When I was a pastor, I would think about the numbers of people who legitimately can’t come to church on Sunday mornings: hospital workers, police, firefighters, etc. Their schedules preclude Sunday mornings, and I’m glad for it. I want them to be available for...
Take some time this Friday morning to meditate on this insight from German theologian Emil Brunner: “The Church exists by mission as fire exists by burning.”
In a conversation I had recently with Tad Blackburn, one of the pastors at The Vineyard Church in Long Island NY, he used an interesting phrase: “becoming missional disciples instead of just church disciples.” He used that phrase to describe the change his...
Instead of the tangible things we usually thing of that make up a church– a full-time pastor, a large group meeting space, music and a sermon at a Sunday morning gathering, legal incorporation– let’s think less tangibly. Let’s think along the lines...
An effective children’s ministry– whatever form that may take– is really important for most church plants. The one exception I can think of is New Song Church because they were primarily reaching college students and singles. They didn’t have any form of...
We are called not to be a church in the community, to the community or even for the community. We are called to be a church with the community. It’s an important distinction and an important reminder. To shed more light on what this reality can look like in the...
The DNA of the church is found in the gospels. When the church was birthed in Acts, it was a matter of living out that DNA. As Jesus’ disciples made more disciples, the result was churches. Do you see the progression? The result of making disciples was the gathering...
In response to a previous blog entry by Jean-Luc Krieg, a question was posted: “What are your impressions regarding the state of the church in the U.S.? What more can we learn from the 2/3 world experiences, strengths and weaknesses, threats?” Jean-Luc’s response...
I have a dream where churches are serving the world around us… not with an eye toward ourselves, our own growth, our reputation, our benefit, but with an eye outward: disinterested service that expects nothing in return. I have a dream that the Body of Christ would...
