4 ways to shift church culture from apathy to expectation of growth
An apathetic church lacks enthusiasm for Great Commission work. Can you muster through apathy and be obedient to God’s commands?
Sam Rainer
Op-ed Contributor
Sam Rainer is president of Church Answers and pastor at West Bradenton Baptist Church in Florida.
The best metric to determine evangelistic health in your church
I fear too many churches are sitting still and becoming apathetic with evangelism. Unfortunately, this apathy means fewer people are hearing the Gospel. It’s time to move outward again.
Shifting your church out of survival mode and into hopeful optimism
If God can save any person, then He can also save any church. It’s time for churches to be optimistic.
Why work from home won’t work for the Church
Long gone are the days of required office hours from 9 to 5 on Mondays through Fridays. Good riddance. Pastors don’t need to sit at desks for hours each day.
Is Gen Z more likely to attend church than millennials? The surprising answer
Are the trends reversing? Could younger people return to church in greater numbers?
How sensible pastors react to harsh public criticism
Public criticism is an inevitable part of pastoral ministry. It will happen but hopefully not often. You are especially vulnerable when the complaints are overly harsh and out in the open. Sensible shepherds will respond in a way that benefits the Church, even if it hurts personally.
When I held 4-year-old whose mom died of fentanyl, cocaine overdose
The turning point for me occurred at a funeral. I was holding a four-year-old child I did not know. His mother had passed away after overdosing on a dangerous mix of fentanyl and cocaine. The family contacted our church and asked for a pastor to officiate the funeral. I’ll never forget the young boy’s words.
Leading a church when the wrong people hold power
There are churches with misaligned power structures in desperate need of good pastors. What if you end up in such a situation? Leading without power requires informal authority.
Prayer walking can revitalize a church. Do you believe that?
The problem is not enough churches are emphasizing this spiritual discipline. Those that do are seeing powerful results.
Churches are getting less of total charitable giving. Here’s why.
What can you do to help build trust in your church finances? Small steps can make a big difference.
