5 Things Starbucks Can Teach the Church About Effective Evangelism

By Greg Stier

Currently there are about 12,000 Starbucks stores across the United States.* These 12,000 stores are strategically located in high end strip malls, busy corners and Target Store entrances. They are designed to draw us in and give us the coffee (and snacks and atmosphere and, did I say, coffee?) we love.
Starbucks has done the best job of any coffee company in existence of penetrating the market and saturating the nation. Their green and white circle sign of deliciousness draws us weary travelers in like a bee to a honey flavored Frappuccino. (Is there such a drink? Just wait and I’m sure there will be!)
So how can Starbucks saturate the physical cravings of decaffeinated Americans, and the church cannot satisfy the spiritual thirst of Americans with the living water? After all, there are only 12,000 Starbucks coffee shops in the United States and there are over 300,000 Protestant churches! That’s right! We outnumber Starbucks by 25 to 1!
So, with this as a backdrop, here’s what Starbucks can teach the Church when it comes to evangelism:
1. Train more “baristas” to serve excellent drinks consistently.
Too many times the pastor is the only barista in the church. You have to go to church to get served the good news. Of course the pastors should be sharing the Gospel in their sermons, but the primary job of the pastor according to Ephesians 4:11-12 is to “equip God’s people for works of service.” Part of this is equipping their congregations to share the Gospel with their friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, classmates and teammates.
Do you have a plan to train your people to share the Gospel? Check out Dare 2 Share’s two free faith-sharing mobile apps to help you do just that! You can also check out our brand new adult small group curriculum that will help you “gospelize” your entire congregation!
2. Only buy the best beans.
Starbucks takes great care to buy the best. We need to make sure we are serving the best Gospel! As Paul wrote to the Galatian believers, “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:6-8.
Too many times too many churches preach a “gospel” that is no gospel at all. It is a works-based “turn, try, cry” gospel which robs the cross of its power and makes salvation about what we do for Jesus instead of what Jesus has done for us. This kind of Gospel is accursed and will leave a bitter aftertaste in the soul of the thirsty sinner.
Preach a #SolaFide, faith-alone-in-Christ-alone message of hope and redemption through the finished work of Christ and the empty tomb. This too-good-to-be-true message is too good and true too. It is the kind of message sinners will line up for like customers in a busy Starbucks on a Monday morning.
3. Focus on the thirstiest demographic.
Young people are more likely to trust in Jesus than older people. Of course that doesn’t mean that we forsake the older for the younger, but if we are serious about saturating a community with the hope of Jesus Christ then we need to put our best drinks forward with the children, teens and 20-somethings.
At Dare 2 Share we are seeking to mobilize 30,000 Gospel Advancing ministries (churches, youth groups, etc.) that will saturate entire communities in teen-centric Gospel conversations. Why 30,000? Because according to the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, if you can get 10 percent of a demographic 100 percent committed toward a vision, cause or set of values, they will inevitably influence the other 90 percent (Source: July 26th, 2011 Edition of Science Daily). Because there are 300,000(ish) churches in America, our goal is to get 30,000 of them who will choose to be Gospel Advancing with the young people in their community. For more information about what it takes to join this growing movement, click here.
4. Create an above-and-beyond culture of love in your store.
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” Acts 2:42-47
There were people lined out the door of the early church (so to speak since, technically, they had no buildings!) Why? Because of the good news message and the good news people! There was such an attractive setting of love, hope and selflessness that people were drawn into their numbers daily!
5. Stay connected to headquarters to get the latest and greatest.
Starbucks stores stay tuned to HQ to get the latest drinks, designs, campaigns, etc. Usually this works out really well for every store in the field. But once in awhile even Starbucks stumbles with their ideas (#RaceTogether).
Our HQ (aka “heaven”) never stumbles with the latest and greatest initiatives. We must continually be communicating with our heavenly Father to get the wisdom we need to run these initiatives with prudence, precision and power! Our access to God through prayer is what creates this line of communication.
Sure, there are more ways in which Starbucks can teach us about evangelism (personalized drinks, clean stores, friendly service, etc.), but these five stand out to me. May these ideas spur you on to saturating your community with a lot of good news lattes. 

Greg Stier is the President and Founder of Dare 2 Share Ministries, which is mobilizing teenagers across America to share their faith. More from Greg Stier or visit Greg at http://www.dare2share.org

25 Random Pieces of Advice for Leaders in Their 20s, 30s or 40s

By Carey Nieuwhof

 

I may or may not have a big birthday this week. OK … I may.
Believe it or not, turning 50 has not been as traumatic as I thought it might be. Actually, it’s been remarkably satisfying and gratitude-inducing. I have so much for which I’m thankful.
If you’re a younger reader (which most of you are), I have some great news. At 50, I have as much or more energy than I did a decade or two ago, a much better sense of who God created me to be, and I’m surrounded by people I don’t deserve. And I’m honestly more excited by the next 20 years than I’ve ever been about the future.
But maybe the best part of turning 50? You see things you just couldn’t see at 20, 30 or 40. OK, maybe you can see them. I couldn’t. At least not as clearly.
In light of that, what follows are life and leadership tips I picked up in my 20s, 30s and 40s that I’m so thankful I did.
How you live your life up to age 50 likely matters more than you think.

How You Live Your 20s, 30s or 40s Matters

I was recently talking to a friend who had turned 50 a couple of years ahead of me. He surprised me by saying that your 50s and are largely pre-determined by how well you lived your 30s and 40s.
Live your 30s and 40s well, and your 50s turn out great.
Live them poorly, and all the problems and issues you never resolved when you were younger sabotage your later years, even beyond your 50s.
When he said that, I gulped. Literally.
I’d seen that reality so many times in my life but never connected the dots.
So in an attempt to help you live your 20s, 30s and 40s well, here are 25 random pieces of advice I hope can help.

1. Deal with your issues early.

You have issues. Everyone does.
As tempting as it is to believe otherwise, it’s not your wife, husband, kids or job who are causing all the pain in your life. You are the common denominator in everything that’s happened to you. So deal with you.
Go see a trained Christian counselor. Hire a coach. Read some books. Do what it takes to deal with your junk.

