Children's Spaces

Is your facility too hot, too cold, or just right? 5 proven strategies to achieve the right mix

CHURCH DESIGN TRENDS

Expert perspectives on emerging trends, outdated ones, and ministry-specific design movements

CHURCH FACILITIES: Building & Construction

Avoid cost overruns • An effective building process: 5 tenets • 5 facility "musts" for young families • 4 youth-friendly design ideas

Design Trends to Watch: 2018

Two experienced architects discuss emerging (& expiring) trends -- including multisite & multi-generational design strategies

Designing Worship Areas

How data impacts church design • Integrating church DNA • 3 vision-casting strategies

Engaging Spaces

How to ensure a truly engaging worship space, by design

In Pursuit of Family-Friendly Church Design

Expert advice — from the architects who envision these spaces and the church executives who recognized the need

How to Keep Your Design Within Budget

How to avoid cost overruns; building the building team; keeping the timeline on track

Q&A: Christian school design

If starting a school is on your church’s horizon, you’ll appreciate the advice of these two knowledgeable architecture experts.

SMALL SPACE. BIG IMPACT. Case Study Showcase

A kids' facility that's next-level cool • How to recapture unused square footage for new ministry • Achieving ministry vision — on a budget

Surveying the Church Design Landscape

The church trends we’re seeing today aren’t the same as 10 -- or even five -- years ago. An expert weighs in.

The Architect as Partner

Architects, pastors and a CFO talk about how to navigate -- or better yet, avoid -- the usual challenges of a church building project

where light learns to speak®

• How to choose the right stained glass studio • A guide to stained glass window restoration • Protective covering: an integral part of preservation

BEST PRACTICES FORUM: Fundraising & Generosity

• Using giving data to strengthen your discipleship path • 6 ways to engage major donors • Engage churchgoers by incorporating giving technologies

BEST PRACTICES FORUM: Technology

• Church data matters, because people matter • Apps that engage • Make giving simple

Capital Stewardship Success Stories

How 6 pastors -- with 6 different church growth & building projects -- funded their visions, raising between $5 million and $24 million+

Creating a Culture of Generosity

Engaging first-time givers; 3 myths about church giving technology; best practices for reaching budget goals

Creating a Culture of Generosity (Vol. 2)

Mobile giving for multisites; using giving data for ministry; how mobile giving cuts staff time & heartache -- and more

DONOR ENGAGEMENT HANDBOOK

Ways to nurture your community and inspire generosity

Fully Funded, FINALLY

Fully funding the operating budget with digital giving; 5 surprising facts about church giving; growing giving by 372% over three years

GIVING MADE EASY

How to choose the right platforms for your unique church — common mistakes, engaging first-time givers, considerations around congregational culture, and more

How to Retain & Expand Supporters Through Digital Giving: A Remote Roundtable

• How to use “social listening” to get more donations for your church • 5 steps to turn non-givers into givers

In Sync & On Target

How giving consistency -- across multiple campuses -- drives better ministry, increased magnanimity & more efficient church management

Intelligent Church Giving

3 ways to engage Millennial givers; why creating a generous culture starts with the pastor; bridging the gap between the business office and the pastoral…

Make Giving Click

Expert advice for using technology to identify, engage & cultivate first-time givers

Maximizing Generosity During the Christmas Season

3 experts share tried-and-true strategies

MAXIMIZING YEAR-END GIVING

Strategies for using technology to encourage giving all year round

Planned Giving

What it is, how it works, and the results your church can expect

Remote Roundtable: Maximizing Year-End Giving

How to enable cashless generosity; 4 steps to turn year-end donors into regular donors -- and much more

Strategies for Cultivating Major Gifts

Did you know your church management software -- and the data within it -- can be a big help?

Sustained Giving Strategies

Tried-and-true advice for driving a predictable cash flow at your church

Church Cafés

How to create a cafe with purpose & run it successfully

Cloud-Based, Cost-Effective Church Communications

Why moving your phone system to the cloud makes so much sense -- plus, member-, guest- and seeker-friendly strategies

BEST PRACTICES FORUM: Technology

• Church data matters, because people matter • Apps that engage • Make giving simple

How to Drive Connection & Assimilation Using Church Management Software: Expert Advice

• What effective assimilation looks like • High tech for high touch • Shopping for a new ChMS? 10 questions

Get Smart About Expansion

How ChMS data can help you make an educated new-campus decision

How Data Can Drive Better Ministry

Your church management software is a treasure trove of actionable information … but only if you know how to mobilize it.

STAYING CONNECTED BEYOND SUNDAY

Tried-and-true strategies — plus, how technology can come alongside your best efforts

Capital Planning for Churches

Capital plans 101: what they are & why you need one -- plus, the spiritual benefits of capital planning

Church Facility Stewardship

The 4 pillars to good facility stewardship -- plus, case studies & the cost of not investing *now*

Best Practices Forum: Financial Stewardship

What lenders look for • Does your church really need financial reserves? • When refinancing makes sense

Church Financial Planning

Decoding the refinancing process • Borrowing vs. capital campaigns • Facility re-purposing pros & cons • Ministry expansion financing: 10 tips

Church Investment Solutions

Making the case for church investments; why good governance = good giving; the problem with managing cash

Church Metrics Powered by Cloud Technology

What a 'metric' is, how to interpret it, and how it relates to ministry -- plus, the top 10 sustaining metrics for churches, defined

Finance & Lending Trends

Religious institution financing truths (regardless of the lending climate) -- plus, a roadmap for successfully funding your new building ... and more!

