Kristen SchaferChurch administration comes with a lot of tasks that take a little bit of time . . . and it all adds up. For instance, Americans typically waste 12 days of their lives entering or resetting passwords. Ouch! If dealing with passwords wastes that much...
Faithlife StaffScrolling endlessly through photos is only fun when it’s by choice (oh hello, vacation albums). When you’re trying to find media for your church presentations, it’s just frustrating. And if you serve in a bilingual church where you need to create...
Quick, list everything you know about angels! If you’re thinking about bells, harps, and wings, your idea of angels might be more informed by Christmas movies than the Bible. That’s what Dr. Michael S. Heiser is trying to correct in Angels—now...
Beka JohnsonIf you’re like most small church leaders, you’ve probably heard about church apps but never thought seriously about investing in one (either with your budget or your time). I get it. It’s just another thing on a long list of never-ending to-dos. But...
These deals are so good, they won’t stay around long! Add these new favorites to your library before the bargains disappear, or view all of this week’s deals. *** On Guard for Students: A Thinker’s Guide to the Christian Faith An intelligent faith...
By Jennifer Grisham and Mary Jahnke Every month, the dreaded day arrived—the church credit card bill came in the mail, full of charges for church software. It’s not that we were too spendy. We were actually quite frugal! But our credit card...
Toy theft and pursuant wails in living rooms and church nurseries make it ear-splittingly obvious: taking is instinctual. Learning to give? That takes effort, but it’s a critical step in helping kids understand stewardship. We asked pastors...
Social media for churches is about relationships. And just like any relationship, a little goes a long way—as long as the little is consistent.
There’s no doubt about it: small churches can have massive impact. And church tech? It can help that reach extend even further. Find out how in Faithlife’s new guide, Adapt or Dwindle: Futureproof Your Small Church. The excerpt below answers “Why...
Jennifer GrishamThese days, lots of folks are having trouble connecting with people at church. I’m not only thinking of people who worship with you via live stream but also people who have lost family members or jobs, people who feel lonely, or those with health...
When it comes to church volunteer training, you might say, as Dickens once wrote, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times . . . ” Having helped lead volunteer teams for hospitality, care groups, women’s ministry, events, finance, and...
Church software can be like the brand-new volunteer trying to help out in an area where they’re not gifted. They get the work partway done, but you have to come behind to pick up the slack, correct errors, and finish the job. Or it can be like the...
To see some excellent examples of how you don’t have to be an efficiency expert to suddenly start getting more done in less time, watch this event from Faithlife. In around 30 minutes, find out how you can save steps with your church presentations...
In college, I heard a sermon about evangelism that stuck with me. Knowing how it feels uncomfortable unleashing a gospel presentation on a stranger, the preacher offered this advice: just start by asking if the other person goes to church somewhere...
Why is it that our evangelistic efforts are often fraught with failure? Several reasons may be given . . . but one main reason is that we don’t look like the Christ we proclaim. . . . A Hindu professor, identifying one of his students as a...
Ray Deck IIIThe Bible is a big book. So big that fully understanding it remains a lifelong goal. Rather than trying to read it through in a few sittings, like most of us do with many smaller books, many people instead read a small amount every day. The slow-and...
Mary JahnkeSometimes I get to do video chats with pastors as part of my job, and I love it. Their heart for service beams out from the screen, and I walk away blessed. One thing we talk about is Faithlife’s integrated ministry platform. I ask questions like...
Last week, I read an article arguing that live streaming doesn’t benefit the Church. But is that true? A sweet saint in my church recently had not one, but two, strokes. Her daughter cares for her at home. She’d be at church in person if she could...
Ryan NelsonDefining your church’s brand is about helping people find their place in the body of Christ. It’s an expression of how the passions your people carry collide with the community you inhabit. It’s a physical reflection of the...
Guest AuthorI don’t know a single worship leader who doesn’t want more solid musicians on their worship team. Identifying those musicians through an audition process is the first step to getting them there. But how can you set your new musicians up for success...
With so many churches holding services online, there’s a good chance that more people than ever are hearing the good news of Jesus Christ right now. Which leads to an updated version of the question church leaders ask after visitors come in person:...
Are you intrigued by the term “digital literacy”? I was—and I didn’t know it was a thing until I started researching for this article. If you’re curious like I was, digital literacy refers to learning how to use technology responsibly in various...
Lexham PressBy E. Tod Twist If you’ve ever pondered the meaning of life in “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6) or even in “Christ who is your life” (Col. 3:4), this excerpt from Bible Word Studies: A How-to Guide will show you how to dig a...
By Jeremy Shambach Two years ago, I transitioned from leading and overseeing our church’s youth ministries to overseeing and leading our children’s and youth ministries. Practically, that’s an eighteen-year gap of kids under my care—not to mention...
It’s so important to modernize your church website design. Why? Here’s a super-short story (see how much you can relate): It happened just this morning. I searched for something and clicked on the first promising result. The page I reached, however...
Family devotion time: sweet memories or absolute mayhem? For most families, it’s a little bit of both. We asked readers over social media—plus a few colleagues at Faithlife—to describe their family devotions and how they make the time meaningful and...
In 2020, churches accomplished many feats for the first time. For 24% of churches we surveyed, that included implementing online giving. Yet a somewhat surprising 38% of churches said cash or checks still had the biggest positive impact on church...
Hands down, one of the toughest things Faithlife had to do this year was select a winner for the Pastor Pod. Contest submissions left us teary-eyed, prayerful, and more grateful than ever for pastors and the enormous work they do so selflessly...
In pastoral leadership, you’ve got God’s grace to sustain you. He’ll help you through the rough times . . . but wouldn’t it be nice if there were fewer of them? In this excerpt adapted from Pastoral Leadership: For the Care of Souls, longtime pastor...
An old saying goes, “A day hemmed in prayer is less likely to come unraveled.” And even though that’s true, Christians still need encouragement to pray. Here are nine sermon illustrations on prayer to help provide it. 1. How God listens From 300...