Mary, Mary, quite contrary
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockle shells
And pretty maids all in a row.
For the past generation, one of the hottest topics among pastors and church leaders has been church growth. "Pastor, Pastor, quite contrary, how does your garden grow?" Theories abound and models for 'doing church' come and go like teenage fashion fads. But in the middle of all ...
A Jewish man was traveling on a trip from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes and money, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road . …Then a despised Samaritan came along and when he saw the man, he felt deep pity. Luke 10:30-33
I was on a plane from Chicago to Milwaukee. I had asked for a seat with an empty seat beside it because I ...
DEVOTIONS Love For The Outcast The person we despise most may be the person God wants us to reach most. Jill Briscoe
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Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, ...
Churches effective in outreach connect with the cultural, economic, and social aspects of their communities. This exercise will help your team identify connection points in your community and match community needs with church strengths.
1. Identify
Understand your neighborhood. On a map of your local community, draw a circle with your church at the center. If your church is located in a densely populated area, draw only a three- or five-mile radius. If you're in a rural setting, use an approximate average driving distance of your current membership to establish the circumference.
6 Ways to Care Varied strategies for a church to help people in need. Dale Ryan
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Every church wants to be known as a church that cares. And most congregations realize the key to effectiveness is having lay people respond to a wide variety of members' needs. But how? Which structures work best?
1. Friendship Strategy: When Nancy and her family moved to our town, her husband, John, wasn't a Christian. His first involvement with our church was playing on our softball team. He made ...
ARTICLE Too Busy to Serve? Can a purposeful church leader stop long enough to personally help individuals along the road? Wayne Jacobsen
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"What if the priest and Levite passed by the beaten man on the Jericho road, not because they lacked compassion, but because they were running late to a discipleship group or an important board meeting?"
My college professor's application of the Good Samaritan parable didn't fully register until I'd been in professional ministry for nearly 20 years. I'd walked past so many who could have used my help ...
In most cases it takes the starting of new ministries to attract new people and give them an opportunity for the love of Christ to be shown. But what ministry should you start? Here are eight questions to answer.
1. Who is our audience?
Reaching the whole world with the gospel is the mission of the Christian faith, but life-giving churches recognize that the world is made up of many different audiences. ...
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