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The Church is not the Titanic (a mini manifesto)
I'm not trying to stick my head in the sand. I can read a bar graph as well the next guy. I know The Church is struggling. I also know that for myself, and for every church I've been a part of, there …
 | Engaging the Power! In this final piece I want to present one more critical ability necessary for missional leaders to turn churches around and get them on the right track toward healthy growth. If you have missed the other segments, go back and … |
 | At the weekend retreat, an elder of Clarkston Church drew me aside. "We've decided to call for Pastor Gordon's removal. This weekend has been one long sales job. He's trying to get us to buy his vision for a new building." As I thought back to my … |
 | December 17, 2004, should have been a day of celebration. Nellie Jo and I had been married 27 years on that date. We were in Naples, Florida, enjoying the sunshine and each other. Then the phone call came. We had been given a great deal of … |
 | Leadership Principle #17: Don't waste time asking why some things happen. You'll never know for sure. "'Who knows, perhaps you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this.'" – Est 4:14 When I read the story of Esther, I am struck by the … |
 | 1. According to the gospels, Jesus talked about money and possessions frequently. It seems like it is worthy of more of church leaders' attention than we give it in our preaching and teaching. 2. People have to deal with money every day. We need to … |
| Stump and Stone Removal I have been presenting critical abilities a missional leader must possess in order to lead a church in either revitalization or new growth. These abilities build on one another. The first critical ability is to understand the … |
 | When I was a child, I thought as a child, and had lots of ideas, but when I grew up and worked in a church, I was afraid to have an original thought of any kind. Have you ever had the feeling you're just parroting another church instead of being a … |
| I'm somewhat of a walking and talking billboard for 5 hour energy drinks. You know them? Those little red and yellow bottles that claim to pack a punch? They really work for me. They give me a boost of energy (the equivalent of a cup of coffee), and … |
 | My wife is very pregnant. There is something odd about that phrasing, isn't there? "Ummmm, very pregnant? Either you are or you're not." Should the state of being pregnant really be quantified? Lyons Family - February 2012 Just about any day now, my … |
| Presidential election years have a way of stirring voters' interest, particularly in our 24-7 electronically-wired society. Yet church leaders caught up in the frenzied speculation and anticipation that accompanies the selection of our nation's … |
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Leadership Development: An Age-Old Challenge with a Modern-Day Twist
Many of today's church leaders face the same problem: leadership development. Most struggle to find better ways to empower and release their people for ministry, and now with the emergence of the …Type: White PaperSponsored by: Leadership Network -
Living on the Resurrection Side of Life: “Resurrection Power”
For over forty years now, I have been trying to preach that sermon and sing that song. Today I would like to try once more. I take for a text the words of Paul who said, "I want to know Christ, and …Type: White PaperSponsored by: Faith Breaks -
The New Role for Western Missionaries
This history teaches us that the last century's Western missionaries did their job in their generation. The question we face as a result of these changes: How will we, as a missional people, approach …Type: White PaperSponsored by: Leadership Network -
Changing Metrics: The Benefits of Measuring Devotion and Obedience, Not Just Numbers
"Today, people in our churches—and especially young people—want to devote their lives to a cause that's bigger than themselves," observes Ken Fong, pastor of Evergreen Baptist Church in …Type: ResearchSponsored by: Leadership Network -
What Matters In the Light of Eternity: “Life Matters”
Living is a thing we do, now or never, which do you? Yesterday is a memory, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift, that's why we call it the present. Jesus said, "What shall it profit a man to …Type: White PaperSponsored by: Faith Breaks
