Church Health
10 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.…
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Are 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…
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The 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…
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7 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…
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How 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…
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How 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…
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How 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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3 Ways To Make A Difference As Small Group Leader
We moved to a new city when my oldest daughter was in Kindergarten. And when we looked for a church home, one of the most important things for us was location. We wanted a church close enough that it wouldn’t be intimating to invite our neighbors. Now, while this effort was noble, I didn’t take…
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Staff Members & Hard Conversations
Let’s be real, pastors. Sometimes your staff members mess up. Sometimes, they fall into bad habits or patterns that need to be addressed by you, the leader. Most people don’t like conflict. But it’s necessary if you want to have a healthy team and organization. Sometimes you can ask questions that allow people to point…
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HOW TO REINFORCE VISION TO YOUR VOLUNTEERS
Vision. When people ask you things like, “What’s your church all about?” Or, “As a leader, what’s your goal for your church?” they’re referring to vision. They want to know where you’re leading people. Vision is about more than the number of people who show up. It’s the why behind what you do or don’t…
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