True church growth is a result of a positive church experience, members inviting family and friends as well as a reputation that is spread by word-of-mouth.
Many people will visit a church several times before making a decision to call that church home.
The challenging part, particularly for churches of a few hundred people, is that visitors can sneak in and out without anyone even knowing they were there. Read the Full Article →
There is a common phenomenon in the church today.
People get offended, conflict arises and people leave the church.
Very often this is the result of mis-communication, or no communication.
Church members are human and when there is a gap in information, people tend to fill in the blanks. And, oftentimes what they fill the gap with is inaccurate or untrue. Read the Full Article →
When new people visit your church they spend the first couple of weeks or even months evaluating what you do, what programs you offer, and if the church culture is a good match.
They want to know that there are programs available to meet their particular spiritual and social needs.
Many visitors hesitate making the commitment to membership because they may not understand the process or what they are committing to. Read the Full Article →
Any organization that provides health care as an employee benefit has felt the sting of rising health care costs.
Depending on the size of the organization, and the census of employees, those annual increases can be very high.
In 2016, the average annual premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance were a staggering $6,435 for single coverage and $18,142 for family coverage.
And, in 2017 it is projected that employer premiums will increase an average of 6% more to insure their employees. Read the Full Article →
The recent allegations of lewd conduct by a Saddleback Church youth leader is yet another example of how child abuse in America is an issue of concern.
Stories about child abuse of minors seems to be a regular topic on the evening news with one disturbing allegation after another.
Churches are no exception to these accusations and should take steps to create a safe place for their children and youth. 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 →
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 →
Effective volunteer management involves good communication and coordination of job duties.
Like employees, it is important for volunteers to have a clear understanding of what is expected of them and given the training and tools to perform job tasks.
A well-run volunteer program will include a streamlined process to recruit, place and train volunteers in a role that best matches their personality, interests and skill-set. 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 recently had a manicure and pedicure by a delightful woman.
We will call her Rachel to protect her anonymity.
When Rachel learned what I did for a living she shared an interesting story with me.
Rachel tearfully shared that she had been fired as a children’s ministry volunteer because of a picture that she was tagged in that was posted on Facebook. Read the Full Article →
