In a recent Church Wellness Project, the Metrics team grasped the concept of measuring outcomes and saw the importance of doing so.
While watching a recent tribute to Michael Jackson, referred to by many as the King of Pop, I realized that Jackson bore, in his life, much resemblance to King David of the Bible.
Some advice gets repeated so frequently that we stop hearing it. “Take an umbrella,” for example. And, “Clean up after yourself.”
If homes keep burning to the ground should each of us buy a bucket, or should all of us build a fire station?
Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. (John 12:24)
A client recently completed a report on best practices in Spiritual Development. It made me tired just to read it.
Question for church members everywhere: Where is your pastor going on vacation this summer?
At some schools serving low-income neighborhoods, nearly every student is eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.
“Mrs. Duffield!” was initially all I heard as my head broke the surface of the water. My children’s swim coach was shouting at me from poolside.
Listening to members’ questions can take many forms, from surveys to a simple exercise we recommend in the Church Wellness Project: at Sunday services, pass out 3 x 5 cards and ask members what one question they would pose to God.
Midway – adv.: in the middle of the way or distance; halfway.
Sometime this summer, four things need to happen:
The news sounds frightening. Since the first of the year, Christianity Today Incorporated has shuttered six of its magazines and sold a seventh.
After seven months of consulting with a large Presbyterian congregation in North Carolina, I finally got a chance to worship with them on Mothers Day.
“There is a new wind blowing through the sometimes musty halls of American Christian churches, and it is sweeping away the hypocrisy, lack of social concern, and unnecessary cultural baggage accumulated by the mainstream churches through the years.
“What did you bring us? Mom, what’d you bring us?” That is always the chorus from my children upon my return from any overnight trip, never mind that some trips are to exotic locals such as Winnsboro, S.C.
My two favorite restaurants in New York City are Cafe con Leche, a plain Caribbean place at 96th and Amsterdam and, 10 blocks farther down Amsterdam, a tiny hamburger joint called Harriet’s Kitchen, which does mostly delivery business.
In years past, national news magazines have published holy week cover articles announcing the death of Jesus and the death of God. This year, God and Jesus survived, but Christian America died.
Easily gathered metrics like Sunday attendance are useful but deceptive.
I have rewritten the Young Adult Ministry section on the Church Wellness Web site (www.churchwellness.com) at least five times in the past few weeks.
So Amendment 08-B is coming up short. It is not going to pass (see. p. 6). Nobody is rejoicing.
Red Letter Christians are the new Evangelicals.
Consistent and accurate metrics can provide two overarching benefits.
The blessing-curse of a reputation is that we tend to live up to it.
Family members may think that taking their children to Sunday School is their main act of Christian education, but what they do seven days a week is most critical.
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