Guest AuthorBy 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...
Faithlife StaffAcross the United States, Giving Tuesday will be celebrated on December 1, 2020. The day kicks off the giving season, offering a counterbalance to the materialism of Black Friday shopping. Although Giving Tuesday focuses on donations to nonprofit...
Jennifer GrishamWe 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 for...
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...
Image courtesy of Faithlife Media 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...
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 Amber Smith and Matthew Boffey 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. Here are 10 easy wins for an effective social media presence. 1. Post...
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...
By Kay Arthur Before I share with you how I study God’s word using the inductive Bible study method, I want to share with you why I study it this way. As Moses said in Deuteronomy 32:47, it is my life! Jesus, quoting from Deuteronomy 8:3, said we...
What do you think are the most important church ministry relationships? What questions would you have them discuss? Answer below in the comments. This post originally appeared in January 2019 issue...
R.C. Sproul was ready to escape his dry campus for an evening at the bar when he realized he was out of cigarettes. Recalling the vending machine in the dorm, he returned to pick up a 25¢ pack of Lucky Strikes. We don’t often hear of smoking as a...