What Does the Future Look Like for Smaller Churches?

by | Jan 17, 2014 | Opinion

Our nation is dotted with smaller churches.  Some have very effective ministries while others struggle to keep their doors open.  Some are led by student-pastors and others have found bivocational leadership; growing numbers are finding it difficult to find pastoral...

Coaches Help Wounded Pastors Return to Ministry

by | Oct 28, 2013 | Opinion

My doctor of ministry project focused on the impact of coaching for bivocational ministers. Several bivocational ministers were coached as part of this project. This study later became a book, and the following is an excerpt from one of the chapters. Pastor B...

What Does the Future Hold for Small Churches?

by | Oct 18, 2013 | Opinion

Gil Rendle’s book, “Journey in the Wilderness: New Life for Mainline Churches,” compares where the church is today with the wilderness journey Moses and the Israelites were on for 40 years.  Near the end of the book, Rendle specifically addresses the...

Small Churches and the Fear of Losing People

by | Sep 18, 2013 | Opinion

I received a call recently from a leader in a small church about an ongoing problem in their church. A controller continued to create problems in the church that resulted in people leaving. Unfortunately, this is not an uncommon problem. We know controllers and their...