2. Invest in coaches and counselors who make you better.

On that note, most people who need counseling say they can’t afford it. It’s like couples who can’t afford a date night but then spend thousands of dollars on divorce later because their relationship fell apart.
If you need counseling to deal with issues, it’s an investment. Ditto with coaches who can bring out the best in you.
It’s not just an investment in you. It’s an investment in everyone you impact.

3. Get off the fence.

Indecision plagues too many people.
Make the best decision you can with the information you have, then humbly pursue it with everything you’ve got.

4. Study and practice faithfulness.

Faithfulness is rare. Not just in marriage, but also in life.
Culture teaches us to dispose of anything or anyone we don’t like.
So do the opposite.
Learn how to be consistent, loyal and steadfast, holding to what you know is right even when you feel like doing the opposite

5. Live like God loves you and everything you read in the Bible is true.

Most people wish someone loved them unconditionally. Someone does.
So live like it.
And while you’re at it, live like everything you read in the Bible is true. Doubt your doubts. You won’t regret it.

6. Be generous when you have no money.

Don’t fall for the lie that you will be generous one day when you have money. If you’re not generous now, you won’t be generous then.
Practice generosity with every dollar you receive and everything you have. Then if you ever have money or possessions, they won’t own you.
You will have released their grip from your life long ago. And you will look behind you and already see you’ve been able to make more of a difference than you imagined.

7. Choose a few awesome friends and stick with them.

Friendships can be confusing in your 20s, 30s and 40s. Friendship circles change when you leave school, get married and even change jobs.
In the midst of all that change, find a few friends and stick with them for life.
Most people can only handle five really close relationships in their life. Choose those five well and build into those relationships deeply.

8. Cultivate a circle of people around you who make you better.

In the last 20 years, I’ve spent a lot of time trying to intentionally pursue friendships and relationships with people who are smarter, more skilled and simply ‘better’ than me.
One of the best ways to become a better person and leader is to spend time with people who are better than you.

9. Get comfortable being around people who are smarter than you.

Deal with your insecurities. Get comfortable being around people who are smarter than you.
It will make you better, but it’s also the key to creating an exceptional team.
If you always have to be the smartest person in the room, you’ll eventually end up in a pretty vacuous room.

10. Relentlessly pursue self-awareness.

Self-aware people make the best leaders and, frankly, are the easiest people to hang out with in life. Chances are your favorite people are people who are deeply self-aware.
But self-awareness doesn’t come naturally. I’m naturally blind to the impact I have on other people around me. So are you. If you want more on this issue, here are four things self-aware leaders know that others don’t.

11. Make peace with your weaknesses.

You’ll never be great at everything.
The sooner you get used to that, the better off you’ll be. Eventually you’ll stop trying to cover up and stop feeling so bad about yourself. That’s progress.

12. Pour increasing amounts of energy into your strengths.

Once you realize you’re only great at a few things, you’re free to become even greater at them.
Pour your time, energy and resources into what you do very best. That’s the difference between being good at something and the being best in the world.

13. Get comfortable with solitude.

Solitude is a thoughtful leader’s best friend. It also is a key to self-awareness.
If you really want to grow as a person and as a leader, and grow in your relationship with God, get comfortable with solitude. I wrote more about solitude and how to practice it here.

14. Wrestle down your pride.

Pride is ugly. It gets you into trouble again and again.
The only person to whom your pride looks appealing is you. Think about it … you don’t like pride in anyone but yourself.
So pray it out. Beat it out. Do what you need to do to wrestle it down.

15. Fight cynicism.

The more you know, the harder it gets to stay hopeful (the Scripture points this out by the way).
Cynics never change the world; they just tell you why the world doesn’t change.
Don’t be one. Check the cynicism that’s growing inside you.

16. Kill selfish ambition.

Ambition isn’t bad. In fact, it can change the world.
Selfish ambition is bad. It can destroy the world.
So be ambitious, but be ambitious for the sake of a cause that’s far bigger than you are.

17. Don’t give into stupid temptations that will come your way.

You will be tempted to do stupid things. Don’t.
Don’t have an affair, take short cuts or cheat to get ahead.
It’s so not worth it.

18. Find the high road and live on it.

The high road is the hard road. But it’s the best road.
People will try to pull you off the high road again and again. Don’t.
Take it. Every time.

19. Don’t wrestle with a pig.

Conversely, the low road has virtually no reward.
Years ago someone dropped this gem on me.
Don’t wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig liked it.
So, so true.

19. Work twice as hard on your character as you do on your competency.

Competency is not the main key to success. Character is.
Your competency will take you only as far as your character can sustain you.

20. Persevere through the dry seasons.

Your time with God will go flat. Sometimes you’ll think what you believe is a farce.
Even marriage, family and friends go through seasons where everything seems boring.
Hang in there. Your emotions eventually catch up with your obedience. So be obedient.

21. Discover what refuels you and do more of it.

Some things give you energy in life, some things drain you.
Figure out what refuels you. Then do more of it.
Your choice, over the long run, is self-care or self-medication. Choose self-care.

22. Book appointments with yourself.

Your calendar will naturally fill up with urgent things other people believe are important.
And you will watch a decade or more pass by without doing anything really significant.
Book appointments with yourself to do what really matters, whether that’s taking a day off, being with your family, writing an important talk or taking time to think.
Then when someone asks you if you’re busy, you can truthfully say, “I’d love to help, but I have a commitment.”

23. Trust again.

Your heart will get mangled and you’ll be tempted to stop trusting people altogether.
Don’t.
Trust again. Hope again. Believe again.
You’ll be so glad you did.

24. Be bold.

Be bolder than you think you should be.
Too many dreams die of timidity.

25. Don’t let fear win.

Yep … you’re afraid.
Go for it anyway.
Fear gets the best of far too many leaders. Don’t let it get the best of you.

What About You?

There’s a lot more I could have written about, but 25 random pieces of advice is enough for now.
You’ve probably got some great advice too. I’d love to hear it. That’s what the comments are for. Scroll down and leave one!  

