Why you need a child safety training system in your church.
Better Safe Than Sorry by Ben Crawshaw When parents drop off their kids at various places in your church, they should feel confident about their safety. This means that your church is ready for the expected and the unexpected. You have the right policies, and the right people, in place. A Child Safety Training system helps…
Read More10 Steps to a Baptism Video
by Ben Crawshaw Step One: Have a place for people to express interest in getting baptized Whether you have a volunteer at an information table with a paper application or a link on your church website with an electronic application, you need to have a predetermined place where people can show interest in getting baptized.…
Read More7 Principles for Preaching to the Unchurched
by Vince Antonucci I know a married couple named Dallas and Ann Stamper. Ann was kind of marginally unchurched. She had grown up going to church but hadn’t really gone in years. She wanted to try it again, and thought they should raise their kids in church. Dallas was totally unchurched. He was vehemently against…
Read MoreAre your processes streamlined, or are they random?
by Ben Crawshaw Regardless of the size, denomination, or location of your church, you have processes. The question is … are those processes streamlined and effective? Or random and chaotic? In this video, I talk about what the most effective churches do differently than those that struggle. Watch the video and answer the question for…
Read MoreThe 8 Systems No Church Should Be Without
Is your lack of SYSTEMS causing your church stress … especially this time of year? Well … you’re not alone. An estimated 72,000 churches in America lack the clear cut systems that are necessary for operating effectively and without unnecessary stress. So what are these systems … well, they can be boiled down to eight different…
Read More10 Tips To Planning An Excellent Worship Service
by Todd Fields 1. Dim The Lights During Worship A simple change in lighting during the music set can improve the worship experience for people who may be uncomfortable or nervous that everyone can see them. 2. Encourage Worship Leaders To Memorize Songs If they know the song, they don’t need a music stand. If…
Read More7 Side Effects Of Leadership Hoarding
Not giving away leadership. We’ve seen it countless times in local churches. Senior pastors in local churches say they want to build a preaching team. They hire a staff of talented communicators. These communicators are young, energetic, charismatic, and funny. They add tremendous life and vitality to the church. People are naturally drawn to them…
Read MoreHow To Win As A Small Group Leader
I was a teenager in the 90’s when Clueless was a blockbuster, the macarana was the rage and Michael Jordan was king. But as awesome as the 90’s were, there was a different type of church culture. Teenagers weren’t seen was valuable assets to the church. Serving in the church was only available for after…
Read MoreHow to Systematize Pastoral Care
I’ll be honest. I’ve seen pastoral care and counseling catch a lot of pastors off guard. They were ready for sermon prep, budget management, volunteer recruitment, weddings, funerals, and board meetings. But they weren’t ready for the consistent requests from congregation members to “meet with them.” Now you be honest… Is pastoral counseling draining to…
Read MoreHow to Create a “Broke-Proof” Church in 2017
YIKES! 86% of churches in America are at break-even or broke. Sobering statistic. That means that only 14% of churches collect more in tithes and offerings that their budget requires for operating. Twelve years ago, I was on staff at a church. Because I was responsible for the Sunday bulletin every week, I got to…
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