How does your church encourage, celebrate, and lift up your laity who serve in the various ministry roles?  Too often we overlook our faithful servants and take them for granted.  A little bit of recognition, celebration, and gratitude goes a long way to encourage not only those who have served but those who might serve […]

Over the past couple of decades, many churches have intentionally worked on ramping up their hospitality. They have formed hospitality teams. They have attended workshops, read books, and continuously tried to improve the culture of hospitality. In addition, many churches have been working on creating intentional discipleship plans.  They have realized that attending worship and […]

“When we leave relationships out of missions, we are leaving out the best potential for true IMPACT.  IMPACTFUL missions are grounded in authentic relationships.  They are no longer about the anonymous giving of stuff.  When two or more are gathered, Christ is with you.  Relational missions provide opportunity for the Holy Spirit to do its […]

Have you ever met a church that hasn’t reported some sort of communication issue?  I know I have yet to conduct a church consultation that communication on some level has not been cited as a problem.  While people are more digitally connected than ever before (most people have a phone in their hand or pocket […]

What is the typical first-time guest experience at your church?  In person?  Online?  Does the experience meet their expectations or does it exceed their expectations?  In my experience what most churches offer as hospitality only meets standard common hospitality expectations.  In other words, this is what most average people would “expect” to find in a […]

 “Men and women are not ordained to this ministerial priesthood in order to take priesthood away from the people  but in order to nourish and sustain the priesthood of the people.”  Lesslie Newbigin Clergy centric led churches limit ministry potential when we become dependent on one person. When every detail of every ministry must flow through one person, […]

“A Christian social entrepreneurship is a socially conscious business that is focused on solving social problems, such as access to food, money, and education. The stated goal of these companies (or organizations) is to make the world better (although, for most, the ultimate purpose is still to make money). Such companies develop products and services […]

According to 501ctrust.org, over the past decade there has been a 20 percent increase in the number of non-profits. The number of staff in non-profits has grown by more than 50 percent.  Over the same period, there has been only a 2-3 percent increase in the number of for-profit companies.  Nonprofitrisk.org reports non-profits are also […]

Innovating for Love: Christian Social Innovation by Kenda Creasy-Dean is part of The Greatest Expedition series that I was so fortunate to be able to collaborate with amongst nineteen thought leaders from around the country.  Each author and each resource offer precious golden nuggets of wisdom and next bold steps for this post-modern and post-pandemic […]

They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us asHe talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?”Luke 24:32 NLT “After the crucifixion and, at that point, rumored resurrection of Jesus, some of the disciples were contemplating the events around Jerusalem as they walked home. A man joined them […]

The pandemic has caused a mental health crisis. The number of people looking for help with anxiety and depression has skyrocketed. This is marked with a 93% increase in anxiety screenings and a 62% increase in depression screenings (2020 over 2019) according to Mental Health in America. The number of people screened with moderate to severe symptoms […]

How healthy are our American pastors?  According to a recent Barna study, the statistics are quite alarming.  Only one in three American pastors scored excellent or good in all six physical and emotional health categories.  Forty-one percent had an excellent or good score in at least three of the six categories.  One quarter of pastors […]

How many laity in your congregation are equipped and deployed in ministry (not meetings)?  Continuing in the series of Barna’s, The State of Your Church, the third needed church shift identified is, “A renewed Church required contributors and participants in gospel mission not just consumers of gospel content.”  In an earlier blog, we looked at […]

“A renewed church requires Christian leaders who are characterized by honest and objective evaluations of the impact they are making.”  states David Kinnamon, President of Barna, in The State of Your Church.  What kind of evaluation process does your church have in place for every ministry, every leader, and the church’s vision?  How do you […]

Every year the Committee on Nominations and Leadership Development gathers.  They find the latest copy of the church’s pictorial (now at least 4-5 years old) and begin searching for their next victim – I mean nominee.  Who isn’t currently serving that they could finagle to say yes?  Who should call to ask them to serve […]