Carey Nieuwhof is Lead Pastor of Connexus Church north of Toronto, Canada, blogs at www.careynieuwhof.com and is host of The Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast available for free on iTunes. More from Carey Nieuwhof or visit Carey at http://careynieuwhof.com

Free eBook: "For Your Joy," by John Piper

 

Free eBook

Download this eBook and encourage your congregants to share it with friends who have questions about Christian faith.
From Desiring God, “Use it to share with unbelievers that Jesus, the greatest being in the universe, is not just calling them to come, but calling them to come for their joy!”

Get Download Now

Resource provided by Desiring God

4 Simple Things that Flow From Great Leaders

By Perry Noble

#1—Listen
A leader who will not listen to the people he (or she) leads will eventually find himself without great people to lead—because their team members will leave and go to a place where their feedback is not only welcomed, it is valued.
#2—Learn
A leader who is not a learner will eventually be surpassed by people who are simply hungrier than they are.
#3—Limit
If your church (or department or company) is ever going to achieve its maximum potential, then it has to get past your personal preferences. If you are the only one who is allowed to take a risk on an innovative idea—you are the lid on your church’s (or department’s or company’s) ability to succeed.
#4—Love
A leader who does not love the people he (or she) leads will eventually wind up leading a group of robots who do the work but do not care about it. Or even worse, a group of people who operate out of fear and manipulation.
Leaders that love people are leaders who leave a legacy.  

Perry Noble is the founding and senior pastor of NewSpring Church in South Carolina. The church averages 26,000 people during weekend services at multiple campuses throughout the state. Perry is a gifted communicator and teacher, convicted about speaking the truth as plainly as possible. God has given him a vision and a passion for helping people meet Jesus, and each week he shares God’s word and its practical application in our daily lives. Perry, his wife Lucretia and their daughter Charisse live in Anderson, South Carolina. You can read all of Perry’s unfiltered thoughts about life and leadership at PerryNoble.com. Don’t worry, he holds nothing back. More from Perry Noble or visit Perry at http://www.perrynoble.com

You Can’t Arrest the Gospel

By David Mathis

Provided by

 

It was a lesson in the school of hard knocks for a promising young leader.
A crowd had gathered in an urban center, ready to hear him speak. He rose to the occasion, feeling a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit. He spoke with conviction and clarity, and found remarkable reception among the people.
But word of his explicitness about Jesus quickly made its way to the powers-that-be and ruffled their feathers. Soon they descended upon the young firebrand, and he and his ministry partner spent the night in custody before facing interrogation the following day.
Still his courage had not been in vain. They may have arrested Peter and his companion John (Acts 4:3), but “many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand” (Acts 4:4).
Arrest didn’t sink the advance of the gospel. The two went hand in hand.

The American Anomaly

The days of gospel persecution in the United States no longer just hang on the distant horizon; they are already here, at least for some. It’s beginning with the bakers, florists and photographers. Before long, the consensus may be that faithful biblical exposition is “hate speech.”
For 350 years, the church on American soil has enjoyed relatively little affliction for her fidelity to the Scriptures. This nation, though, is an anomaly in church history. And those days are passing, more quickly than many of us expected.
Once the most basic beliefs and morals of Christianity were taken for granted not only in the church, but in society at large. Now many of our most deeply held, once uncontroversial, claims are under full assault, within and without. Barring some change in trajectory, it will only be a matter of time before some of our leaders will find themselves in custody.

Think It Not Strange

Do not panic. For 2,000 years, this has been what it has meant to identify with Christ in the world—the normal experience of those who follow a man who was crucified. Suffering for the gospel was not just tolerated in the early church; it was expected. Peter learned the lesson in Acts 4, and again in Acts 5. Then Stephen was stoned in Acts 7. After Acts 3, only three of the book’s remaining 25 chapters have no mention of persecution.
The storyline of the early church turns on opposition and oppression. This same Peter writes, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you” (1 Peter 4:12).
For now, deluded by American history, we’re prone to think it strange. We are surprised. “Give us our country back!” Our angry, desperate reactions only show how out of step we are with the tenor of the New Testament. Our entitlement and resentment reveal a heart foreign to the reality of “a better country, that is, a heavenly one” (Hebrews 11:16).
Soon enough, though, our expectations will necessarily adjust to what is normal for the true church in other times and places. We will increasingly realize that when we proclaim a gospel like ours, and make the sort of claims we do, the world won’t receive it well. For Christians, it really is strange not to be persecuted.

Through Many Tribulations

Jesus said as much. “A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20). Paul picks up the refrain. “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12). The Scriptures seem to suggest we should be more concerned if we’re not being persecuted than if we are.
Embracing persecution for the sake of the gospel is Christianity 101. How did Paul and Barnabas minister to fledgling churches? “They returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:21–22). It is a sobering word, but not a cause for despair.

Arrest and Advance, Together

To say we will suffer opposition is not to say that the spread of the gospel will be stymied. In fact, what we learn from Peter and John in Acts 4:3–4, and from the life of the apostle Paul, and from Jesus himself, is that arrest and advance go together in God’s invincible story.
The same is true today, and will be tomorrow. We will find that our newfound opposition and affliction, while being difficult and painful, is a good and fruitful phenomena. It will be more and more like the first century, when the gospel was attacked on every side and spread like wildfire.
Paul describes this powerfully from a prison cell in Rome. Look for the irony.

I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. (Philippians 1:12–14)

You can’t arrest the gospel. In fact, when you imprison one whose words and life boldly declare the good news of Jesus, you only help it grow and spread. You may shackle the feet of the messenger, but his message will run. “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound!” (2 Timothy 2:8–9).

Affliction Joyfully Accepted

But our message will not run if we go kicking and screaming. It is not the grumblers and complainers who shine as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation (Philippians 2:14–15). Rather, it is those who embrace suffering for the name of Jesus with joy.

But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. (1 Peter 4:13–14)

Christians are not a dour people, even in the darkness of a dungeon. We don’t whine and bellyache as our society lines up against us and our convictions. We plead. We grieve. But beneath it all we have untouchable strongholds of joy. Even in the worst, most inconvenient, most lonely days, we rejoice. The suffering days are good days for gospel advance. We have great cause to be optimistic about our good news, to “joyfully accept” prison and the plundering of our possessions and even our freedoms.
After all, they can take our civil liberties, garnish our wages and smear our names, but they cannot take our Treasure, who is “a better possession and an abiding one.”
So we are not surprised. We do not retreat. Instead, grounded in God’s eternal promises, armed with joy in him and assured of victory in the end, we ready ourselves for whatever opposition comes. Perhaps one day it will be said of us,

You endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one (Hebrews 10:32–34). 

