As a young pastor in my first church, I was keenly aware my congregation had a lot of problems. It had suffered years of numerical decline, in no small part as a result of immorality among the pastoral staff and embezzlement by a church treasurer. People were disillusioned, cynical and defensive.
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We almost can’t help ourselves. When we gather with a group of friends or people who share something in common, we often start talking in a way that excludes others.
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Vision is not measured by statements on a wall. Vision is revealed by how a church operates, evaluates ministry, and envisions the future.
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Youth and student ministry have a robust history in Southern Baptist and evangelical circles, and rightly so. But, if you reach the children, eventually you will also grow a thriving youth ministry, as those sweet kids grow into teenagers.
We've all been there. We want to pray but the words won't come. Maybe we don't what to say. Perhaps the burden is heavy it's hard to articulate. Chuck Lawless shares 10 tips to help you in these moments.
Because of my love for the local church and for pastoring, I think often about that role. I reflect on joys and blessings of my fourteen years of pastoring, but I also remember mistakes I made. If I were pastoring again, I would do these things more often.
Sacred cows are often defined as something that needs to be addressed but few are willing. In this post, Chuck Lawless offers tips on how to recognize and address sacred cows.
You may believe your church is friendly but would a guest agree? Chuck Lawless offers ways you can find the answer.
If you’re a church leader, you need to spend intentional time with a senior adult – or with a lot of them. Even a monthly lunch and conversation will pay dividends in your ministry. Here’s why you need to prioritize this time:
Some voices don’t just speak—they steer everything. From controlling information to dismissing others, these patterns quietly shape a church’s direction. Here are 15 warning signs every leader needs to recognize.
Over the years, I’ve studied churches that have done a good job not only of reaching people, but also of keeping them/assimilating them. Here are seven components of effective assimilation I’ve seen:
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.
