One of my associate pastors recently said, “I’ve been to churches that felt like going to a country club with Jesus music.” How sad, that many churches have become places that are void of redemptive passion. Where everyone is satisfied with the way things are and they see no need to get involved in reaching … Continue reading Reconnecting the Disconnected
#5 – Broken Systems. Many churches function as if they’ve arrived, as if they don’t need anything else, as if they’ve gotten all of God there is to get. They go through the motions week-after-week and settle with the mundane task of circling the wagons. Reality is no congregation has arrived at a place where they … Continue reading Five Reasons Churches Get Stuck
You can feel it in the air; God is up to something. The only thing we can do at this point is believe that God is who he says he is and that he can do what he says he can do. Sometimes it seems as though God asks us to do the impossible. However, … Continue reading Everything is Possible
The concept of ‘Christian Community’ is crucial for any church striving for health and effectiveness. There is an extreme sense of individualism that pervades our society. Jesus did not call us into individualism; he called us to embrace community. In the context of community, according to the bible, we discover our individual gifts and realize … Continue reading Intentional Christian Community
Everybody has a theology. That is to say, everyone has a perspective of God and a way in which they interact with that perspective. You are what you think. What you think about God is the most important thought you will ever have. Personal theology is ingrained in the human experience. Everyone views the world … Continue reading Theological Beings
For years I have been part of a church culture that employs an attractional approach to ministry. For too long we have relied on programs and uniformity to determine our worth. The tradition of the local church, in many instances, stems from an internal focus. We have mastered the art of entertainment, and we are … Continue reading Attractional to Incarnational
Shifting from a traditional to a missional focus proves to be complicated, and my church’s transition did not come without its share of difficulties. As the leadership team committed to developing a deeper understanding of mission, they also realized the importance of shaping a perspective beyond that of their traditional underpinning. In their commitment to … Continue reading Traditional to Missional
People leave churches for a variety of reasons. Financial difficulties, leadership transitions, ministry programs, etc. are the wrong reasons to leave a church. Others complain about the lack of children and youth ministries without ever getting involved and trying to help make a difference themselves. Other exit strategies include the following: “The worship leader refused … Continue reading Three Reasons To Leave A Church
“God comforts the disturbed and disturbs the comfortable” ~Shane Claiborne. It happens throughout Scripture. I’ve learned this firsthand. I was comfortable in ministry in a beautiful city, with a loving congregation, when suddenly God said, “It’s time to go.” It didn’t surprise me, because in my suburban comfort, I increasingly felt uneasy as I grew … Continue reading Embracing Discomfort
A church on mission is forward-thinking. Though it is respectful of the history and traditions that have been created behind it, it always looks to the future with great anticipation. It’s like hiking a high mountain; there are various campsites on the way up, but the goal is to reach the summit. We must move … Continue reading Mission Of Love
Brian L Powell 