Church Growth and Church Transformation
Think you’re going to lead your church successfully through the next growth barrier? You might want to think again – seriously. The success rate for barrier-breaking is less than 20 percent … and if you happen to be in a Mainline denomination the odds just dropped to 10 percent. The real bad news is this [...]
A week or so ago I had the great privilege of leading a workshop session for a group of folks considering the possibility of professional ministry. I’d been invited to present on Sunday morning and then follow my presentation with a brief closing worship. I’d planned on bringing my guitar and leading a time of [...]
… and a quick reminder on #2 and #3. Take a look at these pictures. These are the main front page images for three random church websites I took a look at. Notice anything? It’s more than an elephant in the room … it’s the elephant in the picture. The big, beautiful picture of the [...]
I just finished reading a book synopsis on a flight to the deep South. Sheena Ivengar’s Art of Choosing provided me some grist to grind as I secret shopped a mid-sized church in Texas (AWA 300ish). Although this church hosted both traditional and contemporary worship services, I noticed in both services a few people using [...]
Over the years, there has been a good bit of conversation amongst church leaders, consultants, and coaches about congregational values – as in, every church needs to identify their core values. All that’s fine and good, but far too often I’ve come upon churches that spout their values as if they’re water springing from a [...]
I just returned from a training event for a church that’s dwindled down to less than fifty in worship and has less than a dozen committed leaders. They were pretty much in the desperate mode, which is never a good place to be. Turning to 21st Century Strategies to help them find a way out [...]
My wife (Dr. Kris T-B) and I go on a date on as many Fridays as possible. On our “date” we go to lunch and catch a movie matinee. Last week we went to see Joyful Noise, which was a good movie and showed the church and the faith in a positive light (for a [...]
I just spent a weekend with a church that is facing one of the most difficult decisions a church will ever have to face. “To be or not to be: That is their question.” This church has just lost their interim pastor and only has six months of financial resources left. It sounds pretty hopeless, [...]
According to our research, it appears that in North America less than 15 percent of first time church visitors return for a second visit. Although I’m sure it doesn’t follow denominational lines exactly, it appears that in the mainline that number actually hovers nearer to 11 percent. That means that if 100 visitors graced your [...]
We’ve all heard the tired adage bounced around each year that “Wise Men Still Seek Him.” It almost seems like a good sermon title. Almost. The question we need to ask ourselves is whether or not that’s a valid statement in these post-modern, post-Christendom days. Are wise men and women still seeking the Jesus of [...]