David Mathis (@davidcmathis) is executive editor at desiringGod.org and an elder at Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis. He has edited several books, including Thinking. Loving. Doing., Finish the Mission, and Acting the Miracle, and is co-author of How to Stay Christian in Seminary. More from David Mathis or visit David at http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/authors/david-mathis

8 Reasons Why Most Churches Don't Break the 200 Attendance Mark

By Carey Nieuwhof

While social media, and even traditional media, are still preoccupied with megachurches and multisite churches, the reality is that most churches in North America are quite small.
The Barna group pegs the average Protestant church size in America at 89 adults. Sixty percent of protestant churches have less than 100 adults in attendance. Only 2 percent have over 1,000 adults attending.
Please understand, there’s nothing wrong with being a small church. I just know that almost every small church leader I speak to wants his or her church to  grow.
I get that. That’s the mission of the church. Every single day, I want our church to become more effective in reaching one more person with the hope that’s in Christ.
So, why is it that most churches never break the 200 attendance mark?
It’s not:

Desire. Most leaders I know want their church to reach more people.

A lack of prayer. Many small church leaders are incredibly faithful in prayer.

Love. Some of the people in smaller churches love people as authentically as anyone I know.

Facility. Growth can start in the most unlikely places.

Let’s just assume you have a solid mission, theology and heart to reach people.
You know why most churches still don’t push past the 200 mark in attendance?
You ready?
They organize, behave, lead and manage like a small organization.
Think about it.
There’s a world of difference between how you organize a corner store and how you organize a larger supermarket.
In a corner store, Mom and Pop run everything. Want to talk to the CEO? She’s stocking shelves. Want to see the director of marketing? He’s at the cash register.
Mom and Pop do everything, and they organize their business to stay small. Which is fine if you’re Mom and Pop and don’t want to grow.
But you can’t run a supermarket that way. You organize differently. You govern differently. There’s a produce manager and people who only stock shelves. There’s a floor manager, shift manager, general manager and so much more.
So what’s the translation to church world?
Here are eight reasons churches who want to grow end up staying small:

1. The pastor is the primary caregiver.

Honestly, if you just push past this one issue, you will have made a ton of progress. When the pastor has to visit every sick person, do every wedding and funeral, and make regular house calls, he or she becomes incapable of doing other things. That model just doesn’t scale.
If you’re good at it, you’ll grow the church to 200 people and then disappoint people when you can’t get to every event any more. Or you’ll just burn out. It creates false expectations and so many people get hurt in the process.
Although it’s 20 years old, this is still the best book I know on the subject. The answer, by the way, is to teach people to care for each other in groups.

2. The leaders lack a strategy. 

Many churches today are clear on mission and vision. What most lack is a widely shared and agreed upon strategy.
Your vision and mission answers the why and what of your organization. Your strategy answers how. And how is critical.
Spend time working through your strategy. Be clear on how you will accomplish your mission and don’t rest until the mission, vision and strategy reside in every single volunteer and leader.

3. True leaders aren’t leading. 

In every church, there are people who hold the position of leadership and then there are people who are truly leaders (who may not hold any position in your church).
Release people who hold titles but aren’t advancing the mission, and hand the job over to real leaders. Look for people who have a track record of handling responsibility in other areas of life and give them the job of leading the church into the future with you.
If you actually have leaders leading, it will make a huge difference.

4. Volunteers are unempowered.

Sure, small churches may not have the budget to hire other staff, but you have people. Once you have identified true leaders, and once you’re clear on your mission, vision and strategy, you need to release people to accomplish them.
Try to do it all yourself and you will burn out, leave or simply be ineffective.
Empower volunteers around an aligned strategy and you will likely begin to see progress.

5. The governance team micromanages. 

If you need permission every time you need to buy paper towels or repaint an office, you have a governance issue.
Most boards who micromanage do so because that’s where most people simply default. You need a board that guards the mission and vision and empowers the team to accomplish it and then gets out of the way.
This post on governance from Jeff Brodie is gold.

6. Too many meetings. 

I led a church with a grand total of 50 people in attendance. We had 16 elders. Overall, the church was in evening meetings two to three times a week.
Why on earth would a church that small need to meet that often?
I eventually repurposed most of those meetings to become meetings about vision and reorganization. We also cut the number of elders down. Now, although we have a much bigger church, I’m only out one or two nights a week (and then, mostly for small group).
If you’re going to meet, meet on purpose for the future. Free up your time so you and your team can accomplish something significant.

7. Too many events and programs that lead nowhere. 

Activity does not equal accomplishment. Just because you’re busy doesn’t mean you’re being effective.
If you check into most small churches (remember, I was there … I’m not judging, just being honest), there are a lot of programs that accomplish little and lead nowhere. Stop them.
Yes, people will be mad. Even have the courage to cut some good programs. Good is the enemy of great. Then go out and do a few great things.

8. The pastor suffers from a desire to please everybody.

Many pastors I know are people-pleasers by nature. Go see a counselor. Get on your knees. Do whatever you need to do to get over the fear of disappointing people.
Courageous leadership is like courageous parenting. Don’t do what your kids want you to do; do what you believe is best for them in the end. Eventually, many of them will thank you.
And the rest? Honestly, they’ll probably go to another church that isn’t reaching many people either.
I realize the diagnosis can sound a little harsh, but we have a pretty deep problem on our hands. And radical problems demand radical solutions.
What have you seen that helps churches push past attendance barriers?  

