In my previous post, I suggested that church leaders need to clarify the idea of a “seeker.” Then, I proposed three questions to help define the issue. What is God doing in the world (i.e. the mission of God)? What is the church’s role in God’s mission? How should the church perform its role? This post tackles the first question. What is God … Read More
Your Church’s Recruiting Strategy
Recruiting in college athletics is a 24/7, 365-day-a-year task that involves seeking out talent, assessing skills, and evaluating character. Athletic programs live or die by it. The church has been given a task similar to recruiting. We are called to evangelize, sharing the gospel with the lost in hopes they will come to Christ. Evangelism is not optional for the … Read More
Where is Your Church’s Allegiance?
In his book, Mere Discipleship, author Lee Camp recounts the Rwandan civil war from the mid 1990’s. At the time, Camp was located in Kenya as a missionary. In the book, he explains how Rwanda had been considered a textbook case of successful Christian Missions. Churches were being planted and were multiplying rapidly. Then came the civil war between the Hutu … Read More
Eight Ways to Improve Your Church “Care Plan”
Loss is hard. Although everyone handles grief differently, I’m convinced that nobody handles it easily. One of the ways that Christ comforts His children is through His body –the church. Romans 12:15 reminds us to “weep with those who weep.” After all, that’s what Jesus did. When His friend Lazarus died, He wept with Mary and Martha over their loss (John 11:35). … Read More
Five Items For a New Pastor’s To-Do List
Have you ever noticed how ideas seem to flow when you don’t need them? Throughout the year, you might have a dozen great ideas for a weekend getaway; but when a weekend is finally available for a trip, you can’t think of anything to do. Or maybe you’ve had a million “when I get around to it” moments only to … Read More
Cite Your Sources!
My sophomore year in high school was a game changer. Up to that point, I had never been required to write a formal research paper. I had written plenty of essays, book reports, and other assignments, but never a real-deal research paper. I loved the idea of researching a topic, organizing my thoughts, and then presenting my findings. Everything about … Read More
4 Vital Keys to Reading Christian Blogs
I love listening to sports talk radio. Hearing an expert break down a crucial play is captivating and discovering the latest news about my favorite team is exciting. But sports radio’s biggest attraction, in my opinion, is the caller-driven format. Fans love to hear the opinions of other fans –especially from the more passionate callers. The accepted terms for these … Read More
The Waffle House Spin
I love Waffle House. This morning, I sat at the counter and enjoyed scrambled eggs and coffee. As I was eating and listening to interesting conversations around me, I glanced up and noticed a sign that said, “T-Bone Steaks: World’s Leading Server.” No doubt, someone in Waffle House’s marketing department stumbled upon this little-known fact and decided to broadcast it to the … Read More
It’s Time To Change The Conversation
You can learn a lot about a person by their conversation. Listen long enough and you will discover what they value most. The same could be said about churches. In the recent past, such issues as music style, facility design and sermon length have dominated discussions and debate. While all of those topics have their place, if we treat them … Read More
The Relevance of Wilberforce Today
As a member of British Parliament, William Wilberforce fought to abolish the slave trade and slavery altogether. One of his frustrations was found in the fact that self-identified Christians were willing to continue and support the slave trade. In his efforts to understand why, he arrived at the conclusion that British churches had bypassed the strong biblical teaching and replaced … Read More