Just a few months ago, First Baptist Tulsa opened the doors of its new four-story, 82,000-square-foot preschool and children’s building. Rendering provided by HH Architects. By RaeAnn Slaybaugh With a community focus, congregational support, a solid plan and the right architectural expertise at the ready, First Baptist Tulsa has (beautifully) overcome the biggest challenge of […]
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For a long time, the model for creating a culture of generosity in the church involved the occasional pledge card, an annual sermon or two on stewardship, a letter to the congregants asking for gifts, maybe a year-end appeal around the holidays to close a gap, and a year-end giving statement. Today, that approach falls […]
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By Skylar Griego As we adjust to writing “2019” in our planners, now is a good time to reflect on 2018 and see the big picture. At Church Executive, that means taking a look at which articles were most important to our readers. When we looked at the 15 most-read articles, the editors noticed there […]
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By Keith Shaver Today we hear news reports of an ever-increasing number of church vandalism, thefts, robberies and, in some instances, active shooters. Those stories are driving the local churches to investigate methods to secure the church facility and protect its members’ personal security. For the church to provide the right security solution, its current […]
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By Sam S. Rainer III I’ve noticed a recent trend among churches. The evidence is more anecdotal, but I have no doubt the phenomenon is occurring on a national scale. While more than half of all churches are in some form of attendance decline, a segment of these declining churches experiences either stability in giving […]
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By Jack Siegman Trends aren’t easy to see while in the middle of ministry, or even by viewing reports or spreadsheets. But the fact is, your data tells a story. What story is your data telling? Are you using that story to make informed strategic decisions? And more important: are you able to understand […]
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How can you tell which Master of Divinity (MDiv) program is the best fit for you? By Joel Short There might be practical concerns relating to cost and convenience to consider. But how can you evaluate the quality of a program and the impact it will have on your life and ministry? Here are 5 […]
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By Church Mutual Insurance When disaster strikes, the effects are often felt across the country. Although the greatest devastation usually occurs in a concentrated geographical region, caring people from across the country feel a calling to help out however they can. Events such as hurricanes and tornadoes have been met with a great outpouring […]
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As a church leader, it’s your job to inspire and motivate your staff. For some, this ability comes naturally. For others, it’s not so intuitive; coaching others to do their best is a skill that takes work to develop. The good news is it’s not difficult to work on this skill. You don’t need to […]
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Pastors addressing sexual and domestic violence In the wake of the #MeToo movement and the growing number of sexual misconduct accusations in churches across the world, LifeWay Research recently conducted a study — sponsored by IMA World Health and Sojourners — about the reasons pastors address sexual and domestic violence from the pulpit.
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