Carey Nieuwhof is Lead Pastor of Connexus Church north of Toronto, Canada, blogs at www.careynieuwhof.com and is host of The Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast available for free on iTunes. More from Carey Nieuwhof or visit Carey at http://careynieuwhof.com

9 Traits of Mean Churches

By Thom Rainer

 

“My church is a mean church!”
I received two emails this week from church members who made that very statement. The members are from two different churches in two different states. One of the churches belongs to a denomination; the other is nondenominational. In both cases, the church members made the decision to drop out of local church life altogether.
Yes, I tried to reason with the two members. I told them that no church is perfect. If they had any doubt, I wrote, look at the two letters the Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Corinth. I failed in convincing them to stay in their churches. I pray they will become active in other churches later.
I love local churches. But I have to admit, I am hearing more from long-term members who are quitting church life completely. One member wrote me, “The non-Christians I associate with are much nicer people than the members of my church.”
Ouch. That really hurt.
So, after receiving the second email, I began to assimilate all the information I could find where church members had written me about their “mean” churches. They may not have used the word “mean” specifically, but the intent was the same. I then collected characteristics of these churches, and I found nine that were common. I call these the “nine traits of mean churches.”

1. Too many decisions are made in the cloak of darkness. Only a select few members really know what’s going on. The attitude of those elitists is that the typical member doesn’t really need to know.
2. The pastor and/or staff are treated poorly. Decisions are made about them without a fair process. Complaints are often numerous and veiled. Many of these churches are known for firing pastors and/or staff with little apparent cause.
3. Power groups tenaciously hold on to their power. The power group may be a formal group such as a committee, elders or deacons. But the group can also be informal—no official role but great informal authority. Power groups avoid and detest accountability, which leads to the next point.
4. There is lack of clear accountability for major decisions and/or expenditures. The church has no clear system in place to make certain that a few outlier members cannot accumulate great power and authority.
5. Leaders of the power groups have an acrimonious spirit. Though they may make first impressions of kindness and gentleness, the mean streak emerges if you try to cross them.
6. A number of the members see those outside of the church as “them” or “those people.” Thus the church is at odds with many in the community instead of embracing them with the love of Christ.
7. Many members have an inward focus; they view the church as a place to get their own preferences and wants fulfilled. They are the opposite of the description of church members in 1 Corinthians 12, where Paul describes them as functioning members for the greater good of the body of Christ.
8. Many people in the community view these churches negatively. Those on the outside often refer to these churches as “fighting and firing churches.” The community members detect no love for them from these churches.
9. Most of the members are silent when power plays and bad decisions take place. They don’t want to stand up to the power group. They are afraid to ask questions. Their silence allows the power abuses to continue.

Are mean churches really increasing in number? My anecdotal information would indicate they are.
What can we do to become a more unified body? How can churches demonstrate more positive impressions to the community? What can we do to hold on to good members who are giving up on local churches altogether? What is your input on these issues? Let me hear from you.  

Thom S. Rainer is the president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources (LifeWay.com). Among his greatest joys are his family: his wife Nellie Jo; three sons, Sam, Art, and Jess; and six grandchildren. He was founding dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism, and Church Growth at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. His many books include Surprising Insights from the Unchurched, The Unexpected Journey, and Breakout Churches. More from Thom Rainer or visit Thom at http://www.thomrainer.com

4 Secrets of a Fruitful Ministry

By Rick Warren

Most people are interested in productivity. But the Bible doesn’t use the word “productivity”; instead, you’ll find there the word “fruitfulness.”
God wants us to have fruitful ministries, so I want to show you some principles that will produce a godly fruitfulness in your life. I believe there are four conditions that are essential for a fruitful ministry.
First, you must cultivate roots.
God says there’s no fruit without roots. You need roots particularly when your resources are limited, for when times of drought come along.
Drought, as you know, is a long period without rain. We had one here in California that lasted seven years!
A drought in your life is whenever you have to do without something you need, perhaps time, energy, money or support. There will be times of drought in your ministry; perhaps you’re even in one now.
Second, you must eliminate the weeds in your life and ministry.
The weeds in your ministry, and in your life, are any things that hinder or limit your spiritual growth. Weeds are the things that choke your relationship to Christ or that prevent you from further growth.
How much effort does it take to grow weeds? None at all!
You don’t have to cultivate weeds. In fact, that’s the difference between a weed and a vegetable. Even though you feed, water and cultivate a vegetable, sometimes it still dies. Pay no attention to a weed and it grows!
Weeds are a sign of neglect. I’ve found that when I neglect my quiet time, when I neglect my personal maintenance like walking and staying physically fit, and when I neglect key relationships in my life, the weeds start to grow and begin choking my productivity.
Third, you must cooperate with God’s pruning in your life.
What is pruning?
Pruning not only involves cutting off dead branches, but living ones as well in order to improve the shape of the plant and stimulate growth. Pruning is essential for increased productivity. It’s not optional. If you’re going to be productive in ministry, God will put you through times of pruning.
God prunes you for fruitfulness. In your life it’s not only the dead wood that God cuts off; He also cuts back areas of success, EVEN areas that are bearing wonderful fruit.
When He does this, you might struggle to understand why, but the reason is He is preparing you for even greater ministry.
Fourth, you must wait for the harvest.
Growing fruit takes time. It doesn’t come automatically. You don’t plant a seed in the ground and harvest it the next day.
It’s common sense: Seeds must be planted. You’ve got to cover them up with dirt, and then you wait and pray and expect growth.
Just as a seed creates new life out of death, for you to be more effective in your ministry there’s a dying to your old nature, a dying to your own desires and ambitions in the waiting process. Growth takes time, but don’t give up. Stay plugged into Jesus Christ.
Maybe you’ve been dormant in your ministry for some time. My prayer is that you’ll give yourself to Christ, saying, “Lord, I want to work on these four things: cultivating my roots, eliminating the weeds, cooperating with Your pruning and waiting for the harvest. God, I trust You with what I’ve planted, and I trust what I have sown will inevitably reap a harvest for You.”
That is the law of the harvest.  

Dr. Rick Warren is passionate about attacking what he calls the five “Global Goliaths” – spiritual emptiness, egocentric leadership, extreme poverty, pandemic disease, and illiteracy/poor education. His goal is a second Reformation by restoring responsibility in people, credibility in churches, and civility in culture. He is a pastor, global strategist, theologian, and philanthropist. He’s been often named "America's most influential spiritual leader" and “America’s Pastor. More from Rick Warren or visit Rick at http://www.rickwarren.com/

10 Secrets of Many Senior Pastors

By Ron Edmondson

I get to hang out and know many senior pastors. I have a great heart for them and understand, firsthand, some of the pressures, frustrations and joys that are unique to the role of a senior pastor. In my recent blog survey, over half my readers are in ministry and half that number are senior leaders.

