
6 takeaways from church hospitality research
Earlier this year, Lifeway Research released the results of a study on how Protestant churches welcome first-time guests. The results, as they say, speak for themselves.
Earlier this year, Lifeway Research released the results of a study on how Protestant churches welcome first-time guests. The results, as they say, speak for themselves.
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If you’re pastoring a mid-sized church, you’ve likely felt that slow undercurrent of change that’s harder to name than it is to feel.
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The first seven years of C. H. Spurgeon’s ministry in London were accompanied by a surprising revival. No one could have expected it. Through a nineteen-year-old country preacher, a dying congregation was revitalized, and hundreds—perhaps thousands—were converted under his ministry during those early years. Though only a few dozen were in attendance when Spurgeon first arrived at New Park Street in 1853, by 1861 membership was at 1,473, with thousands more regularly attending.
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An “unforced error” is a term borrowed from sports, especially tennis, meaning a mistake made due to one’s own lapse rather than being forced by an opponent. In everyday language, it refers to an avoidable mistake or misstep, typically resulting from a lack of attention or care rather than external pressure.
Social media is here to stay. People of all walks of life use various platforms to stay connected, find out about news or express themselves to the world. I am active on several social media services myself. As much fun as I have had at times, I have also seen that, despite the benefits, the social media world brings great potential to cause harm and damage the witness of believers to the world around us.
For a church revitalizer or replanter, the heartbeat of their ministry is the desire to be obedient to the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20) and to lead others to obey it as well. What if I told you that a tiny tweak to your worship service could raise the missional awareness of your congregation?