The wise preacher reminds us in Ecclesiastes 3:7b that there is “a time to keep silence, and a time to speak.” But if you are a pastor, elder or ministry leader then you may feel the tension of discerning which one you need to do at any given moment.
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Church growth writers talk about the bell-shaped curve that characterizes the growth of many churches. The left side of the bell curve is exciting (vision, outreach, growth, etc.), but the right side is challenging (nostalgia, decline, division, etc.).
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What comes to mind when you think of attrition in your church? Perhaps you think about the attrition of membership or attendance. Maybe you think about financial attrition. However, I want to draw your attention to a different and often overlooked category: cultural attrition.
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We live in a day when the busyness of families and the many facets of the culture enticing the hearts and souls of our kids is off the charts. In the last three churches I have served, we found that one of the best tools to combat these challenges is to train Christian parents to celebrate the spiritual and physical milestones of their children.
Church growth writers talk about the bell-shaped curve that characterizes the growth of many churches. The left side of the bell curve is exciting (vision, outreach, growth, etc.), but the right side is challenging (nostalgia, decline, division, etc.).
Chuck Lawless says he's still learning how to pursue his wife even as he runs the race of ministry. In this article, he offers 10 helpful tips he's learning.
It’s spiritual warfare against the evangelist. That’s one reason—a reason we don’t often think about—that evangelism is hard.
Chuck Lawless suspects all churches have at least one of these persons. Baby believers are those young believers who are just now learning how to walk with Christ, but who are fresh in their faith. Believers who are babies, on the other hand, are usually longer-term believers who don’t act like mature believers.
Chuck Lawless knows pastors call people to share the Gospel, but, in this piece, he encourages them to be an example in evangelism.
In this piece, Chuck Lawless makes the case that church leaders need a person who regularly encourages them and helps lighten the load.
Chuck Lawless some helpful considerations for your church's Christmas Eve gathering.
While every pastor should want to finish their ministry where they are, Chuck Lawless says there are indicators that a pastor has stayed too long. Read this piece for his list.
I start this post with a caveat: I believe in the historical understanding of Church Growth, marked by evangelism that necessarily resulted in disciples in the local church.
My first years as a Christ-follower weren’t easy. I was in my early teens, wanting to be faithful to God but also seeking to fit in with my peers. I wish someone had helped prepare me for the journey. If I were writing today a new believer’s guide today for people like me, I would include a simple “lessons learned” section