When I first shared the points in this post a few years ago it was at a conference for executive pastors. I was asked to give my perspective as a senior pastor, since each of them reported to one. Specifically, the request was to share some things about senior pastors they may not know. I honestly didn’t realize what I was sharing would be so revealing for some of them. They didn’t know some of these about their senior leader.
And, granted, I can’t speak for every senior pastor in every church. I can only speak in generalities from what I know and personally experience—in my life and among the senior pastors I know. Thankfully, this blog platform and my personal ministry have afforded me access to hundreds of senior pastors.
I share this post simply for the purpose of understanding. I know and have felt the extreme love most of the church has for its senior pastor. I’m grateful for that in my own life. Hopefully this helps you love and understand your pastor even more.

Here are 10 “secrets” about many senior pastors:

1. Leading from this position is overwhelming at times. We know Christ is ultimately in charge, but we also know it often seems everyone is looking to us to have all the answers. And we know we don’t always have them. (Granted, some senior pastors are more honest about this than others.)
2. People tell the senior pastor all kinds of things about what is happening in their life or in the lives of others—many we would rather not know sometimes. And, frankly, some things we don’t need to know—such as gossip, rumors and information they don’t have permission to share. Many times it’s in the form of a “prayer request.” We don’t always know what to do with this information. (And again, in total frankness, some senior pastors have abused this information and hurt people in their church.)
3. Most pastors walk with a degree of uncertainty about our abilities to do the work we feel called to do. We intellectually know this is designed by God. It keeps us in prayer and walking by faith. But we are human, and the demands upon us and our insecurities in them can also make us question at times whether we have what it takes to do the work before us.
4. Many senior pastors fear the possibility of failing in their role, so they thrive on the encouragement and prayers of others—almost to a fault. They can become very insecure. If they aren’t hearing constant positive feedback, they can begin irrational questioning how people feel about them.
5. A senior pastor’s insecurities can cause them to become overprotective of their reputation and position. At extremes, it may even cause them to react with poor leadership, such as playing politics with leaders in the church or using information as power.
6. Senior pastors face the same temptations and occasional spiritual dryness as everyone else. This means we need accountability, but are often afraid to seek it.
7. The pastor’s spouse is sometimes the loneliest person in the church and often feels extreme pressure to live up to unrealistic expectations. Pastor’s children also feel the weight of expectations from the church. Many have told me they feel everyone is “watching” them.
8. The pastor, too, can experience loneliness—sometimes severely. The encounters through this blog with some senior pastors have revealed that some pastors have no true friends either inside the church or outside.
9. Pastors seldom know whom we can trust, which is why we become guarded and may appear harder to get to know. Most senior pastors have been burned by someone they once trusted. Many senior pastors have seasons where it feels the staff, church leaders and congregation are talking about us behind our back. I’ve been asked more than once how to respond when they walk in a room and conversations suddenly stop.
10. Many senior pastors never really feel off from their work. They struggle without discipline—to enjoy a Sabbath. Sunday keeps coming and there always seems to be one more person to contact. They feel the expectation to be everywhere they are invited and have a hard time saying no, even when it interferes with their family time.
Granted, not every pastor faces each of these, (that’s why the title says “many”). These type of things often come in seasons. And, of course, some churches are harder to pastor than others. When these “secrets” are at an extreme, it explains why depression and burnout is common for many senior pastors. And if you need a biblical example of this happening in leadership, see 1 Kings 19.
I came into ministry later in life and so I know how it feels to be a senior pastor, but also to be a leader in the secular world and a non-vocational church leader. I believe that experience has protected me against some of these. But even still, some of these are real for me at times too.
Other pastors, for reasons on this post, will not want you assuming these things about them. In talking with dozens of senior pastors each year, however, I know this is a representative list for “many.”
Senior pastors find joy in our work, and, thankfully, most of us know we are in the center of God’s will vocationally. I don’t intend to take anything away from that in this post. We serve in a called position, so we are doing what we have been asked by God to do.
When I share any post like this, I have come to expect three things. First, someone will email to ask me if I’m OK. I am. Thank you. This is a good season in ministry and I’m serving in a healthy church. Second, I’ll receive a lecture on the need to depend on Christ for these issues, which only further demonstrates my points. Third, there will be someone who will say that these “secrets” are no different from any other person in the church. That may be true, but I can’t speak for everyone else.
Senior pastors are to fully rely on Christ’s strength, as is every other believer. This is just a reminder that we happen to also be like Elijah—”a man just like us” (James 5:17).
Pastors, anyone honest enough to agree?
Please know I’m praying for you as I post this.  
Ron Edmondson is a pastor and church leader passionate about planting churches, helping established churches thrive, and assisting pastors and those in ministry think through leadership, strategy and life. Ron has over 20 years business experience, mostly as a self-employed business owner, and he's been helping church grow vocationally for over 10 years. More from Ron Edmondson or visit Ro

7 Things the Church Can’t Do for the Pastor

By Ron Edmondson

Pastor, there are some things your church can’t do for you.

They simply can’t.
Please understand. I love the church. Greatly. I’m a local church guy. But they simply can’t do these things for you.
And if you think they can, or you leave it up to them to do these things, you’ll someday find out the hard way—they can’t.
I’ve watched it many times as pastors didn’t do these. They followed the demands of the church and somehow expected the church to be providing these needs. It caused a void.
Some pastors have even crashed and burned waiting for someone else to do for them what only they could do.
Granted, you may have the greatest church of your ministry career, but regardless of how wonderful the church is they can’t do all the things for you that your soul, personal life and ministry demands.
You’ll have to do them yourself—by God’s grace—if they’re going to be done.

