As you discover your church values, how can you know if they are the right ones? A good value should meet at least seven criteria:

Adapted from Values-Driven Leadership.  Used by permission of Baker Books, a division of Baker Book House Company, copyright © 1996.  All rights to this material are reserved.  Materials are not to be distributed to other web locations for retrieval, published in ...

Topics:	Core values, Direction, Evaluation, Goals, Master plan, Objectives, Planning, Vision
Filters:	Church board, Deacon, Discipleship, Elder, Outreach, Pastor
Purpose:	Discipleship
References:	1 Corinthians 3:10-15
Date Added:	July 31, 2007

Planting and harvesting are two different seasons. Confuse the two in evangelism and you may waste precious seed. Some questions to ask before witnessing to others:

1. Am I proceeding with both zeal and wisdom? While in college, a friend and I decided to make an evangelistic foray onto the local university campus. We wandered around until we saw a student who seemed like a good prospect. We gave little ...

Topics:	Culture, Evangelism, Outreach, Relevance, Seekers, Spiritual friendship, Unchurched, Visitors & guests
Filters:	Church staff, Elder, Evangelism, Hospitality, Outreach, Pastor, Youth pastor
Purpose:	Evangelism
References:	Acts 18:24-28, 1 Corinthians 3
Date Added:	July 31, 2007

Planting and harvesting are two different seasons. Confuse the two in evangelism and you may waste precious seed. Some questions to ask before witnessing to others:

1. Am I proceeding with both zeal and wisdom? While in college, a friend and I decided to make an evangelistic foray onto the local university campus. We wandered around until we saw a student who seemed like a good prospect. We gave little ...

Topics:	Culture, Evangelism, Outreach, Relevance, Seekers, Spiritual friendship, Unchurched, Visitors & guests
Filters:	Church staff, Elder, Evangelism, Hospitality, Outreach, Pastor, Youth pastor
Purpose:	Evangelism
References:	Acts 18:24-28, 1 Corinthians 3
Date Added:	July 31, 2007

Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Community Church and author of The Purpose-Driven Church (Zondervan), gives leaders a scorecard to assess church vitality.

Why do you say health should replace growth as the focal point for church leaders?

Rick Warren: Because size is not the issue. You can be big and healthy, or big and flabby. You can be small and healthy, or small and wimpy. Big isn't better; small ...

Topics:	Authenticity, Core values, Growth, Health, Leadership, Vision
Filters:	Church board, Deacon, Discipleship, Elder, Outreach, Pastor
Purpose:	Ministry
References:	1 Corinthians 3:7-13, Ephesians 4:11-16
Date Added:	July 31, 2007

1 Corinthians 3:12–13

The church I served decided to mother a new church with me as the founding pastor. We had everything going for us. We had prime property in a fast-growing community. We had a superb nucleus of believers. And we had me, a young pastor entering his prime.

But to our astonishment and resounding disappointment, we didn't grow. In fact, by the middle of our second year, we typically ...

Topics:	Attitudes, Character, Core values, Fellowship, Goals, Health, Human limitations, Motivation
Filters:	Church board, Committee member, Discipleship, Pastor, Volunteer
Purpose:	Discipleship
References:	1 Corinthians 3:12-13
Date Added:	September 26, 2007

Generally, at least four broad types of ministry for missions come into view: (1) church planting, (2) church nurture and leadership training, (3) translation and media, and (4) mercy. Each has a particular and unique role to play.

Some key questions that any church should ask include the following: 

First, do our church-planting plans have a strategic focus emphasizing the needs of ...

Topics:	Communication, Missional, Missions, Outreach, Short-term missions, Strategy, Vision
Filters:	Evangelism, Missionary, Missions, Outreach, Pastor
Purpose:	Discipleship
References:	John 4:35, 1 Corinthians 3:12, Ephesians 2:21-22
Date Added:	October 02, 2007