We blinked and it was summer and now the crisp fall season is in full swing.  Before this season slips away, be sure your leadership makes time for the critical

The idea of cooperative parishes is nothing new.  In the past couple of decades, they have most commonly been used to solve an appointive dilemma. In other words, when a

Yep, that’s right . . . shift happens.  And most of the time we didn’t even see it coming – or going for that matter.  It just happened slowly over

“Shifts are happening in the religious landscape, and churches will either adapt or become irrelevant.” Rev. Owen RossDirector of Church DevelopmentNorth Texas Conference UMC (Excerpt from the Foreword offered by

How would you define your church’s community?  Yes, it includes the people already gathered as part of the congregation, but our primary focus must be those yet-to-be gathered.  In fact,

In this excerpt from our book, Inside Out: Everting Ministry Models for the Postmodern Culture, we share six healthy and effective approaches for “successful” (measured by both community and Kingdom

Have you ever considered how much the Sunday morning experience is costing your church?  That likely sounds like a funny question to ask.  The church has focused on Sunday morning

While we will never return to the norm of pre-pandemic times, we are beginning to find our way towards a new rhythm of life.  This is true for most of

So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing

In the previous post, we explored the APEST model and why each function was critical to the health of a church. The apostle, prophet, evangelist, shepherd, and teacher are all

In Ephesians 4, the Apostle Paul explains ministry functions are carried out by five unique types of giftedness: apostolic, prophetic, evangelistic, teaching, and shepherding.  Collectively, these five gifts are often

The Committee on Nominations and Leadership Development will soon begin their annual work determining who they will place before the charge conference for election into leadership for the upcoming year. 

The arrival of a new pastor is an amazing opportunity for the congregation to mobilize for IMPACT!  Receiving a new pastor creates a window – often a fleeting moment –

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. 

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

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

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,

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

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

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

“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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“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

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

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

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

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

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

“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

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

“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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“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

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

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

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

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

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

You have probably heard the old saying of give people what they want, but sell them what they need.  In my experience, I have found so much truth in this.

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. 

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. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 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? 

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

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

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

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

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. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Before you know it, the fall season will be upon us.  And, you know what that means, right?  It is the season for strategic ministry planning for 2021.  Have you

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

On Boarding is No Longer Optional  “Employee (pastor, district superintendent, key staff) orientation centers around and exists to help the individual employee (pastor, district superintendent, key staff), but it is

So the Church Can Change! How many times have we heard it?  The church will not change.  The church is stuck in the past?  If change does happen at all

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

Calendar Creeping Sometime in mid-March it happened.  Our jam-packed calendars were suddenly empty.  Trips were cancelled.  Events were cancelled.  Meetings were cancelled.  Parties were cancelled.  We all settled in to

Churches are beginning to make plans for moving back into their buildings – some sooner than others.  Some churches are more anxious than others to do so.  Many precautions are

FOMO – it is a real thing!  We all have some level of the “fear of missing out.”  Yet few of us have thought about missing out on anything to