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

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

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