In Barna’s State of Your Church report, one of the key shifts identified that churches will need to make toward renewal is, “A renewed Church needs leaders who are in tune with the flourishing of the people they are serving and discipling.”  Barna has identified the areas of personal flourishing as faith, relationships, vocation, financial […]

Next week we are thrilled to be celebrating the ReLaunch of The Greatest Expedition!  The Greatest Expedition is a congregational journey for churches led by a church Expedition Team of 8-12 brave pioneering leaders. The purpose of The Greatest Expedition is to provide an experience for Expedition Teams to explore their local context using new […]

There is a growing curiosity from church leaders about Simplified, Accountable Structure.  The need for swift decisions during COVID drove more leaders to consider the model along with fewer people available to fill leadership slots.  But all too often, churches jump into this model of structure too quickly and without being fully informed.  They usually […]

There is a growing recognition of the compelling need to move disciples beyond the walls of the church.  Furthermore, there is an affirmation of the high potential of the marketplace to be the place where the opportunity for people to establish a relationship with Jesus through the example and influence found in the relationships they […]

Do you ever feel like you are living out the movie Ground Hog’s Day?  The same thing keeps playing out over and over again.  Life does not seem to be moving on.  It seems like this is the case in the United Methodist denomination.  Except in our case the rest of the world has moved […]

When is the last time your leaders conducted a thorough asset mapping of your congregation?  For those who might be unfamiliar with the term, asset mapping provides extensive organizational information about your strengths, assets, and resources.  We often limit our inventory of assets to strictly cash, investments, receivables, and real estate.  With this limited inventory […]

Most church people would be comfortable believing and sharing that the church is about introducing people to a relationship with Christ and growing deeper in that relationship over time.  In the church world, we refer to this in a variety of ways such making discipling, becoming disciples of Jesus Christ, or having a pathway for […]

It was almost a year ago that God and I started wrestling.  I had just finished up a difficult year of transition topped with multiple writing projects.  I needed some rest and a I needed a break from writing.  But God had another plan.  No matter how many reasons I offered for why God’s plan […]

Lately there seems to be frequent conversations and perhaps even disagreements about the essentials elements that a faith/church community needs to entail in order to be considered a “church” or a worship experience.  In particular, this is a hot topic when it comes to the offering of online worship and faith communities.  In a recent […]

In a recent poll taken by the Barna Group, there were some interesting insights gained about the perceptions people in the community have about the local church.  Here is a chart providing a recap of the data collection in the survey. First, I find it quite interesting that among both Christians and non-Christians, there is […]

Yep, it is that time again.  It is a new year, so many are setting their new year’s resolutions.  The gyms will be packed this week, but in two weeks, the crowds will likely be back to pre-January numbers.  Many are not really resolved to make any changes after all. How about your church? Does […]

Have you ever considered why your church does the ministries they do?  What is the real “why” behind them?  If the answer is because we have always done it or them, it might be time to take a deeper look! While the pandemic has given us much to be concerned about, it has also provided […]

In this time of deep change and cultural shifts, there is much conversation about how one leads change.  For local church leaders, there is often the desire to lead by consensus.  I am convinced that there must have been a seminary class on leading by building consensus as this seems to be a common understanding […]

Is it not true that the One who climbed up also climbed down, down to the valley of earth? And the One who climbed down is the One who climbed back up, up to highest heaven. He handed out gifts above and below, filled heaven with his gifts, filled earth with his gifts. He handed […]

As we enter into Advent, I doubt you want to hear about the need to plan for January now!  Afterall, there is so much to do over these next weeks – Cantata practices, children’s Christmas program rehearsals, the annual women’s cookie exchange, gift collection for at-risk families in the community, and final touches on Christmas […]

While working with a wonderful church team recently, I asked the team what they might offer as a handoff (next small step after an initial introduction to the church through an outreach event) that wasn’t “come to worship.”  With the best of intentions and purest of heart, one woman lovingly replied, “But they just don’t […]

