BY NATHAN ROSE When I became the pastor of Liberty Baptist Church in March of 2012, our average Sunday morning worship attendance hovered around 120. However, our membership rolls recorded a total of 654 members! This meant over 80% of our congregation had not participated in the life of the church for at least a year. One of my first …
I love Sundays. I love the anticipation that starts on Saturday night when all my children bathe and lay out their clothes before they go to sleep. I love seeing friends we haven’t seen all week and how much my church family enjoys each other. I love the liturgy of worship and hearing God’s word proclaimed. I love taking the …
By Seth Brown, Biblical Recorder Journalism plays a key role in Southern Baptist life. Yet, like most secular press outlets today, our news agencies appear to be caught in a struggle for relevance. Do Southern Baptists believe reliable information and inspiring stories add any value to our partnerships and missions efforts? That’s the question we must answer. Many people in …
3 financial principles to have and to hold for as long as you both shall live. BY GREG LOVE You’ve heard them, likely performed them (and maybe even said them) before — the refrain of traditional wedding vows from one beloved to another as a promise to uphold their commitment “for better or for worse, in sickness and in health …
This year I celebrated my 30th year in pastoral ministry. The years have flown by like a flock of geese heading south for the winter. Those years have been filled with countless weddings, funerals, counseling sessions, staff and Elders meetings, hospital visits, sermon preps, writing projects, mission trips, church planting adventures, seminary classes, and denominational meetings. During those years, I’ve had …
BY GREG LOVE First of all — you’re not alone in your uphill battle against debt. “Save more and spend less” is consistently one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions. And for good reason. 49% of full-time working adults in the United States — polled across generations from millennials to Gen Xers to baby boomers — say they find it difficult to …
By Jeff Palmer This is the third blog in a series of discussions about a biblical, sustainable missions strategy for your church. Question 2– Does this project involve, empower, and enhance the development of local believers? On the surface, this question looks identical to the first one. However, this question focuses specifically on the involvement, empowerment, and enhancement of local believersin …
BY GREG LOVE There’s something about the Christmas season that makes us want to view our cup of coffee as half full, not half empty. This time of year has us overflowing with thankfulness and optimism! However, in the delight and busyness of the holiday season, don’t allow your church to become distracted from managing potential risks. For example, do …
In the previous post, I talked about the importance of evaluating your church’s missions strategy to make sure it results in long-term, sustainable change and the intentional spread of the gospel message. Over the next seven blogs, I will provide valuable questions to help you assess your church’s approach to missions. Question 1: Does this missions project involve, empower, and enhance …
By Jeff Palmer “Hey pastor, I just got back from a trip to Kenya and I was touched by the needs I saw there, especially the need for clean water. I’d love to rally our church to build a water well. What do you think?” As a church leader, you’ve probably heard that question before, or at least one like …
