CURRENT ISSUE Archives - Page 4 of 11

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CURRENT ISSUE Archives - Page 4 of 11 - Church Executive

THE CE INTERVIEW: JONATHAN STOCKSTILL

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CE Interview, church executive interview, Church expansion, Church Growth, Church leadership, faith leadership, jonathan stockstill, Leadership lessons, pastor leadership

August 1, 2015 at 1:20 pm.

Jonathan Stockstill was 30 years old when his father, the Rev. Larry Stockstill, turned over to him the leadership of Bethany Church. Interestingly, Larry was the same age as Jonathan when he took over for his dad, who founded the church in 1963.

Jonathan has led music at Bethany since he was 17. He says he always felt that he would be in full-time ministry, but it was not until he was in his mid-20s that he began to sense a pastoral call upon his life. At the time, he was leading worship and traveling with a band called Deluge. He wrote songs, recorded projects and did music tours, but he says God was dealing with him about a different kind of ministry. Jonathan also did several evangelistic crusades and went through a season where he felt he might plant a church in his late ‘30s.

“But God had a different plan,” he says.

An introduction to church facility stewardship

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church buildings, church facilities, church facilities managers, church facility care, Church maintenance, church management, facility stewardship

May 26, 2015 at 10:49 am.

I’m a firm believer that everything on earth belongs to God. Our money. Our houses. Our cars. The word of God. Our families. The people we encounter — and the facilities in which we worship. God has entrusted us with the stewarding of all these items.

For me, stewardship is less about what we give and more about taking care of what we have been given — of all that’s entrusted to us.

So, how do we define “entrusted”?

Appropriate boundaries for a healthy relationship with children

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Abuse prevention, children's ministry, children's pastors, Church abuse, church children, Church risk management, protecting children

May 13, 2015 at 3:46 pm.

We frequently ask ourselves questions such as, “What’s an acceptable way to show affection to youth in my care?” or “How should I react if a child runs up for a hug?”
These are important questions, because boundaries promote a lifetime of healthy relationships.

PHASE 4: Commitment

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church capital campaigns, Church Finance, Church fundraising, church generosity, church giving

May 13, 2015 at 3:40 pm.

For church leaders, preparing for a capital campaign “commitment service” is similar to football coaches preparing for the Super Bowl. Here, Paul Gage weighs in on how to maximize this giving experience.

A tale of two church cafés

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church cafe, church coffee, church coffee shop, church dining, church outreach

May 13, 2015 at 3:35 pm.

Today, churches are offering a lot more than a cup of joe in a Styrofoam cup. With beverages and atmospheres that rival secular franchises, their champions have learned a lot in the process.

Social media risk — a spot check for the church?

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Church liability, Church risk management, Church social media, church youth, social media risk management

May 13, 2015 at 3:23 pm.

Recently, I convened a panel of experts for a conversation about where the Church stands relative to capitalizing on the remarkable evangelization opportunity of social media. The key questions:
• Are churches actually embracing
social media?
• If so, how are they doing managing the risks?
• How can churches establish boundaries as they row in these unchartered waters?

When a church MOVES, will its people FOLLOW?

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church move, church on the move, church plant, church relocation, church shift, new church

May 13, 2015 at 3:16 pm.

Churches relocate more than you think. In fact, your own church might be moving. Or, maybe you’re wondering how to relocate successfully sometime in the future. In either scenario, you’ll face some primary challenges:
• Communicating the church move to your members and regular attendees
(the congregation)
• Communicating the church move to your neighbors (the community)

That’s why you need a communications strategy before you make the move.

Religious institution financing truths—regardless of the lending climate

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church borrowing, Church Finance, church finances, church financial management, church lending, church loans

May 13, 2015 at 3:04 pm.

As the business administrator of a religious institution, you don’t need to be an experienced commercial developer to get a construction loan — you just need an expert ministry bank.

Understanding loudspeaker systems — what’s right for your church?

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church audio, church audio system, church loudspeakers, church speaker system, church speakers, pastor-friendly audio, sanctuary audio, worship space audio

May 13, 2015 at 2:37 pm.

Though your church’s audio system is comprised of a lot of different components, loudspeakers are arguably the most significant. As the final link between the message and the listener, the right loudspeaker system can make the difference between indifference and inspiration.

Effective student spaces: 3 tried-and-true design elements

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church youth facility, church youth space, youth facilities, youth friendly spaces, youth ministry, youth spaces, youth worship spaces

May 13, 2015 at 2:28 pm.

Many student worship spaces use design elements that promote ministry and embody many of the same elements we find in all worship spaces. However, student worship spaces typically take it to a different level. While the ultimate goal is to worship Jesus, there’s also a practical goal: to maintain a connection with the student, who’s bombarded with all the trappings of today’s culture and crowd. To be successful on both fronts, the architecture and the design of the space must uniquely “speak” to the student population.