Here are seven things your church can’t adequately do for the pastor:

Hold you accountable. The church can’t guard your heart and character. It doesn’t matter how many rules or committees they have, if you want to ruin your life, you’ll find a way around the structure.
Love your family and protect your time with them. They may love your family. They may respect your time with them, but if you really want to protect your family—you’ll have to take the lead role here.
Understand the demands on your time. They can’t. And you’ll only be disappointed if you expect them to. All jokes aside, they know you work more than Sunday, but they don’t know all the pressure placed upon your role. They can’t understand anymore than you can understand what it’s like to sit at their desk, or operate that machine they operate, or drive that police car or teach that classroom. We only know what we know, and we can’t fully understand what another person’s experience is until we experience it.
Ensure you discipline your Sabbath time. You can teach it—they can know it—but if they need you they aren’t going to necessarily understand that you’re on a Sabbath. If you’re going to rest—if you’re going to have a biblically commanded Sabbath—you’ll have to discipline yourself to take it.
Read your mind. People are usually waiting to be led. They are looking for a vision to follow. They can’t follow an unspoken vision.
Build your sense of self-worth. If you’re waiting to hear how wonderful the message was, what a good job you’re doing or how much the church loves you in order to feel you’re doing a good job—you’re going to be very disappointed most of the time. You’ll have to find your sense of self-worth in your relationship with God and living out His purpose for your life—the same place you’re hopefully encouraging the church to find their sense of self-worth.
Completely discern your call from God. Some may be used of God to speak into your life, but your personal calling is between you and God. They won’t always understand when you’re “called away” or when you feel “led” to lead in a certain direction. And you can’t expect them to.
Don’t expect others to do for you what only you—by God’s grace—can do.  

Ron Edmondson is a pastor and church leader passionate about planting churches, helping established churches thrive, and assisting pastors and those in ministry think through leadership, strategy and life. Ron has over 20 years business experience, mostly as a self-employed business owner, and he's been helping church grow vocationally for over 10 years. More from Ron Edmondson or visit Ron at http://www.ronedmondson.com/

10 Marks of a Mature Christian

By Frank Powell

 

I have two boys (Noah and Micah) 15 months apart. Yes, the days are non-stop and action-packed, but that’s not the point. Here is the point: My boys are at different stages in the maturation process. My oldest son (Noah) can process thoughts and handle tasks that my younger son (Micah) can’t. And most of you would label me an unfit dad if I disciplined Micah because he didn’t understand something he wasn’t capable of processing.
At the same time, I hold Noah to a higher standard than Micah because Noah is older. He is more mature. I don’t expect Micah to be on Noah’s maturity level, but I also don’t expect Noah to be on Micah’s maturity level.
There is a maturation journey we embark on from our first breath on this earth until our last. And there are markers along the way to help us determine if we are ahead of the curve or behind it. For instance, if a 10-year-old is drinking from a bottle, we know something is wrong. If a 5-year-old is still crawling we know something is wrong. You get the idea.
Just like we develop as humans, we also develop as Christians. And just like there are markers for physical and mental maturation, there are also markers for spiritual maturation. But what are they? Well, let’s start by eliminating some things.

Spiritual maturity is not: 

Spiritual maturity is not about age. 

Similar to the bumper sticker that says, “I might be getting older, but I will never grow up.” Spiritual maturity takes time, energy and effort, but it is possible to be a 50- or 60-year-old spiritual baby.

Spiritual maturity is not about achievements.

“Dude, you read through the Bible 25 times? Oh, you memorized the entire book of James? Wow, you can say the books of the Bible in 12 languages … backwards? Are you serious? … You have a Ph.D. in Religion from Harvard?”
Those accomplishments are impressive, but they aren’t necessarily marks of a spiritually mature person. Remember, the Pharisees knew a lot of Scripture and had a trophy room full of achievements.

Spiritual maturity is not about appearance. 

There are people who “look the part.” In football, this is called “passing the eye test.” Tall. Big hands. Rocket arm. But many guys who pass the eye test aren’t good football players. Similarly, there are many Christians who “pass the eye test.” But this isn’t an indication of spiritual maturity.
So, what is spiritual maturity? There are potentially hundreds of markers. So, understand the following markers aren’t a checklist. They aren’t exhaustive. They provide a framework for spiritual maturity.
No one ever fully matures spiritually. But we must journey on the road to maturity, and while we journey, there are marks that help us determine where we are. Here are 10 marks of a mature Christian.

10 Marks of a Mature Christian

1) The highs and lows of life don’t impact your relationship with God.

I love roller coasters. My favorite part is ascending to the apex, stalling for a moment or two, then taking a free fall only to begin the next ascension. What makes roller coasters awesome is the constant rise and fall. But this is not what makes Christianity awesome. I have seen too many people live for the mountaintop experience. They are up, then down. They are all in, then all out. They have an emotional high (conversion experience, weekend retreat, etc.), but when the high wears off, so does their relationship with God.

Mature Christians don’t ride a spiritual roller coaster. They are consistent.

Mature Christians, however, do not allow the highs and lows of life to impact their walk with God. They are consistent. Oh, yes, they celebrate the mountaintop moments, but they do not rely on those moments to sustain their faith.

2) You find value in the “daily-ness” and trivial seasons of life.

Be patient in the mundane activities of life. God is still working. Whatever you do in secret, God will reveal in public. —Christine Caine

I call this the iPhone complex. It is an exhausting mentality where someone lives every day waiting for the next big thing. We love the iPhone … until the next year when the new one comes out that is basically the same phone. .
Similarly, so many people love their church or situation in life … until the church down the road is doing new awesome stuff or until their current situation loses its luster.
When nothing “awesome” is happening, many Christians leave or give up. They believe every day is supposed to be a day when God rocks the world. Mature Christians understand the value in mundane and trivial seasons.

3) You are at peace with situations beyond your control. 

I argue this is one of the most underrated marks of spiritual maturity. Just turn on the TV. Do it now. Step away from reading this post (but come back, of course), turn on the news and watch.
Glad you are back. You probably watched sensationalized stories about ISIS, the downward spiral of our country and everything in between. Are we living in dark days? Absolutely. Are the acts carried out by ISIS and other terror organizations awful? Beyond awful, they are heinous.
But mature Christians don’t allow the latest buzz on the news to derail their lives. They don’t waste time worrying and freaking out over situations beyond their control.

Mature Christians don’t worry or freak out over situations beyond their control.

They pray hard. They act on the situations they can control. But they don’t allow a second of their day to be wasted on conspiracy theories or sensationalized new stories.
God’s got this. He is sovereign over everything. That includes ISIS. That includes the apparent downfall of America. And as long as God’s got this, there is no reason to freak out.

