Author: Administrador

Tips for Creative Ways to Say, “Thank You!”• Write a note to your staff, thanking the mmembers for their individual contributions.• Write a pastoral note of thanks on year-end financial contribution statements.• Write a pastoral letter of thanks to the congregation.• Send a weekly email to people who have made special contributions or given extraordinary … Continue reading “10 Other Ways to Say Thank You in the Church”

In a recent article, George Bullard writes: “Richard Nixon did not break into the Watergate office building. Joe Paterno did not sexually abuse boys. Yet to the best of our knowledge both were involved in a cover up. Often it is the cover up of bad things—Can we still use the actual word sin?—that gets everyone … Continue reading “Church Cover Ups”

Does your church waste God’s resources? What do we mean by that? We are sure you have stuff hanging around your church, stuffed in closet, stacked in cabinets, put in storage, etc. Our question is, are you ever going to use that old stuff again? If your church is like most churches, the answer is no. You will … Continue reading “Divvye Provides Resources on the Cheap”

Would anyone lie in church? (Quit laughing, Pastor.) Steve McVey has written 52 Lies Heard in Church Every Sunday (Harvest House), in which he confronts falsehoods such as, “You can go too far with grace,” or, “There are secular and sacred things in life.” Some of them aren’t so much lies as incomplete truths. This is … Continue reading “52 Lies Heard in Church Every Sunday”

“The Christian is the one whose imagination should fly beyond the stars.”—Francis Schaeffer The arts are jam-packed with bold statements. Laurel Gasque said this more simply, “Art, the silent one, speaks volumes.” Some of the statements the arts make are about God. These statements are sometimes implicit and are often explicit. Some of these proclamations about … Continue reading “Theology and Art”

Do you remember flying a kite as a child? Perhaps your initial attempts for lift-off were frustrated either because you lacked experience or there was poor wind movement. However, once the wind caught the kite and it seemingly was moving toward the third heaven, exhilaration immediately followed. Preacher, can you recall a parallel occasion when … Continue reading “An Extreme Takeover from a Friendly Force”

Did you know that your church possesses a unique culture? The culture I am referring to is not simply about race, ethnicity, educational background, socioeconomic class of your congregants or even the paintings, music or food that members prefer or consume. It is much more subtle. According to Andy Crouch in his book Culture Making: … Continue reading “The Preacher as Culture Maker: Creating a Church Culture Through Sermons”

Although we rejoice when a beloved friend passes from this life into the presence of the Lord, from our human perspective we sorrow at the loss. That is the way I feel at the loss of our dear brother Calvin Miller. Calvin passed away unexpectedly Sunday after complications from heart surgery. I was shocked—I had … Continue reading “Thank You, Calvin Miller”

Every pastor has prayed, “Lord, send a revival!” Gilbert Tennent (1703—1764) was one of the first pastors on American soil to have this prayer answered. Little did he know that revival fire ignited by the Holy Spirit in his church would become part of the raging fire we know as the First Great Awakening. After … Continue reading “Past Masters: Gilbert Tennent”

In a recent Pastors.com article, Rick Warren writes: If your sermons are meant to transform lives, then the titles you use must relate to life. Writing a great sermon title is an art you must develop constantly. I don’t know anyone who has mastered it. We all have our hits and misses. If the purpose of … Continue reading “Use Sermon Titles to Attract Listeners”