In this episode, Josh Ties of Idea Network joins Josh King to discuss the feelings many church leaders have in which they are part of a tribe and yet do not feel as though they fit into it. Special Est.Church sponsor – Check out these resources from Church Initiative! You need to learn more about two great resources from Church Initiative. The makers of GriefShare and DivorceCare offer a team of experienced coaches. They equip your church members to get the program started—so it’s Read more [...]
Every Tuesday morning the West Bradenton staff gather for a short time of worship before we begin our meetings. There is nothing elaborate about Tuesday worship. We follow a simple structure each week. 1. Our worship pastor leads a song from the upcoming Sunday setlist. 2. Someone shares a devotional thought. 3. We pray for each other. Then we pray for our church requests and mission partners. 4. I share the direction of my sermon for the upcoming Sunday. Don’t let the simplicity Read more [...]
In this episode, we tackle the concept of authenticity in and out of the pulpit regarding the preacher’s voice and style. Special Est.Church sponsor – Check out these resources from Church Initiative! You need to learn more about two great resources from Church Initiative. The makers of GriefShare and DivorceCare offer a team of experienced coaches. They equip your church members to get the program started—so it’s not on your plate. Pastors are saying these are among the easiest, Read more [...]
When the disciples gathered on the mountain in Galilee right before Jesus ascended, some of them doubted. The source and degree of this doubt are left unknown. Their response in the doubt is critically important. They worshiped. Then Jesus came near. The lesson is simple: Worship through doubt, and Jesus will come near. This group on the mountain was more than worshipers. The disciples were also called to be leaders in what became the church. The doubters had to lead. In Acts 1, Jesus makes Read more [...]
What is church discipline and when is it necessary? The established church can present several challenges when working through correction with wayward members. Special EST.church sponsor – Check out these resources from Church Initiative! You need to learn more about two great resources from Church Initiative. The makers of GriefShare and DivorceCare offer a team of experienced coaches. They equip your church members to get the program started—so it’s not on your plate. Pastors Read more [...]
There is hope. God can save your church. Rainer Publishing is excited to release Thom Rainer’s latest book, Anatomy of a Revived Church. Thom Rainer reveals seven findings of revived churches. Through new research, he figuratively dissects hundreds of churches that were on the path toward death. But they turned around. They revived. They did so in the face of naysayers who told them it could not be done. From the book: What is the central thesis of our anatomy of revived churches? Read more [...]
The Bible is not a haphazard collection of religious thoughts. One common theme emerges from sixty-six books—volumes of law, historical works, poems, first-person narrative accounts, parables, wisdom literature, and apocalyptic prophecies. This theme is adoption through redemption. God the Father brings us into His family through the redeeming work of His Son, Jesus. The Holy Spirit then seals our adoption for eternity. Written by kings and outlaws, the Bible was not thrown together without Read more [...]
In my last post, I revealed a problem. A phenomenon is impacting churches of all sizes and affiliations in the United States. The frequency of attendance is dropping among congregants. Attendance frequency measures how often a person comes to church. For example, an “active” member was once considered someone who came twice, or even three times a week. Today an active member is considered someone who comes twice a month. The problem of decreasing attendance frequency is pervasive, and Read more [...]
A phenomenon is impacting churches across the United States. Maybe your church is an anomaly. But most churches—regardless of size and denominational affiliation—are experiencing a decrease in attendance frequency. Attendance frequency measures how often a person comes to church. For example, an “active” member was once considered someone who came twice, or even three times a week. Today an active member is considered someone who comes twice a month. Many reasons exist for this decline—from Read more [...]
I have a high view of church membership. The book of Romans refers to followers of Christ being members of a body. I believe it to be a helpful way in which we can encourage one another and hold each other accountable. At my church, we emphasize two key areas with church membership. The first is doctrine. The second is expectations. We ask members to work towards fulfilling seven expectations, which is also our church covenant. The seven expectations involve worship, growing, serving, giving, praying, Read more [...]
