Here, we are discussing the 9 essentials for endless possibilities in ministry. Ever entered a new season?  Maybe it’s the start to the calendar year or maybe it’s September or maybe it’s just something new in your life. If you’re like me I am so pumped for what new seasons have in store for you…

People Want To Be Generous! Cultivating generosity is key. My wife and I watched a 12-year old BBC television series called Monarch of the Glen not long ago. It’s a lightweight, fun program with all sorts of interesting dramatic twists and turns. A number of episodes into the series, a 30-something female banker has come…

When churches work hard and try new things to get the word out, I love it! But sometimes things don’t pan out the way pastors think. Many times that’s simply because the approach could have been different. Marketing mistakes in ministry are all too common. This is not an indictment on churches. We love the…

After 2,014 churches took the Church Marketing Strength Assessment, we discovered 8 specific breakthrough findings that will help you see the growth you desire. What are growing churches doing? And what are flat or declining churches not doing? That’s what you’ll see in this brief summary of the 8 breakthrough findings revealed. (NOTE: To our…

You’ve likely spent a number of hours this year praying about ways your church can reach more people. You’ve probably already read a few books, blogs, and maybe even attended a church conference. You may have a few new outreach ideas that you and your board are praying about doing this year or next. Reaching…

Over the last few months The Hardy Group offered the Church Marketing Strength Assessment for pastors and church leaders. 2,014 churches responded giving us the most comprehensive analysis on that subject out there today. In the Assessment we asked 20 questions with three-answer (Yes, No, Don’t Know) options to each question. I want to zero…

You know how important location is for any organization. We hear it all the time — location, location, location. In fact, you’ve probably seen good businesses in your community go out of business simply because of crummy locations. Here, we are discussing digital church real estate. Now what if I told you that you can…

It seems there’s always more to do and not enough workers to get it done in the Church world.  Ever heard these? “We have more volunteers than we know what to do with.” “We don’t have enough rockers in our nurseries for all the volunteers.” “We’ve had to tell junior high adult workers that some…

In this blog, we will discuss the reasons not to compare your church. I was not the star of the play in 9th grade but I was IN the play. Yes, that’s right. Arsenic and Old Lace had a wonderful character, as small a part as he was, Officer Brophy. Sad to say I don’t…

It’s amazing what companies all around the world do to enhance their positions with their customer bases. Each company views their mission as important enough to make what and how they do business high priority. National and international companies like Chick-fil-A are constantly examining their relationships with their customers and how those customers feel about…

< The impact of communication in ministry is huge. In many ways it can make or a break the effectiveness of a new initiative or a ministry change. On today’s blog, I recommend a systematic approach to communication that can eliminate headaches and save you time in the long run. It all starts with understanding…

What does it mean to stay connected in ministry? How can your preaching affect this? Well, it’s safe to say preaching does contribute to a person’s desire to come back to church, although it may play less of a role than one might think. So maybe a better question is: If your preaching is good…

What is the #1 answer you should give to most opportunities? Pastors and church leaders will face tons of opportunities during their time in ministry. The key to moving the ministry forward is to stay focused on the right things. Yet these opportunities (even good ones) have the potential to distract the church’s focus and…

Do we or do we not? That is the question we often ask ourselves… Decisions in ministry can be tough… In life and ministry we are continually faced with making decisions. We wonder whether anyone notices the agony we go through trying to do it right. Sometimes the stakes are small; sometimes they are gargantuan.…

How is dreaming correlated to your ministry? Dreams vs. reality … Have you felt this tension when leading in ministry? More than likely you have experienced it … … but the question is, which of these consumes your thoughts? The fact is — we live in reality. Sunday prep … meetings … outreach events ……

(NOTE:  This is a blog on improving your church’s impact written with Easter in mind.  Read it with whatever event or occasion you have in front of you and you’ll be good to go. Applicable in all seasons!) Easter is coming soon! Easter Sunday for many churches is the most attended Sunday of the year.…

What could your ministry be like if you had more people? That’s a question many pastors and church leaders ask… … so today on the Leaders.Church video blog we want to briefly share with you 4 Tips for Recruiting Volunteers. These four items alone will help you see more people in ministry — and when…

How do you lead change? Don’t you love it when you suggest change to people and you get the, “I’m really not sure I want to do this” look in their eyes? This can be particularly challenging when you are working with a group of good people serving on the church board. So how is…

When a pastor or church leader surveys the landscape of the church, they normally see a plethora of wonderful ministries that are truly effective in fulfilling the mission of the church. That last thing they are thinking about is to stop ministry. However, there are times when that same leader suspects that an effective ministry…

Leading volunteers can be one of the most fulfilling tasks a pastor or church leader has the privilege of doing. At the same time, it is not without its challenges. Leadership at this level carries with it great opportunity. With its mission in the balance, it is important that you provide the best leadership possible…