The Christian church just wrapped up one of the busiest weekends of our year. Community outreaches and egg hunts and extra services and cantatas and new volunteers and sunrise services and special sermons and stage sets and spare folding chairs all combined into a …
If there’s one thing that multi-site churches hold in common, it’s that we sign up for heartbreak. Think about it: we are intentionally creating space for some of our best leaders to leave. We are encouraging friends to spin out of our Sunday morning …
When the church gathers, it’s assumed that the majority of those gathered will be…well…the church: redeemed saints who worship Jesus, encourage one another, and look to the cross. But even if saints are the majority, there’s another assumption we can easily make: in your …
Confession time: I didn’t actually read all of my assigned seminary textbooks. (Gasp.) It’s sad, but it’s true of this lazy academian. Academan. Student. One of those books that was assigned-but-went-unread was The Cross of Christ by the late John R.W. Stott. Part of …
At the time this post goes live, we’re a dozen days away from observing the cornerstone of the Christian faith. The church calendar hinges on the death and resurrection of Jesus. Christmas celebrates the beautiful news that God intends to live with his people; …
Each month, we revisit a series of posts called Guest Services Road Trip. We’ll travel the country from the comforts of our couches, interviewing leaders who are in the trenches of ministry. Do you have an idea for GSRT destination? Have a leader I need to talk to? …
My friend Jeff told me about his recent visit to the dentist. The checkup went well (no cavities!). The appointment went as expected (the hygienist was prepared and the dentist was on time). The cleaning went smoothly (he left with a minty fresh feeling). …
Before you read the following post, take note that the original publication date was April 1. April. First. April Fools Day. Thank you. And carry on. Last year I released my first book, People Are the Mission: How Churches Can Welcome Guests Without Compromising the Gospel. As any newbie author will tell you, putting your …
You’re familiar with confirmation bias: it’s the tragic phenomenon that occurs “when people would like a certain idea/concept to be true, they end up believing it to be true.” And all of us engage in it. If we’re not fans of a particular fast …
Change is inevitable. Eventually, your systems and strategies and specific areas of focus are going to get adjusted…maybe overhauled…perhaps stripped down to the foundation and rebuilt from the ground up. And when that happens, our volunteer teams are often the ones who feel the …