Advent is a special time for the church – as it should be!  The church calendar is full of activities such as practices and events like the hanging of the greens, the Children’s Nativity Play, the Christmas Cantata, the cookie exchange, Christmas caroling, Sunday school class parties, staff luncheons, special fundraisers, collection of gifts for […]

Every church has a desire to reach new people.  Every church wants to be friendly.  Most churches believe they are friendly.  Many churches are friendly, but a great deal of those are friendly with their own people.  Or those friendly churches provide a nice initial greeting, but there is nothing beyond the initial friendly reception. […]

My son was recently married and I was reflecting on how weddings and churches are similar.  Granted there are many differences, too.  But I was struck by how just many similarities there were. To start, both churches and weddings bring together families of different origins.  In doing so, there are different customs, traditions, beliefs, and […]

“Accountability breeds response-ability.” Stephen Covey Covey expands on this concept by explaining, “Look at the word responsibility—“response-ability”—the ability to choose your response. Highly proactive people recognize that responsibility. They do not blame circumstances, conditions, or conditioning for their behavior.”  In his book, Winning on Purpose, Jon Edmund Kaiser defines accountability as the marrying of responsibility […]

Just because something is simple does not automatically mean it is also easy.  Take marriage for example.  Going down to the courthouse to get a marriage license and having the justice of the peace marry you is simple.  But marriage is not easy!  Buying a piece of Ikea furniture is simple.  Assembling said piece of […]

With all the other shifts we’ve made this past 18 months, it is time for yet another.  We need to consider a shift in how we elect leadership for our boards or councils in our churches.  We have historically and traditionally been trained to recruit leaders who had experience and expertise in finances or banking, […]

Fall is the typical time for retreats.  Sometimes those retreats are spiritual retreats and others are strategic ministry planning retreats.  In the past few weeks, I’ve been in four states leading various retreats across the country.  Retreats are one of my most favorite types of experiences to lead.  While I do enjoy speaking, webinars, and […]

The majority of churches I have consulted and coached with over the past decade do not have an accountable leadership style.  Instead, their leadership style is likely either bureaucratic (committee or consensus-driven) or autocratic (pastor/personality-driven).  In a bureaucratic leadership model, the pastor is given responsibility, but not authority resulting in a safe but not a […]

Sometimes I think we make things too complicated.  That includes the church.  That includes both “doing” church and “being” the church.  Sometimes we are so overwhelmed in doing church that we just give up.  We are too tired, on ministry overload, been there and done that, and tired of seeing no results.  We just want […]

“Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. In the same way, anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that […]

What is the role of the Church Council?  Is it to manage the church or to govern the church?  Historically and in practice, most Church Councils manage. Often how the Church Council functions in the local church has been handed down from generation to generation.  Not all Church Councils function the same nor are they […]

“One of the key differences between innovation and adaptation is that innovation is voluntary. Adaptation is not.”  Carey Nieuwhof  https://tinyurl.com/ypjwrduk During these past 18 months, we have all been forced to pivot.  Sometimes we have pivoted so much that we have perhaps become dizzy and weary.  I get it!  It has been overwhelming.  The learning […]

Is your fall strategic ministry planning retreat on your calendar?  I have been working with several church recently on visioning and strategic ministry planning.  I find that people have a love-hate relationship with both of these.  People either love them or hate them.  There seems to be little in between.  I happen to be one […]

Every church would like more first-time guests!  How easy is your church making it for first-time guests to find your church online, details about your online worship experience, and join you for worship?  One of our mystery worshipers had an interesting experience this weekend.  There is a two-fold learning experience about her experience to share […]

Over the past few years, I have noticed a growing sense of what I refer to as congregational apathy.  The symptoms are be identified as a desire and openness for great things to happen, but no energy, personal commitment, or tolerance for any needed changes, or sense of urgency for the great things to come […]

In this past year if we have learned nothing else, we have learned that things can change and they can change on a dime.  In order to keep up with change and make both timely and strategic decisions, we must have streamlined structure that is accountable to the mission and vision and in alignment with […]

