Is your discipleship group stuck? Does there seem to be an anchor in leading participants in your group toward greater maturity? The question came to me when reading a blog post by my friend, David Francis, entitled Three Levels of Community in Groups. Is it possible that the level of…
As a pastor I studied each church I served to see what we could do to grow and reach more people for Christ. One of the things we attempted to do was to define where the walls were that were stopping growth and then we attempted to move them one…
Proverbs 22:1 says, A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. This verse relates to our personal reputations and character but also to our churches. Every church has a reputation in the community. Does your church have a good name?…
You may have read this study by Barna, but I think it is worth examining again as we try to reverse the tide of the declining effectiveness of our churches on the culture. We’ve looked at three trends now the fourth. 4. Among Christians, interest in participating in community action…
In my previous blog, I listed 10 so let’s look at the first two. 1. Healthy Churches preach and share the Gospel in their community. They are driven by the Great Commission and believe in the power of the Gospel to transform lives and communities. They utilize a variety of…
As I write this I am watching it snow outside. There is a field behind our house with a great panoramic view of the country and the beautiful effects of fresh fallen snow on the ground. I’m glad it’s Saturday morning and I am at home. Let me confess to…
“Making Disciples” is the church’s assignment given directly from the lips of Jesus in Matthew 28:19. It should always be on our minds and hearts as we lead our churches forward for the glory of Christ. You probably know this verse by heart but look at it with new eyes.…
Two encounters are critical. First, the leader encounters God in His Word and is changed. Second, the leader guides the group to have a life-changing encounter.