Tried-and-true strategies — plus, how technology can come alongside your best efforts With regards to technology, what are the most crucial elements in a “recipe” that best positions a church to keep connected to its members all week long? Chris Kehayias: The point of staying connected, and to “do church” in the first place, is […]
Read More >When Crossroads United Methodist Church, Washington, Illinois, concluded their vision for ministry was significantly larger than their current footprint could handle, they began the long and expensive journey of relocating to a new site. In 2001, they constructed the first of a two-phase construction project that would change the course of their ministry forever. Relocating […]
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By Troy Pollock As you and your team return from a summer season filled with vacations, conferences and enjoying time with family, it’s a great time to reset priorities and develop a plan for the rest of the year. What are your goals? Challenges? Opportunities for growth? And more importantly, what steps are […]
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Jeff Wilson & Severns Valley Baptist Church By RaeAnn Slaybaugh In 2007, when Severns Valley Baptist Church relocated to its current property in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, it was a major move. After all, this congregation (established in 1781) is older than the United States Constitution itself and was attended by Abraham Lincoln’s grandparents — also, very […]
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By Jennifer Wise Many churches are battling declining memberships and being challenged in their ability to have a significant impact. How can your church go on the offensive to defend its significance and connect with an increasingly secular society? Consider strengthening four core areas to overcome stereotypes that might hinder people from coming in […]
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Sexual abuse: training ministry staff to care well AND prevent At the beginning of each new year, many of us make New Year’s Resolutions: evaluating our past year or present circumstances and resolving to improve on a particular matter (i.e., more time with the kids, less coffee, more exercise). For the Southern Baptist Convention, the […]
Read More >Expert advice — from the architects who envision these spaces and the church executives who recognized the need How does a church typically know to ask for a “family-friendly” feel on its campus? Bruce Woody: Often, this begins to be sensed internally. Something usually causes the church to analyze how it’s being perceived in […]
Read More >Your church management software is a treasure trove of actionable information … but only if you know how to mobilize it. What are the most important, yet often overlooked, ChMS data points? Gordon Proud: First, member management — who’s attending your church, how often and what classes or ministries they’re involved in. In addition, it’s […]
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By RaeAnn Slaybaugh By anyone’s standards, Tom Lunak, CFO of Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale, has extensive experience in the banking industry. In his career, he has held senior-level titles at, and done consulting work for, several banking institutions. So, it was a pleasant surprise when, a few years ago, he was asked to […]
Read More >Poll Shows U.S. Church Membership Decline According to a study by Gallup, Inc., a global analytics and advice firm, the number of U.S. adults who are members of a church, mosque or synagogue has dropped by 20 percent in the last two decades. Compared to 70 percent in 1999, only half of Americans reported being […]
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