-
Finding a future in ministry
It’s spring. The heady notes of "Pomp and Circumstance" float in the air at graduation ceremonies blooming nationwide. You may have heard more than one speaker pontificate on finding an answer …- Rebecca Barnes -
Who are the mothers your church may reach this Mother's Day?
"Motherhood brings as much joy as ever, but it still brings boredom, exhaustion, and sorrow too. Nothing else ever will make you as happy or as sad, as proud or as tired, for nothing is quite as hard …- Rebecca Barnes -
How to bring Bill Gates to church
A recent question from Todd Rhoades over at Monday Morning Insight queried church leaders about how they would squeeze Microsoft-camel-riding Bill Gates, through the eye of the needle of Sunday …- Rebecca Barnes -
Can you disciple without the Bible?
I only scored a 62 percent on the religious literacy quiz that Stephen Prothero, chairman of the religion department of Boston University, has been giving his undergraduate students for the last two …- Rebecca Barnes -
How will you use your church's 'talent' for evangelism this Easter?
What would you do with a $10,000 gift to your church earmarked for evangelism? Some 65 synods will receive just that this month from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), according to a …- Rebecca Barnes -
Church leaders don't need more time to pray
Lent has begun, and with it an increase in the guilt for the lack of time we all have for whole-heartedly pursuing spiritual disciplines. However, maybe we're thinking too hard about this. Does a …- Rebecca Barnes -
Church leaders may be insane
I read a lot about the decline of Christianity, stagnant or falling church attendance, and other church ills. But the conclusion of a recent editorial column by Michael Craven continues to stick with …- Rebecca Barnes -
Are Americans self-indulgent or compassionate? Latest study says both
The constant tension between the self and others is at the core of Christianity. Church leaders are neither immune to this struggle of the faith personally, nor within their congregations. Author and …- Rebecca Barnes -
Have volunteers manage the volunteers?
What if volunteering at your church was as easy as surfing the Internet? ACS Technologiesâ„¢ just announced a new enhancement to their Access ACSâ„¢ program that allows church members to …- Rebecca Barnes -
After-school hours offer enormous outreach opportunity for churches
Smart churches know that after-school care is a major issue for working parents, and therefore has major potential as a community outreach strategy. Kids old enough to be home alone, yet young enough …- Rebecca Barnes -
How outsider friendly is your church Web site, really?
The Internet Evangelism Coalition isn’t mincing any words or HTML code about what really makes a church Web site user-friendly for outsiders. The IEC posted a church site design checklist to …- Rebecca Barnes -
New studies show young people are out of church, drums are in
Church leaders have to understand who they are trying to reach. Who are you trying to communicate with in your community. Is it young people? Men? People of various races or cultural backgrounds? Two …- Rebecca Barnes -
What's a church leader to do about Jesus' continuing triumph over organized religion?
In a century when celebrities have big voices, comments such as those recently made by Elton John, saying, "Religion promotes hatred and spite …" and should be banned completely, can make the …- Rebecca Barnes -
Resolved for 2007: Church to provide fulfillment and happiness
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year faithful blog readers! A tasty holiday treat in the form of statistics (you know you love ‘em) for you in today’s blog. I got an e-mail from a Web …- Rebecca Barnes -
Your church should be full of differing viewpoints
What color is your church? I’m not talking about a multi-cultural congregation; I’m talking about political and social bents. Can your church be categorized the same way political …- Rebecca Barnes -
If the O.J. show doesn't fit - Giving thanks for a glimmer of hope for American morality
Well, here we are, only two days before the biggest feast of the year and I submit that we have something to be incredibly thankful for. There is some glimmer of hope at the end of the long dark …- Rebecca Barnes -
Ted Haggard leaves evangelicals reeling with news of sex scandal
After more than a year’s hiatus from blogging about any homosexual issues I just have to say something about the Rev. Ted Haggard scandal that can only be described as the most shocking leap …- Rebecca Barnes -
How to respond to ignorant Christians
Statistician George Gallup compiled some numbers for Christianity Today to indicate how religion in America has changed in the last 50 years. Two remarkable findings stand out to me: 1. The …- Rebecca Barnes -
Reaching the formerly churched by meeting their core needs
What if everyone who had ever attended your church was still there today? If that seems impractical, what if two-thirds of everyone who ever attended was still there? Well, what would you do …- Rebecca Barnes -
Squeezing through the eye of a needle in a Hummer
Are the people in your congregation affluent? Do they live in the suburbs and hold college degrees? Is this God’s blessing or a warped portrait of a disciple of Christ? Rich …- Rebecca Barnes
| A fired-up new vision for the church | |
 | "It will not be stylish worship services. It will not be innovative programs." Jerry Taylor brings it home in this fiery climax to his message! (courtesy of NACC 2012) |
| The dynamics of church patriarchs and matriarchs | |
| In just about every church, someone other than the pastor holds the keys to change. (From church consultant training taught by Aubrey Malphurs - www.churchconsultation.org) |
| Are you letting fear derail your ministry? | |
| "How do you know when fear is motivating you?" asks Rick Warren. "You have an intense desire to run." (Courtesy of NACC 2012) |
| What is missional discipleship? | |
| We've confused evangelism with discipleship, says Alan Hirsch. "Every disciple is an agent of the king and ought to be released as such." (From NACC 2012) |
| Ignite your church with fresh thinking at Turnaround 20/20 | |
| Last year's inaugural 20/20 conference exceeded all our expectations, both in number of attendees (more than 200) and the quality of the speakers. The format is the same this year - 20 speakers, 20 minutes each, giving their best advice on how … |
| Save your sanity (and your ministry) by saying no | |
| "If you try to care about everything," says Pastor Todd Clark, "you'll soon find out you don't have the bandwidth to care about anything." (Courtesy of NACC) |
| Miles McPherson - How your church can thrive | |
| If you just do normal church, it will die. That's what kills churches every day. (From NACC 2011) |
| How Aubrey Malphurs sets up a church consultation | |
| Before the consulting process begins, a church has some work to do. Use these guidelines to get any church ready for change. (From the Society for Church Consulting's Level 1 training - www.churchconsultation.org) |
Follow us on...
