Guest AuthorBy Nate Walker “I am not the head of the church. Jesus is.” As a pastor, I had not only heard that many times, I had said it many times myself. And I really did believe it. But it left a major question unanswered for me. If I am not the head, what...
Faithlife StaffSocial media for churches is about relationships. And just like any relationship, a little goes a long way—as long as the little is consistent.
Jennifer GrishamIn 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...
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...
By Deborah Ike Summer months provide an excellent opportunity to refresh and clean up the church. Decent weather makes it easier to handle outdoor projects. No school may mean some students are willing and able to volunteer a few hours to help. As...
By Jeff Chaves If we learned anything last year, it’s that the church live stream is an important tech tool. For many of us, the live stream is here to stay. If you’re like most church techies, you aren’t content with using the basic tools. You...
By Katie Allred Now that your church’s worship services are both online and in-person (as most are these days), how are you engaging your online visitors—or are you? Here are four tips for making sure your online guests aren’t an afterthought but...
By James Wasem Church leadership and tech teams have a perennial problem: maintaining technology systems crucial for ministry, both in the sanctuary and online. While much of the decision-making process is focused on budget, it is even more...
By James Wasem Volunteer sound techs are blessed with a calling to deliver great sound for their congregations week after week. It’s a big responsibility. And now that churches of all sizes are regularly live streaming, there are even more demands...
By Jeff Reed Back in my early days of ministry, I served at a church that had just hired a new creative director. To some at this church, the idea of a creative director was foreign, and the gossip behind closed doors was that he was becoming the...
By Ryan J. Pemberton “In the middle of winter when fogs and rains most abound,” C. S. Lewis once wrote about those who inhabit the island of Niatirb, “they have a great festival which they call Exmas, and for 50 days, they prepare for it in the...
Across the United States, Giving Tuesday will be celebrated on the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving. The day kicks off the giving season, offering a counterbalance to the materialism of Black Friday shopping. Although Giving Tuesday focuses on...
By Kenny Jahng Can you report on the health of your church at any given milestone throughout the year? Effective leaders keep their finger on the pulse of their community, and data gives the read. In the current environment, it can be hard to get a...
We were in the middle of a care group gathering at church. People would share some of their deepest struggles, and then, inevitably, a leader in training would derail the conversation with unhelpful questions. It’s not uncommon. We often tap people...
By Keri Wyatt Kent When is the worst time to launch a brand-new discipleship program? You might ask Discovery Church in Colorado Springs. You might also ask them how to grow your church during a global pandemic. In late January, Discovery Church in...
By Jen Miles and Jason Morris When you think about helping people grow spiritually, Bible engagement and discipleship are probably at the top of your list. What if your congregation engaged with the Bible in meaningful ways every day? Today’s social...
By Adam McLaughlin There’s no shortage of ideas to communicate to our church members, and they all seem to creep into our announcements and church emails. Soon we’re communicating everything about everything—which becomes noise—instead of...
Matthew BoffeyReady for the most important insight about moving to online church services? It’s not simply live streaming a church service. I like how Benjamin Windle, founder and pastor of Lifeplace Church in Australia, puts it: “Adding a live stream and...
By Douglas Estes The first known online church was founded 35 years ago, in a time before live streaming and Instagram. In a sense, though, online church is really not new. From the persecution of the early Church to the outbreak of the Black Death...
No church leader wants to admit it, but for many of us it’s true: we still don’t have a sustainable habit for personal Bible study and prayer. Here are five ways forward—true for anyone, church leader or not. 1. Know your why In Man’s Search...
At the church where I’m a pastor, planning, building, and filling our leadership pipeline has taken almost eight years. Through that time, we’ve learned a few things the hard way. Here are our biggest mistakes and the lessons we learned.
By Ryan J. Pemberton “Is this something we do?” I remember asking when I first heard the word “Lent.” Even though my father is Catholic, I grew up in a Protestant house where Lent, Ash Wednesday, and fasting were as exotic as Rome, the pope, and...
By Casey Corum Songs are [some of] the building blocks of our gathered worship times. And every week we have the privilege of selecting a group of songs that our congregations will sing back to God. This is serious business. If we do our job well...
By Jeremy Poland Every year, we take more and more photos of weekly services, events, and facilities to showcase our church in a digital age. This mass of photos easily becomes an ominous, disorganized folder on a desktop, or maybe it’s getting...
By Joshua Hunt and Matthew Boffey Typographic hierarchy helps the reader know what is most important. By grouping type into clearly defined visual categories, you organize the page for clear communication. The example above follows the basic...
By Joshua Hunt & Nick Kelly Slide presentations are a primary communication tool in worship services. Adding a photo to a church presentation is a great way to support the message of a slide—from song lyrics to announcements to sermon points...
Giving statements matter for two reasons: you provide givers with a record of their contributions, and you get an opportunity to thank them. This simple step in year-end giving is critical for strengthening the sense of partnership between you and...
By Phil Bowdle Christmas is coming, and you’re probably reacting in one of two ways (or both). One, you’re digging out your favorite holiday music so you can get into the Christmas spirit. Two, you’re already anxious about everything your church...
Since Christmas is a key time for church visitors, it’s a good idea to refresh your church website—not a massive overhaul, just a light dusting. Here’s a checklist you can tackle in just 30 minutes to encourage more people to visit your church...
It’s difficult for parents to find things for their kids to watch on TV. What sources do you trust? How do you vet programs? Do you prescreen all the material you give to your kids, or find reviewers you trust to give you a summary? There are a...