The summer giving slump is a dreaded time for Pastors and church leaders.
Fully Funded did a survey and asked churches of all sizes and denominations, how they handle the summer slump.
The answers were varied from “waving the white flag of surrender” to “taking out a loan” to “doing nothing” – reflecting the desperation of some of these churches.
So, what is a church leader to do? Read the Full Article →
When I was young, I remember church being a place where the door was always open and visitors were welcome anytime of the day or night.
It was a safe refuge for those who just needed some time in prayer and reflection. Church security was unheard of.
Over the course of the last couple of decades that trend has changed and most churches have scheduled times when their doors are open and the building is available for public prayer. Read the Full Article →
Churches are in existence to help, encourage and develop people in their Christian walk.
However, there is much more involved in overseeing a church than planning the weekly service.
Churches need to have systems and processes to help ensure the weekend goes off without a hitch and to create a great environment for members, volunteers and employees.
These weekly paths to an end are what create great weekend services but there are things that need to be done behind the scenes to ensure that the church is acting in a legal and ethical manner. Read the Full Article →
I was an adult when I became a Christian and didn’t have the Vacation Bible School (VBS) experience as a child.
I knew kids who went to VBS but I was never invited to attend.
Interestingly though, any adult Christian that I know can speak to their childhood VBS memories.
Since I’ve been a Christian I’ve had the privledge of being a part of a great VBS and can see the benefit of investing the time and resources into this great summer event for kids. Read the Full Article →
The most important function of communication within an organization is to inform, persuade and motivate.
Successful organizations communicate intentionally because they recognize that when leadership fails to communicate effectively, issues arise, conflict presents itself and organizational momentum slows.
We all have different preferences for how we receive information, yet we all crave communication. It is what engages us in our relationships, our employment, and our church. Read the Full Article →
As many of you know, my son is Bob Lotich, founder of Seedtime (formerly ChristianPF).
Bob got married in 2005 and I wrote a letter to him using the wisdom of scripture and my personal experience to encourage him as he began his marriage journey.
Bob has been married for almost 12 years now.
He recently shared with me how encouraged he was to reread this letter more than a decade later and suggested that I share it with my readers. Read the Full Article →
My husband and I just returned from a trip exploring the south where we saw many sites and visited lots of beautiful places.
Our travel also included visiting several churches along the way.
Many of the churches I visited were current, full of members and used technology to enhance the church experience.
These churches did a great job of delivering a timely message and using the latest sound equipment to enhance the music. Read the Full Article →
Church leaders are required to make decisions every day. And, making good decisions is what great leaders do!
There are many approaches to decision making and successful organizations have systems in place to ensure consistency in how decisions are made.
There are countless decisions that need to be made every day. A structured process for making decisions helps to ensure that all are made in a consistent, unbiased and principled manner. Read the Full Article →
I don’t know anyone who isn’t excited about spring.
And, with spring comes one of the most important days of the year for churches – Easter Sunday!
Easter is one of two days a year when people, who don’t regularly attend church, will come and celebrate Christ’s resurrection.
This is also a time of year when people recommit and make an attempt to get back to church. Read the Full Article →
Spring is in a few short weeks which means that summer is just around the corner. As the snow begins to melt, and the tulips start to show off their spring colors, your team should be well on its way to planning your summer vacation bible school.
Planning church events can be fun and stress free as long as there is detailed planning and lots of hands to help. Read the Full Article →
