New research reveals the latest path to better health and wellbeing. Go to church. But the true link to the health benefits may not be what you expect. Gallup found that people who regularly go to church make better health choices, experience fewer daily negative emotions, and are less likely to be diagnosed with depression. [...]
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No Time for God
May 2, 2012
8 Comments
Last week, at our annual leadership retreat, I asked our leaders to stop talking. I invited them to find a comfortable spot, and just be quiet. And wait. Wait for God to communicate with them. After an extended time we reconvened, and shared what happened during that silent time. For some, it was a relaxing [...]
Read more The Trouble With Youth Ministry
April 25, 2012
10 Comments
Youth ministry in the American church is often diagnosed as an increasingly ill patient. Some are even suggesting the patient is terminally ill. Researchers and influential spokespeople report that a large majority of young people drop out of church after high school and rarely return. And they point out that the faith of Christian teenagers [...]
Read more Staying Fresh–and Refreshed–in Ministry
April 11, 2012
5 Comments
While some people stay energized through a lifetime of demanding ministry, others seem to get seriously stuck. What makes the difference? Let me introduce you to some people (names changed) who project a certain confidence in being, well, stuck. Rev. Bennett stopped reading ministry magazines and journals twenty years ago. “Why would I read that [...]
Read more Where the Church Is Booming
April 4, 2012
9 Comments
I just returned from a land where the church is booming. I found the conditions there fascinating. The Christian population may double in the next few years. The church is growing so fast no one really has an accurate current count. How is it thriving–with characteristics that most may find counter-intuitive? Almost all the churches [...]
Read more Weird Ways to Choose a Pastor
March 28, 2012
4 Comments
How churches select pastoral staff is sometimes just weird—and counterproductive. Some years ago I agreed to serve on a search committee for a new pastor. We began by establishing a set of traits and abilities our congregation needed in a pastor. It was a well-considered list. But before we could find and interview even one [...]
Read more Ministry Newsletters: The Good, Bad and Ugly
March 21, 2012
2 Comments
What does your newsletter really communicate about your ministry? What impression does it leave? I recently invited churches around the country to send me samples of their newsletters. They responded with an assortment of newsletters–printed, emailed, and web-based–from all kinds of churches. I found some good examples, some bad examples, and some ugly examples. Here’s [...]
Read more Dubious Things Churches Spend Money On
March 14, 2012
14 Comments
“Oh, we couldn’t afford that.” “We’re not a rich church.” “That doesn’t fit our budget.” It’s true that many churches have struggles meeting their ministries’ financial demands. But oftentimes truly productive, transformative ministry opportunities arise—only to be dashed by the money excuse. What’s worse, some of the dollars that are currently being spent have little [...]
Read more Why Church Doesn’t Fit Most People
March 7, 2012
45 Comments
Most people don’t go to church anymore. And the minority who do regularly attend and appreciate weekly services fit a certain profile. They’re the church-inclined. This shrinking minority differs from the majority in several ways: Audience-Oriented. They appreciate a good presentation from the stage. They prefer to passively listen while the paid professionals on the [...]
Read more Those Who Find Fault with Your Innocence
February 29, 2012
18 Comments
“Christians are a bunch of judgmental witch hunters. They find a way to vilify anything that anybody enjoys.” Increasingly, that’s the reputation attached to Christian folk. And, sadly, some church leaders and teachers go out of their way to promote their holier-than-thou judgmentalism. As a publisher of Christian resources, I frequently hear from squinty-eyed conspiracy [...]
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Why Church Doesn’t Fit Most People
- Anti-Missional Language
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What to Say to Your Local Heathens
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6 Keys to Power Up Your Message With Video