Financial Management for Christian Schools

Best practices for starting a Christian school; navigating the process; 3 common "balancing acts" to be aware of

Metrics That Drive Sustainability

What gets measured, gets managed -- expert advice for understanding church metrics & making them work for better ministry

Using Data to Make Better Ministry Decisions

How innovative churches are making their decisions through data -- and how to enrich an empowered discipleship by leveraging technology

Administrative Best Practices for Church Leaders

4 critical areas of focus: • Health insurance • Disaster relief • Retirement planning • Social Security

Church Hiring & Staff Management

Leadership that goes the distance; 5 ways to recruit and retain the right people

Employment Law Pitfalls

Your most pressing questions about wrongful termination, harassment and discrimination lawsuits in churches, answered

Insurance Essentials

4 tips for childcare safety • How to prevent theft, fraud & embezzlement • Cyber security • 3 potential threats as your church expands

Board Governance

Congratulations! You’ve been asked to serve on your church’s board ... now what?

EXPERT Q&A: CHURCHES AS SAFE SPACES

Understanding the ins and outs of the sanctuary movement for houses of worship

Advancements in MDiv & DMin Training

How seminaries and universities are making graduate studies more accessible for busy full-time church leaders

Advancements in MDiv & DMin Training

For busy full-time church leaders, an MDiv or DMin degree might seem out of reach. Here’s the reality.

Continuing Education (Presented by: Hood Theological Seminary)

The pursuit of advanced education: perspectives from full-time pastors -- plus, social relevance training

Continuing Education (Presented by: Regent University)

Seminary students details their paths to the right study options for them

Continuing Education (Presented by: Villanova University)

Management skills for more effective ministry; make time for pastoral education; online options for busy pastors

Counseling Training Options for Pastors

Expert perspectives on the counseling expectations of church leaders today; plus, common pitfalls, and how to rise to the challenge

Equipping Pastors for Counseling

Church leaders are being called on to provide counseling for an ever-widening array of issues their members face. Are you prepared?

Leadership Development Options for Busy Church Leaders

Which skills are most in-demand today — and how can you make this training work for you?

Leadership Training Options for Pastors

The leadership and management skills development that are most in-demand among busy church leaders -- and how online education helps

LEADERSHIP TRAINING FOR PASTORS: A Remote Roundtable Discussion

3 continuing education experts examine the most in-demand offerings -- plus, making them work with pastors’ demanding schedules

Making Continuing Education Work for Busy Pastors

Online & satellite MDiv, DMin options you should know about

MAKING DISTANCE LEARNING WORK

For busy pastors, it offers a flexible, efficient and cost-effective way to pursue an advanced degree. Here, five experts survey the landscape.

Profiles in Learning (Presented by: Ashland Theological Seminary)

Flipping the script on seminary study: a uniquely residential -- and communal -- option

JASON HAYES: Creating a Culture of Generosity in a Church Plant -- Shoreline Church

How data & analytics drove a $635,000 one-day offering and laid the foundation for generosity

ADRIENNE WILLICH & ELIZABETH SHAUGHNEY:

How the Archdiocese of Washington standardized reporting for 139 parishes, 63 schools & 4,500 staff

BOB CHURCH & SAGEBRUSH CHURCH: Funding expansion with fluidity, familiarity

Eleven years of "explosive" growth at Sagebrush has created a need for creative, flexible lending options.

BOBBY HART & FIRST BAPTIST TULSA: Defying space & thriving downtown

Despite being landlocked, the church recently finished 92,000+ square feet of stunning new preschool, children's & adult education space.

CLAY SCROGGINS & NORTH POINT COMMUNITY CHURCH: Leveraging influence at every level

The author of "How to Lead When You’re Not in Charge: Leveraging Influence When You Lack Authority" talks about leading left, right & up

COLLIN LUCAS & CORNERSTONE FELLOWSHIP OF LIVERMORE: Bigger vision = better alignment + larger lending needs

How Lucas' secular business background has proven instrumental in helping build -- and fund intelligently -- the church’s rapidly expanding infrastructure

DR. WAYLON BAILEY & FBC COVINGTON: Highly relational, by design

In form and function, relationship is at the heart of everything FBC Covington does as a church. Here’s how that commitment translates into its design.

GARY HAMRICK & CORNERSTONE CHAPEL: Make yourself at home

The path to Cornerstone Chapel's new home -- a 108,000-square-foot, ski lodge-style facility on the outskirts of Washington, DC -- wasn't without a few bumps

JEFF WILSON & SEVERNS VALLEY BAPTIST CHURCH: A heart for the ministry of building & construction

This huge project finished on time and under budget, all with an expanded scope. Here’s how.