If we have learned nothing else in the past year and a half, we have learned the need to be flexible!  We have learned to change directions at a moment’s notice.  We have adapted to new working and learning environments.  We shifted to home delivery and curbside pickup for meals, groceries, and other household necessities.  […]

As I have repeatedly written about in this past year, the opportunities available to the church at this pivotal time in history are endless.  All of these opportunities are grounded in one key foundational understanding.  And, that understanding is in purpose.  That is, the understanding in why the church exists.  The church is one of […]

Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to […]

Most church leaders are familiar with the life cycle of a church.  When a church is on the growing side of the life cycle, vision followed by external relationships are driving the church.  When the church begins to plateau and fall into decline, vision is the first to wane, relationships become internally focused, and structure […]

“The moment you hand power over to other people, you get an explosion of curiosity, innovation, and effort.” Joshua Cooper Ramo Too often I hear Pastors and paid staff express concerns about not enough volunteers to serve.  Likewise, I cringe when I hear Board/Councils’ first response to a desire to grow a ministry is to […]

Do you ever find yourself in the wondering mindset of “what if?”  What if usually provides opportunities for what is possible.  Granted for some people “what if” takes them to a place of all the possibilities of negative things that could happen.  But for many of us, it places us into a position of thinking […]

In this past year we have all likely been feeling a bit (or a whole lot) off balance, out of step, or wondering what lies ahead for us in the future.  At times it has felt disorienting, confusing, and perhaps even overwhelming.  I have heard the word weary used more often in the past year […]

While some are ending their school year or even graduating, in the church world many are entering into a time of transition.  This is a time when there is soon to be a change of pastoral leadership.  This could be a senior pastor or an associate pastorate.  This is a time of transition for both […]

Just when I think it couldn’t get any crazier out there, it somehow does.  Nearly each day something happens that utterly surprises me.  In fact, I have even done some really crazy things myself lately.  I am not going to rat myself out.  Let’s just say I seem to be more forgetful lately – a […]

In earlier posts I have suggested that people are searching for community and purpose.  People are lonely and many are depressed.  People are looking for a sense of purpose and impact.  Where the church has come to understand this is when a church is vital. When a church becomes part of the community and has […]

In my most recent publication, Being the Church in the Post Pandemic World, I coined three different typed of “gathered” people as they relate to the life of the church.  They are three distinct groups of people with some similar characteristics and needs, but also some distinct differences.  These types are the already gathered, newly […]

As we have all discovered, a new future is before us.  Our post-pandemic world has created a new reality for us.  Much of that reality is yet to be revealed.  Are we ready to discover, explore, learn, and take the next faithful step into this new reality? As a church, do you ever feel like […]

In last week’s blog, we talked about the power of the question.  Now that we have come to appreciate the power of a good question, let’s look at some specific questions your leadership team might consider processing as we begin to enter into this post-pandemic world.  What might occur if your board/council would forego its […]

As leaders we sometimes think we need to have all the answers.  Maybe we feel as though others expect us as leaders to bring all the solutions.  Isn’t that what leaders do?  Post-modern leaders are being challenged with a different way of leading. “Good leaders ask great questions that inspire others to dream more, think […]

In this time of liminality, the path ahead is difficult to navigate.  The path is either completely foreign to us or is yet to have light shed upon it.  Because of this, it is quite natural and seemingly safer to wait to take another step until more is revealed and known.  At least that’s how […]

We are beginning to see the light at the end of this long, dark pandemic tunnel.  Vaccinations are rolling out.  Positive test result statistics are on a downward trend.  Some people are beginning to emerge from their quarantined homes.  We are seeing signs of hope and possibilities for gathering in-person again with those we love. […]

As the COVID vaccination is made available to more and more of the population, a greater number of churches are offering expanded in-person worship opportunities.  This means some churches are offering in-person worship for the first time in a year.  Other churches are increasing the number of in-person worship times and/or seats at worship.  Others […]

