they are reacting by asking for outside help. I’m grateful to assist them, but their process itself often reveals a problem that inflicts most churches: they are reactionary rather than expectant congregations. Is your church more expectant or reactionary? Review these characteristics to see where your church is. Vision Expectant churches have a clear Great Commission vision. They know that God is drawing to Himself a people from every tribe, tongue, and nation (Rev. 5:9-10), and they are humbled to Read the full article…
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May 2013
By Jordan Richmond Worship leader: your pastor is the single most important professional relationship you have. He is likely your direct supervisor. He’s the one who will sing your praises, or defend you to a disgruntled church member (or even before a board of directors or elders). He’s also responsible for the entire worship experience. You may be the primary facilitator of music and media, but he’s ultimately in charge—and he’s usually the one taking the fallout when things go awry. You absolutely want a healthy, dynamic relationship with your pastor. I’m grateful to still have both professional working relationships, and Read the full article…
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May 2013
Every time I stand in line at the grocery store, one thing is always clear: we are under attack. You know what I’m talking about. Dozens of magazine covers flank us on all sides and scream sex, success, and selfishness. Take, for instance, these three headlines from popular magazines published this month: Nine Ways to Be Married — More takes a look at open marriage, threesomes, and the perks of living together without a license. Secrets to a Happy Marriage: Get a Little Bit Divorced — Good Housekeeping says a “faux divorce” can strengthen your marriage. Benefits to Being a Single Parent Read the full article…
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May 2013
Four Ways to Create Unity in Your Church
May 1, 2013 16 Comments
In last week’s post about an autopsy of a deceased church, one of the characteristics was the members had “more and more arguments about what they wanted.” This selfishness both created and sustained one thing no church can tolerate very long and survive: disunity. It is very common for pastors and church members to desire unity and even talk about the importance of it. Beyond desire, though, should be a plan to foster unity in the local body. Unity can be very hard to achieve and it never happens on its own. Ultimately, only the Lord can bring unity to His people. Read the full article…
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Apr 2013
In an informal survey, I asked two groups of members in churches the following question: “If your church budget receipts were to increase tomorrow by 50 percent, what would you like to do with the extra funds?” So that there would be clarity to my question, I asked them for the current level of budget receipts, and then added 50 percent. So a $100,000 budget becomes $150,000. A $50,000 budget becomes $75,000. A $500,000 budget becomes $750,000. You get the picture. The two groups I asked were simply divided between paid church ministers (pastors and others) and laypersons in the Read the full article…
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Apr 2013
In an blogpost earlier this week, I presented the findings of my “autopsy” on a church that just closed its doors and died. I knew the church well because I had been their consultant ten years earlier. The only surprise I found was that the church kept its door open five years longer than I had anticipated. The post generated much interest. Indeed it is still buzzing today. Many church leaders and laypersons saw early warning signs in the post that related to their own churches. Many are concerned. Many want to know if there is any hope. The title Read the full article…
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Apr 2013
Autopsy of a Deceased Church: 11 Things I Learned
April 24, 2013 252 Comments
UPDATE: Listen to the podcast episode about this post. I was their church consultant in 2003. The church’s peak attendance was 750 in 1975. By the time I got there the attendance had fallen to an average of 83. The large sanctuary seemed to swallow the relatively small crowd on Sunday morning. The reality was that most of the members did not want me there. They were not about to pay a consultant to tell them what was wrong with their church. Only when a benevolent member offered to foot my entire bill did the congregation grudgingly agree to retain Read the full article…
04
Mar 2013
Using rules of thumb to gauge church health is problematic because they are, well, rules of thumb. There will always be exceptions, extenuating circumstances, and even disagreements on the right metrics. I thus realize I am taking a risk when I publish these broad guidelines. There is the greater risk that someone will take these numbers as infallible and perfectly suited for his or her congregation. Please let wisdom prevail. So many factors, such as demographics, multiple sites, and history will always provide better insights than mere numbers. Nevertheless, I provide you these ten rules of thumb as a starting Read the full article…
