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Who should you design your church meetings “for”
At one level, this shouldn’t be a hard question… surely you design your meetings for the people who are meeting with you. So, since the meeting is for everyone – especially Christians (see the last post) – you have to… Continue reading
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Who should church be “for”?
This is a question that seems to cause grumbling, but that’s usually because those discussing it haven’t defined their terms, and the preposition “for” is very slippery. As such, these are all true… Church is for everyone! It’s a gathering… Continue reading
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Why would you give a volunteer access to church data?
There’s a few things to think about before you give people access to contact details and other data. You’re not giving them access, you’re appointing them with responsibility. There are certain things people should do, and not do with private… Continue reading
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Reblog: Abstract and concrete communication
For any field you can communicate a spectrum of things; from abstract ideas to concrete things. And in this sense, bible communication and organisation communication are no different. The trick is to realise that you don’t just have a personal… Continue reading
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Limiting your ministry to “with my spouse” only
On one hand, married couples have a great ability to focus and influence and care and endorse. I love married couples who do team ministry. It’s great. There are certain seasons of life where this can happen more and others… Continue reading
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My response to “Why shouldn’t women preach to men?”
(This would be one of the way’s I’d respond to someone who wanted to accept the bible’s teaching on male and female roles in ministry, but struggled to understand why God put them there.) If a gunman ran into your… Continue reading
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The wonderful idea of using an “umbrella of mercy” when talking
I can’t remember where we got this idea but it’s brilliant… our staff team has this phrase “umbrella of mercy”. It’s what we say before we say something that could be taken the wrong way, or something that might be… Continue reading
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Debunking the small-church-is-better myths (part 3)
There seems a common argument that small churches are – not just a valid alternative, but – a better alternative to big churches. Some of the arguments go… Myth: “Small-churches are more needy… Big churches have heaps of people!” Really?… Continue reading
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Reblog: An assumed strength is a double weakness
Beware the sin you don’t think you’re capable of. Beware the error you scoff at and think that you don’t need to worry about. Those presumed strengths are usually the very reason the proud fall. So what’s your (our) “assumed… Continue reading
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Debunking the small-church-is-better myths (part 2)
I’m in no way against small church! Every expression of God’s people is valuable and beautiful. In fact, that’s why I’m writing these posts trying to debunk the idea that small church is not just different, but better. Myth: “Only… Continue reading
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Debunking the small-church-is-better myths (Part 1)
I’m not part of a big-church (although many readers may think I am). We have about 12 full-time staff, 8 MTS apprentices, and just over 500 adults in GrowthGroups. Compared to Acts 2, we’re a small church about 10% its… Continue reading
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The difference between being in ‘sales’ and being in ‘ministry’ is…
The difference between being in ‘sales’ and being in ‘ministry’ is heartbreak. See, if I’m trying to sell you something, it’s because I get a commission, or it’s my job – get paid to help you want something (usually want… Continue reading
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Amaze people with “no reason”
If you’re in Christian leadership, its your job, your responsibility, to keep asking and encouraging people to give their time and effort to ministry. So much so, that it can feel like every interaction and phone call is a request.… Continue reading
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Reblog: What separates us from the secular managers…
…is motivations. The secular world only cares about motivation; they want motivated people. People with drive and self-persuasion. But Christians don’t want just motivated people. We want people with specific, godly motivations. As an example, you could work for something… Continue reading
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Church “Org charts” are hard
Recently we thought it would be a good idea to try and visually communicate our church staff “map”. It was an attempt to try and describe how we’ve deployed staff across our 5 passions for our flock, and across our… Continue reading
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A better way to ask, “What did you think of the sermon?”
It’s really not a great question, is it? It’s intention is wonderful… but it’s execution is poor. How about… “Hey, that talk we just heard, help me think through it for a second… I think he was saying…” “I reckon… Continue reading
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Why the passive voice should be avoided in preaching #ironic
It just takes so much extra effort for your hearers. You’re placing the bulk load of information dissemination onto their shoulders, when – if your content is already full – you want to make it as easy as possible to… Continue reading
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Beware! Poisonous attention is addictive
We all love getting a bit of attention, some people love a lot of attention. But sometimes, people give poisonous attention. Poisonous attention is when someone pays attention to you, but always seems to end up asking/digging into your discontentment.… Continue reading
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Reblog: The Aussie cultural bent against being part of a machine
As I read Yanks talk about church leadership and growth, I wonder if they make an assumption that just doesn’t fly here in Australia. See, Australians hate tall-hierarchy and being part of a machine. Whereas (the impression I get) is that Americans… Continue reading
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Ministry “Pioneers” vs ministry “Settlers”
In the early days of Europeans in Australia, everyone was a pioneer. Plowing up a plot of ground was a vocation, a way of life. You didn’t choose to be a farmer, farming was just what you had to do.… Continue reading
MINISTRY PRINCIPLES & PRAGMATICS 