In this post we will explore the final five relational shifts a vital post-pandemic church will need to make as outlined in my upcoming book, Being the Church in the Post-Pandemic World, due out in late March.   Shift from self-guided to intentional, relational connections  Shift from building-driven to relationally driven for both in person and […]

Last week the first five relational shifts the post-pandemic church will need to make were introduced.  This week we continue those relational shifts with the next five from the forthcoming book, Being the Church in the Post-Pandemic World.  Shift from judgemental to open ears and open hearts  Shift from monocultural to multicultural and multigenerational Shift […]

In my upcoming book (due out in late March), Being the Church in the Post-Pandemic World, I identified eight different game-changers for churches who want to be vital in the post-pandemic world.  One of those game-changers is how we shift relationally as the church.  This is part one of a three-part series on 15 relational […]

In a quick poll recently, I asked what people thought was the top trait leaders needed to exhibit and practice in 2021.  Overwhelmingly, the top answer was flexibility.  Why is it that flexibility has become the top leadership trait needed?  Maybe it might just be because we had to use our flexibility muscles more than […]

I often wonder about the twelve disciples and their journey.  I try to imagine how they might have felt when Jesus asked them to leave everything behind (family, possessions, comfort, the known, etc.) to follow Him.  What a scary time that must have been and yet how faithful those disciples were to follow him having […]

As a big Kansas City Chiefs fan, I am thrilled to see them head back to the Super Bowl again this year.  Even amidst a pandemic, the buzz in the city is palpable and exciting!  In the past few years, we have had a good run with both the Royals and the Chiefs. As I […]

In a September 23, 2020 report, Barna released some startling information.  Spiritual, emotional, and relational well-being were noted to be of concern about congregations as reported by pastors. In the same report, forty percent of US adults say depression or anxiety impacts their most important relationships (survey form 2019).  Less than 7 in 10 US […]

When I launched my coaching practice twelve plus year ago, I was involved in some pretty intense certification processes and learning opportunities.  It was suggested over and over again to choose a particular coaching niche to focus my attention.  Being one who doesn’t want to limit opportunity, I do have to admit that at first, […]

We are all human beings.  Imperfect people doing our best day in and day out to follow a perfect Savior.  On an average day, we struggle a bit to do so, but this past year it has been increasingly difficult – at least for me it has.  When everything seems to be uncertain, we might […]

Endowments: Blessing or Enabling? It is no doubt that people love their church and faithfully leave behind gifts for the church with the best of intentions.  Churches, of course, receive those gifts with gratitude and the best of intentions.  Endowments by and large are a good thing for the church. But, in my experience, endowments […]

Breathe with Gratitude As we head into this week of Thanksgiving, I wonder if we can all just take a deep breath.  This past year has been unprecedented and highly stressful to say the least.  So much of what we were looking forward to and was planned has been cancelled, postponed, or greatly modified.  It […]

Would you consider your church to be a praying church?  Now, I don’t mean a church with a prayer team that prays for the joys and concerns of those in the already a part of the congregation.  I also don’t mean a prayer chain or prayer calling tree.  I am also not talking about a […]

The Advent season will begin very soon.  This is the season where churches typically receive more guests than any other time of year.  Is your church ready to receive guests?  How will the guest experience be different this year because of COVID-19?  Is your congregation making special preparations and anxiously anticipating receiving new guests? To […]

This past weekend we re-entered the season of daylight savings.  In 1966 the Uniform Time Act was passed and created what we now refer to as Daylight Savings Time.  While some say the reason for the Act was to give farmers more daylight hours for their work, the real story is something else.  The idea […]

Travel Advisories for the New Road While we had all hoped the pandemic would be a minor and temporary bump in the road, we all realize now that we are months into it that this is way more than a bump in the road.  The road we were on has ended.  We can either turn […]

Wikipedia defines a gear as:  A gear or cog is a rotating machine part having cut teeth or in the case of a cogwheel, inserted teeth (called cogs), which mesh with another toothed part to transmit torque. Geared devices can change the speed, torque, and direction of a power source.  Torque is defined as:  moment […]

