The men surrounded Candace after the community meeting. They knew Candace was a Christian. They had some serious questions for her. This scene played out a couple of weeks ago. Actually, I see—and participate in—scenes like this every week. This is the texture of the new evangelism. This is the true heart of being “missional.” [...]
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Selling the Church to a Skeptical Public
February 8, 2012
9 Comments
“The church has an image problem,” somebody said in the board room at the national offices. “We need an ad campaign to change the public’s perception.” So, they committed millions of dollars for beautifully executed ads on national television and in print. Local congregations often get the polish-our-image bug too. They join back-to-church marketing campaigns [...]
Read more Dumb Questions Heard in Church
February 1, 2012
11 Comments
No wonder most people walk away from church with little to show for it. Recent Barna research revealed that most people (61 percent) cannot recall gaining any spiritual insights the last time they attended church. Part of the problem stems from uninspiring content—answering questions no one is asking. (I recently sat through a sermon about [...]
Read more 6 Keys to Power Up Your Message With Video
January 26, 2012
24 Comments
You can move—or distract—your audience with video. The motion picture can help you drive home a point, or drive aimlessly into oblivion. I’ve seen churches make good use of video, and not so good use. I’ve watched the searing story of a faith-filled church member who was dying from a terminal illness. And I’ve sat [...]
Read more What to Say to a Dying Man
January 11, 2012
8 Comments
What is your true role in the often mysterious journey that leads to someone entering into a relationship with Jesus? Is God counting on you to “win souls,” to “close the deal”? Or, is your job to carefully plant seeds? Or, should you just “let your light shine’? One thing is clear. Faith is a [...]
Read more 5 Wishes for Worship
January 4, 2012
14 Comments
As about half of the typical American church service involves music, I have a few modest wishes. But first, a couple of caveats. I’m not a professional musician. But neither is the majority of pew sitters. I’m in good company. And, I propose that worship music has a primary purpose: to collectively communicate with God [...]
Read more Does Your College or Seminary Work for You?
December 21, 2011
5 Comments
Christian colleges and universities are hurting. A recent piece on CNNMoney reports these institutions are slashing tuition in an attempt to stay afloat. The article cited declining church membership, especially among the young, as a nagging cause for the problems plaguing Christian schools. But I wonder if the picture is a bit more complex. I [...]
Read more Thawing the Frozen Chosen
December 14, 2011
4 Comments
How do you thaw the “frozen chosen”? How do you engage the disinterested members of your flock? In my last post I described these people as PIBOs—Present in Body Only. Though they may show up, their hearts and minds are elsewhere. I suggested we need to discover how to better reach them. Some readers wondered [...]
Read more The Most Reachable Unreached in Your Area
December 7, 2011
8 Comments
They quietly walk into church, say little, look a bit detached, and leave quickly when the service concludes. These church attendees are Present In Body Only (PIBO). They may be counted as members of a church’s flock, but their hearts, minds and souls are not engaged by what’s happening at church. They are among the [...]
Read more Odd Things Christians Say
November 30, 2011
10 Comments
Peculiar people. The apostle Peter used that term to address his people. After a couple thousand years, I guess we’re still peculiar. But I’m just not convinced that everything we do to differentiate ourselves from the rest of society really helps the cause. Some of our peculiarity comes from the jargon we love to use [...]
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Why Church Doesn’t Fit Most People
- Anti-Missional Language
- Sermon Fill-in-the-Blanks are ____________.
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What to Say to Your Local Heathens
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6 Keys to Power Up Your Message With Video
