Acts
Here's the sermon I'm preaching tomorrow. This is the 2nd in an 8-part series titled, "Seven Cultural Challenges Every Church Faces." This week we're dealing with the challenge of pluralism -- a culture of many faiths. I hope your Sunday is wonderful!
Genesis
Seven Cultural Challenges Every Church Faces: Secularism -- Why Don't People Go To Church Anymore? Today I am beginning a new sermon series titled, Seven Cultural Challenges Every Church Faces. During the next two months, we will examine the seven cultural challenges that I believe we must face
Congregation
In a National Association of Evangelicals survey from May, NAE board members polled were pessimistic about the growth of churches in the U.S.. However, according to the NAE website, there was overall optimism that Christianity would grow worldwide, but that growth would primarily occur Africa, South America, Asia, and
Congregation
Today our local TV station interviewed me about our latest project -- helping a man on disability fix his burned-out home so he can quit living in his tool shed. Here's the video that aired tonight on WSET, Lynchburg. http://www.wset.com/news/stories/0509/627105_video.
church as abbey
Les Puryear posted an interesting list of small church distinctives this week. His list got me to thinking about the possible differences in "old" small churches and "new" small churches. By "old" I mean what we typically think of as a small church whether
invite others
I led a couple of seminars at the Billy Graham School of Evangelism this week, but we're the ones who received a blessing by being there. Everything about the week was encouraging to the participants, including Debbie and me. The School of Evangelism staff was wonderful. This was
Leadership
Debbie and I are at The Cove this week. Today I led "Keys To Thriving in the Smaller Church" during two sessions this afternoon. I was told that we had the highest attendance of any of the afternoon seminars, which was great! Lots of small church pastors here
Leadership
I'm leading the Small Church Idea Forum at the National Outreach Convention 2009 in San Diego, CA on November 4-7, 2009. The NOC09 blog tour is stopping by today to leave some questions in the comment section. Click on the tiny number beside the "quote balloon"
church as abbey
Tonight I served as the "community host" for Family Night Out with No Reservations at one of our local restaurants. Families were invited to eat dinner together, and the idea was to get parents and kids talking about drug and alcohol issues during dinner. Kids under-12 ate free,
Community
Today this blog went over 200,000 views! Of course, you get all the credit because without you -- and a couple of hundred-thousand others -- Confessions of a Small-Church Pastor would never have reached this milestone. So, thanks for stopping by, or for reading by feedreader, or email, or
Community
Photo courtesy New York Times This is not a photo of a third world country. This is the new America for some in California. Tent cities are springing up from coast to coast as the unemployed lose their homes and apartments. I have visited countries in Asia where whole families
Leadership
Tim Avery at Christianity Today's Off The Agenda asked me to write an article on the way small churches are viewed by others. The result is Small Churches Need a Brand Revival, and I hope you read it. Here's how it starts: After the presidential election,