Our world has changed.  Our communities have changed.  Our context has changed.  It seems like everything has changed!  How is your church responding and adjusting to these changes?  While the days of adapting for survival were tremendous these past several months, the days of innovating for fruitfulness are ahead of us.  How we navigate the […]

Many churches moved to online worship out of necessity when buildings closed due to the pandemic.  Other churches were already online, but had to shift other ministries to online offerings.  Online worship and ministry will never be the same as it was in February 2020 – nor should it be.  The world has dramatically shifted […]

While there is much to mourn in this time of pandemic, it is also a season of opportunity.  But, this season will not last forever.  How will you take advantage of the opportunity before us? We often find ourselves as both individuals and as a church in big, deep ruts.  We do the same thing […]

Recently I heard Mark Batterson, author of The Circle Maker, cite some interesting information.  He shared that the brain processes 100 bits of spoken information a second while the brain can process pictures at 1 billion bits per second.  Isn’t that amazing?  Now, how does this apply to the church?  In Medieval times, the pictures […]

Often times the very process we put into place to help, becomes instead a process that debilitates the organization it was designed to help!  With the best of intentions, it simply complicates the process or misses the mark of its purpose.  In many churches, this is what has happened with our Evangelism Committees (aka sometimes […]

What kind of experience does your first-time guest have at your church?  Does he or she leave being a promoter or a detractor?  Would he or she recommend your church to someone else looking for a church home?  Would she or he return to your church?  Do you know the answers to these questions? Two-thirds […]

Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! Hebrews 13:2 NLT  All churches are friendly! Just ask any church and they will likely tell you they are indeed the friendliest church in town. It is rare when I am working with a church that […]

Is your church offering online worship or online ministry? There is a huge distinction in definition let alone the resulting fruitfulness for me in the two. Offering online worship is providing a 30-minute to one-hour worship experience. Offering online ministry is providing a comprehensive offering of the full expression of the church.  Let’s unpack what […]

We often throw around the term “effective leadership.”  But what does it really mean?  Effective leaders lead their people and organization in a desired outcome.  They produce a successful outcome or intended result according to dictionary.com.  Common synonyms for effective are successful, fruitful, valuable, essential, and productive. A few years ago, I co-authored a book […]

The most common response to asking how people are doing these days is being tired, worn out, weary, etc.  We have gone through some unprecedented times.  We have had to pivot until we are dizzy.  I would like to suggest that the end of these times is near, but we would all be kidding ourselves […]

Guest Impressions of Online Worship In the past three months, most churches either expanded their online worship opportunities or some went online for the first time.  For some churches, this was a pivot.  For other churches, this was a huge shift.  But regardless of how you got to this place, you are now providing an […]

Offering Thorough Onsite Hospitality Inside and Outside Sometimes we think about hospitality and we limit ourselves sometimes to what it actually entails.  We often limit hospitality to greeters at the worship door and offering some coffee.  Indeed, these are great steps and we want to offer these acts of hospitality.  But this is simply the […]

Using Onsite Relationship Opportunities to Think About Online Relationship Opportunities Every church is excited to see a new face!  But, sometimes we don’t necessarily share our excitement or have the belief that someone else will welcome the new face.  Other times, the new face would like to slide in and out of the back pew/chair […]

Guest-Focused Online Presence What is the focus of your online presence?  Who is your primary audience?  Who are you trying to communicate with?  What are all the platforms where your church has an online presence?  Who is responsible for managing your online presence? Lots of questions, right?  Lots of things to consider!  It might even […]

What’s Your Relationship Lens? I say it often, because I think we have to be reminded of it often.  As the church, we are in the relationship “business.”  We build authentic, trusting relationships with people and through those relationships we gain the opportunity to share Jesus with them.  Then we might also gain the privilege […]

Virtual Connection To say we are living in interesting times would be the understatement of the decade!  Churches were thrust into a world of virtual worship seemingly overnight.  For some churches, this was a brand new reality.  For other churches, this was only ramping up what they were already doing.  But regardless, having no onsite […]