Nobody tries to alienate people that are visiting church. As ministry leaders, we should be as inclusive as possible without sacrificing the message of the gospel. Even so, churches across the country are accidentally excluding potential attendees by simply forgetting what it’s like to be new. We need to be intentional about what we do, what …
This is a guest post by fellow Tribe Writer, Rachel Larkin. Rachel lives in New Zealand with her husband and their three young adult sons. She is the author of Simple Prayer: The Guide for Ordinary People Seeking the Extraordinary. She writes about growing in faith and developing your potential on her website rachellarkin.com. She is also a …
I have been a pastor for almost 15 years. In that time, some funny and relatively bizarre things have been said to me. Don’t get the idea that anything here makes me mad, or that I’m frustrated with being a pastor. I love my congregation and have a lot of patience. Plus, I’ve said some …
When I first got started in ministry many years ago, I worked with a few people who were perfectionists. I thought I was supposed to be that way too. I wanted everything in the church to be 100% flawless, the music, the video, the sermons, the coffee! I wanted the church to be as good …
If you’re a pastor, then you should be writing. Ok, wait! Before you start with a list of excuses just hear me out (besides, I know all the excuses because I regularly used them to avoid my responsibility as a writer). Truthfully, I have had an on-again, off-again relationship with writing since 2003. It’s something …
This is a guest post by fellow Tribe Writer, Melissa Joan Walker. Melissa is a teacher and writer. Her focus is the pursuit of spirituality and the search for God. You can read her work at melissajoanwalker.com. Get her free Ebook “20 Simple Ways to Connect with God (Even When You Don’t Believe)” by signing …
A while ago I was asked to be a part of a local pastor’s ordination ceremony. As a new pastor myself, this was a first for me and I was excited to be a part of it. That Sunday morning, I took my place on the stage with several other pastors. As the ceremony started, …
Note: this is a non-paid endorsement. I love this planner and I think you might like it too. That’s why I’m writing about it. I’ve just discovered the Full Focus Planner and I love it. Designed by Michael Hyatt, the Full Focus Planner is a great tool to help you stay focused and productive while …
They say, “all good things must come to an end.” Often, that is true when it comes to the relationship you have with your church family. Leaving is never easy but in some cases it is necessary. In a previous post, I suggested that there were some very terrible reasons for leaving a church. But, …
I have been a pastor for almost 15 years. In that time I’ve seen my share of people leave our church. Sometimes they go nicely, and for good reason. Other times they leave in a hail storm of controversy and bitterness. Believe it or not, sometimes leaving a church is the right thing to do. …