Violence at worship centers — including numerous shootings — has religious organizations across the country struggling with the question of the need for armed security. A violent act at a place of worship is almost always going to be one of the worst tactical situations you can create. It’s a close, crowded area where 99.9 […]
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In 1992, Dr. Brent Taylor joined the staff at First Baptist Carrollton as the summer youth minister. Seven years later, he was lead pastor. It was his first pastor position. As a new, young pastor, he admits that fundraising represented a very steep learning curve. “I grew up in the church and was part of […]
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We have noticed a shift in mindset early in the Lenten season in how many are choosing to sacrifice. Rather than quitting chocolate and red wine for 40 days, we’ve observed a budding trend of supporters pointing to the “noisy” political environment and tragedies of late. This year, people are deciding to turn down the […]
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By Hillary Bowling As a provider of simple, reliable communication tools that require no software, no extended training (and no hassle), we have found that communities that communicate on a regular basis with their congregants reap more benefits: Increased attendance Higher engagement Consistent giving Connectivity — reliable, ongoing communication — is essential to the cultivation and retention […]
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By Tim Grabacki It’s not something church business managers think about a lot, but: How you count the money might be affecting the church more than you’d think. Here are three tips on how to better handle cash and checks in your collections. #1: Treat the business office like a business office The mission […]
Read More >By Sam S. Rainer III Every Monday at 4 p.m., I meet with both my worship pastors. We review the previous Sunday. We discuss the upcoming Sunday. We laugh together. We hold each other accountable. Sometimes I sing their worship set back to them because I have the voice of a senile cat, and it […]
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Interior design ideas to enhance your youth ministry By Rebecca Calbert, AIA, LEED AP, NCARB As we come into the New Year, we feel the need to freshen up our spaces and clean out our closets. The beginning of a new year is synonymous with change, self-improvement, and taking on new challenges. A typical resolution […]
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By Tobin Perry As we head into a new year, healthy churches will have big visions for the year ahead. You likely have ministries you want to start, new people you want to reach, and new initiatives to get off the ground. You need a healthy vision. But you need more than a strong vision […]
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By Brian Gleason, MBA, CSRM A lot can happen in a year, that’s for sure. While 2017 proved that things can change in an instant, there are trends and indicators that can prepare us for the most successful year yet. Here, the GuideOne risk management and loss control team forecasts risk management trends for churches […]
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By Sam S. Rainer III I enjoy a little friendly competition. Last October, I used my kids as a front to scope out another local church’s Fall Fest. That, and they had a large amount of free candy. My affinity for candy corn sucked me into their festivities. The pastor and I are friends. The […]
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