Blog
This week, my wife, Marty, and I had the honor of attending a church planter's retreat sponsored by the Converge Northwest District and held at the beautiful Cannon Beach Christian Conference Center on the rugged Pacific coast in northern Oregon. Read on to discover just a small amount of what was seen and heard at that relaxed gathering. Maybe you and your church can learn from my observations.
Maybe you are considering planting a new church and would like to know if this is a calling from God. Or, maybe you have an interest in becoming a church planter and want to know if you should take the next step in that direction. If your answer is yes to one of the above statements, read this blog for some advice or encouragement as you seek discernment from God and others.
Maybe you are considering planting a new church and would like to know if this is a calling from God. Or, maybe you have an interest in becoming a church planter and want to know if you should take the next step in that direction. If your answer is yes to one of the above statements, read this blog for some advice or encouragement as you seek discernment from God and others.
What does your church offer for training or equipping the saints for the work of ministry (Eph. 4:12 ESV)? Have you ever asked that question as a church leader or pastor? Here are some ideas about who needs regular training and about what.
If you want your pastor, whether serving in a lead role or another pastoral role, to be successful, stay healthy, last longer, and grow in ministry maturity, make sure he takes a sabbatical. But what does a sabbatical look like for the pastor and the church? Read on to find out more.
If you want your pastor, whether serving in a lead role or another pastoral role, to be successful, stay healthy, last longer, and grow in ministry maturity, make sure he takes a sabbatical. But what does a sabbatical look like for the pastor and the church? But what is a sabbatical? Read on to find out more.
Local churches rise or fall according to the health and ministry of their elders or spiritual leaders. And healthy, growing churches have healthy, growing, and serving spiritual leaders. These churches also recruit, train, equip, and multiply spiritual leaders. My prayer is that this blog will assist your church in training present and future elders.
When talking about who they are, most churches tell lies about themselves. Today's blog reveals what some of the big ones are.
I have seen so many churches that have a weakness in communication. This problem is not limited to the size of the church or the number of people who serve as pastors or ministry leaders. Rather than being part of the problem, let me help you be part of the solution with the following ideas or suggestions.
Never assume your church building is a safe and secure place. For example, in a church where I was serving as an interim pastor, we had a sheriff's deputy come and do a safety check of our facilities. I'll never forget what he said about the possibility of an active shooter coming to the church. Here's what he said: "It's not a matter of IF it will happen here, but WHEN." He offered some very practical suggestions to our church leadership after a tour of the building. Here are some suggestions for you and your church to make your people and facilities safer.
Today I learned that my dear friend and book mentor, Dr. Aubrey Malphurs, went home to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus in glory. For much of my ministry life, I have read his books and articles, listened to his podcasts, and occasionally sat under his teaching. Dr. Malphurs taught at Dallas Theological Seminary for some 38 years where he influenced thousands who have served the Lord around the world. He was also the founder and leader of the Malphurs Group, a church consulting ministry. In honor and in memory of Dr. Malphurs, I want to recommend to you a few of his many books that have helped shape my ministry and expand God's Kingdom. Discover these great resources in this blog.