You’ve probably met an introvert before. Maybe you are one. I’m not trying to pick on you if you are. Some people are wired that way. What is an introvert?Here’s a dictionary definition for you, “a shy reticent, and typically self-centered person; a person predominantly concerned with their own thoughts and feelings rather than with external things.” Just as there are introverted people, there can be introverted churches. I call them introchurches. And there’s a problem with introchurches.

Continue reading “Do You Have an Introchurch?” »

attractional · church leadership · church life · church ministry best practice · church mission · church outreach · introchurch · missional · missions

At Thanksgiving, everyone is thinking about giving thanks. That is good and appropriate. We might bemoan the lack of gratitude in our nation and culture, but at Thanksgiving, most people have at least some inkling of thanks. But are we to simply “be thankful” or is there something more to it?

Continue reading “Greater Godward Gratitude” »

be thankful · christian thanksgiving · gratitude · thanksgiving · thanksgiving holiday

When you wake up each day, what’s the first thing to enter your mind? “Coffee! Now!” Or, “AGH. I’m late again!” Or, “Not another day of school, my boss, my daily grind, etc.” Whatever your situation, there is truth that can provide stability to a life of change, strength to a life of weakness, and peace to a life of chaos. Here are five simple truths you should think about today.

Continue reading “Five Simple Truths You Should Think about Today” »

church ministry · daily living · theology · theology for daily life · truth about god

Let’s go ahead and say it. There are a lot of problems with the church. A recent rash of books have pointed out the sad fact:  people are leaving the church in droves. And it’s not just disaffected teens. It’s everyone. The church seems to have more than its fair share of problems, foibles, shortcomings, and embarrassments. In spite of it all, we need to love the church.

Continue reading “Why You Should Love Your Church” »

church leadership · church life · love · love the church

Innovation is important, but it’s also hard. We live in a time of change. In order to remain effective, strategic, and relevant, we must innovate. So how does one do that?

Continue reading “How to Innovate” »

church leadership · church strategy · how to innovate · innovation

It’s here! This season’s Christmas collection has just hit the digital shelves. As you’re making plans and preparations for your church Christmas program, Advent celebration, or Christmas sermon series, don’t miss these dazzling new designs.

Continue reading “Christmas Graphics, Christmas Videos, Christmas Everything – Plus a Price Cut!” »

christmas media · church christmas designs · church media · video in church · worship media

In six or seven months, church members will start boarding planes and heading overseas en masse. No, it’s not a modern-day exodus to the Promised Land. They are called mission trips. Due to their romantic appeal and feelings of sacrifice and service, they are held in high esteem. Unfortunately, often these mission trips have grave flaws, degenerating into events characterized by sanctified sight-seeing and culturally-insensitive gaffes. To make the most of your mission trip, here is a broad outline that will help you rethink and plan for this summer.

Continue reading “How to Make the Most of Your Mission Trip” »

church mission · church mission team · mission survey trip · mission trips · summer mission team · vision trip

A little while back, one of our users emailed us and asked:  “Do you have any articles on the advantages and disadvantages of churches with both a contemporary and traditional service?” In other words, the user was asking us if we had ever opened an extremely large can of worms. Well, we’ve opened plenty of cans of worms in the past, but we haven’t broached the worship war subject…until now.

Continue reading “Should You Have Different Worship Styles?” »

contemporary vs traditional · multiple services · multiple worship styles · worship styles · worship wars

A little heads up:  this article may be unsettling. Here’s the whole purpose of the article, stated right up front. It is important to realize that not everything we toss in the Christianity bag is really and necessarily Christian. When we come to an understanding of the essential components of true faith, it frees us up to love and minister to people who are different from us, learn and benefit from settings that are different from ours, and knock the barnacles from our own ministry and life that may not need to be there. These are non-essentials. Good, perhaps, but nonessential.

Continue reading “Six Features of Christianity Which Aren’t Absolutely Necessary” »

early church · essential christianity · marks of a christian · true christianity

Traveling changes you. (And not merely travelling two states over and spending the night at Holiday Inn.) Encountering a new culture, lifestyle, worldview, and people groups is an experience that deepen’s one’s understanding of life, humanity, and the church. Here is your challenge to do that—to take a trip somewhere.
Continue reading “Ten Reasons Why You Should Take a Cross-Cultural Journey” »

christian mission trip · church mission trip · mission trips · overseas ministry · vision trips