Better Singing Through Technology

With the worship wars rightly behind us, most recognize that there is a place for praise music in almost any church.  Yet the barriers to having quality praise songs for congregational singing can be rather high. You can try to…read more

We Are All Church Planters Now

Not too long ago church planting and existing church vitality work were treated as mostly separate things.  Church planting focused on branding and community outreach, including the dreaded door knocking.  While existing church vitality was dominated by core processes, the…read more

Is it Time to Sell the Handbells?

I recently was speaking to a church that wanted to talk about sustainability over the next 3-5 years.  They had already recognized the need for the congregation to reinvent itself for 21st Century ministry and they were taking steps to…read more

Keep Taking Attendance

The first time I gave a real sermon to a real congregation, I was filling in for a student pastor friend at a church north of our seminary. I prepared diligently and gave the 12 people gathered that morning what…read more

It takes diet & exercise to change a church. Sorry.

I’m sure I’m not the only one this has happened to:  You see a friend you haven’t seen in a while, and they have lost a good deal of weight.  So, when you have a quiet moment, you ask how…read more

Money ≠ Paper. 21st Century Giving

This fall the most valuable company in the world laid out a vision for the future of how we relate to money. No small thing. And while Apple Pay might be in its infancy, it serves as yet more proof…read more

How to kill “new” things in church. A Step-by-Step guide.

[Place tongue firmly in cheek and read on]   We’ve all been there.  You’re enjoying your safe, predicable, familiar worship service when the pastor starts in about how things need to change in order to reach new people.  Or, worse…read more

You’re not crazy, it was easier before…

My high school government teacher had a bumper sticker hanging on her wall that read, “The floggings will continue until morale improves.” For many in the church, I have no doubt that’s what it feels like whenever we talk about…read more

Four questions you should be asking about your worship

Attractional is dead!  The rallying cry of nearly all church vitality books, articles, and seminars today.  Gone is the day can you grow your church by simply offering the best religious goods and services in your community because, today, so…read more