Archives

  • The Things Christians Do that Make the non-Christians Bristle

    Here’s some good news: the vast majority of the unchurched are receptive to an invitation to church. The problem is that few active churchgoers reach out to their neighbors and friends. The mission field across North America is ripe for harvest, but many of the workers lag in apathy. Some workers are lazy, and their […]

  • The fight to be the best (church)

    As the ash settles from the last election, the citizens enjoy a respite from the political ads. The “I’ll fight for you” ads now turn to battle cries for holding office—until the next election.Fight, fight, fight. But who is the enemy? In America, about half the people generally vote with one party, and half the […]

  • Is Yours a “Can Do” Church or a “Can’t Do” Church?

    Every church has an organizational culture. Some churches have a culture of optimism. You can feel the energy in worship. Others are pessimistic. You can sense the deadness when you walk into the sanctuary. Every church also faces obstacles. What is the difference between churches that approach obstacles with a “can do” attitude over others […]

  • Why Are We Seeing So Many Shallow Christians?

    Plenty of Christians are rightly concerned about the number of shallow fellow-believers today. Just take a look at the Christian section of a bookstore and you’ll find books that look more like a self-help or positive thinking section than a serious selection of Christian topics and ideas. Too many Christian radio and television programs have long […]

  • Do we prepare for the return of Jesus, or fight the culture wars?

    It’s the question I’ve heard now for many years, specifically from evangelical Christians. “Since the world is only getting worse, why bother fighting the culture wars? What’s the use? What’s the point? Isn’t it better for us simply to share our faith and prepare for the return of Jesus?” To be sure, if I knew […]

  • The church trends for 2020

    Offering trends are a worthless exercise if they have no connection to reality. For over 15 years, I have suggested trends in churches that may become movements of reality. On an occasional basis, I review all of my prognostications to see if they came close to reality in just a few years forward. So far, […]