Senior Writer’s Block
My wife and I moved to a new town a few years ago. Before we even settled in, a neighbor invited us to attend her church just down the street from our new home, and we received a friendly personal invitation from the church’s pastor. We have always gone to church (I’m a retired pastor)…
Many pastors and congregants prefer consistency, but adjustments are sometimes needed to accommodate changing circumstances — including changes in worship times. You’re not alone if hearing that topic makes you cringe. Service schedules and worship styles can be a major source of friction in churches. But collaboration, effective communication and prayer can help pastors navigate…
Working on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day is common in many professions. But it’s a given for pastors, who lead and oversee worship services for church members and lots of visitors. With so many church tasks to prepare and manage, pastors might feel like their personal and family celebrations receive short shrift. Advent is a…
Every autumn, churches and children’s ministry leaders begin conversations about Halloween and Christian alternatives to secular celebrations. While the broader culture eagerly participates in spooky festivities, pastors and Christian parents often wrestle with how to approach the season in ways that align with their faith. Halloween alternatives for churches let people have fun each fall…
As summer wraps up, churches and ministries are busy gearing up for a new programming year. The approaching fall season offers fresh opportunities to re-engage and re-energize church members. It’s an ideal time to welcome new people, recruit volunteers, conduct community outreach and strengthen the church body. Your congregation might already kick off fall with…
The long-awaited summer months bring warm days, family vacations and — unfortunately — waning church attendance. Is summertime church involvement an oxymoron? A Herculean challenge? It doesn’t have to be. Read on to discover a dozen hot tips for keeping church members engaged all summer long. A Look at Summertime Church Involvement Your church programs…
Disaster preparedness should be a crucial part of every church’s facility management plan. By prioritizing disaster planning and recovery now, your congregation won’t be caught off guard when a catastrophe hits. Emergency preparedness doesn’t mean your church body isn’t trusting God to meet its needs during times of crisis. Instead, disaster readiness is a form…
By December 1, you’ve probably been hearing Christmas music and seeing Christmas decorations, lights and ads for weeks. And as a church leader, you’ve probably been planning Advent and Christmas worship services since late summer or early fall. But really, can people ever get enough of Christmas? Should the season and what it represents be…
Ironically, not all pastors are fans of Pastor Appreciation Month, Clergy Appreciation Sunday or whatever title their churches use each October. They’d prefer that the effort to support pastors be ongoing, even automatic. That’s because clergy appreciation goes beyond the occasional “thank you.” It involves making tangible efforts to meet a range of needs for…
Politics and preaching don’t mix, most people assume. But do pastors really need to steer clear of political topics and cultural debates? Should ministers and teachers reveal their political leanings during sermons and Bible classes? Is it okay to address tough issues that divide modern-day congregants? These questions often arise in America’s churches, especially as…
