How far in advance of the new calendar year's Sermon Calendar do you start the planning process? When we're "firing on all cylinders," we begin the planning process the first week in October. The process starts with preparation for "data day," a meeting or two during which we look at the current year's measures and other inputs in preparation for a discussion about the coming year. The discussion includes the … [Read more...]
Creating Moments
"Words To Live By" From Intentional Churches' New Book
From the new book Intentional Churches ... Now, if you have one or two moments that you hope to create each week, what if your whole team were on board? What if the greeters were aware of the exact moment you were going to push for a response? They would be primed to keep distractions to a minimum. What if your children’s ministries knew what was happening in the worship center? They would be ready to answer … [Read more...]
Preparing For The Upcoming Ministry Season
Reflecting On What's Making The "Front Burner" As The Summer Winds Down And The Fall Season Approaches
Being an executive pastor now for more than 12 years, I've definitely grown accustom to changing ministry seasons and shifting priorities accordingly. This time of year is all about getting ready for the fall/winter season. People will be coming back to church ... vacations over and kids back in school, etc. Here's a listing of topics making the list as "high priorities" at this time of year: Growth … [Read more...]