JOEL GUTHRIE: Harnessing tech trends to drive real-world engagement, growth

A church planting family. Worship and youth leader. Audio engineering student. Impressive tech marketing career. It all makes Guthrie the ideal Church Engagement Podcast host.

JOEL SIMS & WORD OF LIFE CHURCH: Leading a legacy

With $29.4 million in building projects completed, Word of Life's story started with a late pastor’s vision and culminated with his son’s own unique legacy.

MATT KAUTZKY & BLACKHAWK CHURCH:

Spanning 130,000+ square feet, Blackhawk Church transitioned from a (scraps of) paper-based facilities management system to an intuitive platform — all with zero downtime.

ON THE MONEY

3 financial experts tackle church leaders' biggest challenges

RICK HOLLIDAY & NORTH POINT: Technology + engagement = growth

Examining the 4-step engagement process at one of America's largest and fastest-growing churches

RICK LORIMER & CHRIST PLACE CHURCH: Beating the construction budget -- and exceeding expectations

How transparency, ministry experience, integrity -- and a lot of patience! -- delivered a $7.2-million church construction project under budget

RISE FROM THE ASHES

How historic First Baptist Church Magee rebuilt -- better than ever -- after a $2-million fire

SHANE WARREN & THE ASSEMBLY: A (construction) course correction

After facing many pastors’ worst nightmare — essentially ‘starting over’ on a $15-million building project — the result is even better than imagined.

SIMEON MAY, PHILL MARTIN & THE CHURCH NETWORK:

Equipping the ministry of church management for 60+ years

TOM LUNAK & CALVARY CHAPEL FORT LAUDERDALE: An informed approach to refinancing drives church growth

When this large church's loan approached maturity a few years ago, Lunak knew exactly what to look for in a refinancing partner.

Pastor-Friendly Audio

Choosing the best mic for your message • Are your wireless mics illegal? • The REAL cost of audio equipment • Training the tech team

Pastor-Friendly A/V Integration

Technology is one of your biggest line items -- so, choose wisely

Pastor-Friendly Microphones

Pro tips for miking instruments; picking the pastor's mic; mic handling do's & don'ts -- and more

Pastor-Friendly Sound Systems

Know your system component options; specifying a church sound system; making the case for a sound consultant -- and more

Pastor-Friendly Sound Systems (Volume 2)

Delivering old-world sound in a modern sanctuary; outdoor sanctuary audio; discrete sound elements

Pastor-Friendly Video

LED display walls 101 (and placement suggestions) • Case study: Saddleback Church • The St. Andrew's mission for new video displays

Streaming Made Simple

Streaming is a key form of communication to audiences and viewers around the world — including for church leaders.

Active Shooter Awareness & Training

Examining the very real threat of an active-shooter situation -- and what can your church can do to mitigate it

ADVANCEMENTS IN VOLUNTEER SCREENING

Proven strategies to keep your people safe — from recognizing red flags to re-screening practices, cost considerations, and navigating potentially sensitive conversations

When Children Are at Risk

What makes churches targets for sexual abuse risks -- plus, expert screening, background check and check-in / check-out processes

Church Security & Surveillance

Expert advice for helping to prevent — and, if necessary, respond to — a security emergency on your campus

Disaster Prevention & Recovery Best Practices

Best practices to employ before, during and after disaster strikes -- and the communication tools that should be in every church’s toolbox

Disaster Recovery & Communications

Practical, expert advice for a scary subject

Do Mission Trips Put Your Religious Organization at Risk?

Expert advice for protecting your members, staff and volunteers while they’re abroad

Insurance Essentials

4 tips for childcare safety • How to prevent theft, fraud & embezzlement • Cyber security • 3 potential threats as your church expands

Keeping Kids Safe & Secure

Experts in the fields of risk management and background checks share best practices for the care of children within the church

Never Again (Volume 1)

Defining "risk control"; preventing sexual misconduct; balancing religious freedom and employment rights ... and much more

Never Again: Beyond Insurance (Volume 2)

Risk management strategies for volunteer labor -- plus, risk avoidance, risk retention & risk control

Never Again: Beyond Insurance (Volume 3)

How to protect your church when enlisting outside providers; overseeing youth; a 6-step process to moving "beyond insurance"

Protecting the Church's Children

How location, culture and human predilection can weaken the systems designed to protect youth in your church's care -- and what you can do about…

Protecting the Kids in Your Care

Expert advice for protecting the church’s children against sexual abuse and bullying — plus, how to mitigate internet-use risks

Saved by the Sensor!

5 tech experts explain (in plain English) how these little, easy-to-install innovations can save your church's life -- or, at the very least, its budget

Selecting the Right Bus for Your Church

Leading church transportation experts help you choose wisely + ensure that bus operation and maintenance are safe and risk-free

Selecting the Right Bus for Your Church

How to make sure you get the best, safest bus for your most precious cargo