4) You don’t allow disciplines to take a back seat.

It never fails. If I reflect on a season of my life where I did not feel close to God, there was one constant: spiritual disciplines were lacking or nonexistent.

Meditation. Bible study. Prayer. Solitude. Worship. Community. Confession. Fasting. These are non-negotiable for spiritual maturity and continued intimacy with God. People who struggle with consistency and intimacy in their walk with God are the ones that constantly place everything ahead of God. Spiritually mature Christians do not allow time or busyness to be excuses. They find time. They create space. They make whatever sacrifices necessary to live a spiritually disciplined life.

5) You maintain a childlike sense of wonder and awe.

Going back to my boys again. Noah and Micah get excited about everything. Today, Micah found a Cheerio under the couch, put it in his mouth, and screamed, “I did it, mommy.” Micah was ecstatic he found a Cheerio and ate it by himself.
As adults, we have a tendency to lose our childlike sense of wonder toward the world and our surroundings. Maybe this is why Jesus told his disciples we must become like little children to inherit the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 18:3). Children take risks. Children don’t put up walls based on skin color. Children see the beauty and joy in life. Children find joy in eating Cheerios underneath the couch.
Mature Christians have a childlike nature. They don’t easily become bored. They celebrate. They laugh. They don’t put up walls. They view life as a gift. They see opportunity where others see failure. They have a healthy naivety.
Becoming a child doesn’t mean you are immature. It means you refuse to accept the joyless, bored life that often associates adulthood.

6) You do not compare yourself to others.

You are trying to feel right by comparing yourself to others. It is ridiculous! Who told you there was anything wrong with you in the first place? Don’t you know that a human is just a human?—Donald Miller

We live in a culture obsessed with looking at magazines and pictures of others and coveting their body, looks and position in life. Our culture-wants drive us to be the next _______, instead of being the person God designed us to be. This is toxic to joy and degrading to God. Comparison produces shame, bitterness and frustration.

Mature Christians don’t look horizontally for acceptance. They look vertically.

Spiritually mature Christians understand reaching their full potential does not come from looking horizontally at the world, but looking vertically to God.

7) You listen to others who have a different viewpoint … with the goal of growing and not correcting.

Spiritually mature Christians glean insight from everyone. They have conversations with atheists, Muslims, Buddhists, Catholics, Baptists and Pentecostals with the goal of learning.
This stands in stark contrast to some Christians who believe their job is to fix everyone who does not think like them. They are the spiritual “fix it” men (and women) who never leave home without their tool belt.

Mature Christians are convicted but not convinced.

But not spiritually mature Christians. They understand their perspective is limited. They acknowledge God doesn’t need spiritual police, he needs passionate followers. And followers are listeners. Followers are gleaners. Followers are convicted of their beliefs but are not so close-minded that everyone else is wrong. They understand listening to another viewpoint does not equate to condoning or accepting it.

8) Your heart breaks for the poor and marginalized.

Jesus loved everyone. But Jesus had a special love for the marginalized. Maybe more than any other mark, this mark forms the dividing wall between Jesus and the Pharisees. Jesus loved those without a voice. The poor. The sick. The helpless. The Pharisees only loved those who could help them.
Mature Christians understand this distinction. Their hearts genuinely break for those in the world who don’t have a voice. Their hearts hurt for the poor. They can’t stand to see kids at school get picked on. They can’t stand to think about boys and girls without parents. This is the heart of Christ. And it is the heart of mature Christians.
Mature Christians love those without a voice because they are close to God, and God is close to those without a voice.

9) You understand Christianity doesn’t have an on/off switch.

Christian living doesn’t have an “on/off” switch. Living for God is 24/7/365.

Christian living does not have an “on/off” switch. Living for God is 24/7/365. Spiritually mature Christians do not find ways to compartmentalize God because He is not part of their life … He is their life (see Romans 12:1-2).
Mature Christians are constantly aware of their surroundings. They are constantly aware of opportunities God is presenting them to disciple, share, love and comfort. Nothing is off limits. The grocery store. A restaurant. The church building. They believe God is always working, and they are not going to miss an opportunity.

10) You have a sustainable rhythm to your life.

Mature Christians are not workaholics or lazy slobs. They are not underachievers or overachievers. They believe health is important. They find value in exercise. They find value in vacationing. They find value in a regular Sabbath. They find value in hobbies.

Mature Christians root for their team, but don’t allow the result to impact their emotions or mood.

Mature Christians root for their respective teams, but never allow the result to influence their emotions or mood. They understand living for Jesus and being the most effective servant possible means living holistically.
__________________
So, there you go. Ten marks of a spiritually mature Christian. Again, these marks aren’t a checklist, but they do help us see where we are on the journey.

What do you think? Are there marks I didn’t mention? Leave a comment below, and let’s continue the conversation.

I love you all. To God be the glory forever. Amen!  

Frank Powell serves in the Campbell Street Church of Christ in Jackson, Tenn., ministering to college-age and young adults. More from Frank Powell or visit Frank at http://frankpowell.me

9 Marks of an Unhealthy Church

By Kevin DeYoung

Provided by

Thanks to Mark Dever, many of us have become well acquainted with the 9 Marks of a Healthy Church. While these were never meant to be the last word on everything a church should be or do, the nine marks have been helpful in reminding Christians (and pastors especially) of the necessary substance we often forget in an age fixated on style.
In one sense, the nine marks of an unhealthy church could simply be the opposite of all that makes for a healthy church, so that unhealthy churches ignore membership and discipline and expository preaching and all the rest. But the signs of church sickness are not always so obvious. It’s possible for your church to teach and understand all the right things and still be a terribly unhealthy place. No doubt, there are dozens of indicators that a church has become dysfunctional and diseased. But let’s limit ourselves to nine.
Here are nine marks that your church—even one that believes the Bible, preaches the gospel and embraces good ecclesiology—may be unhealthy.
1. The more peripheral the sermon topic, the more excited the people become. One of the things I’ve always loved about University Reformed Church is that the sermons they love most are the ones that deal with the most central themes of the Bible. They love to hear about sin and salvation, about the glory of God, about providence, about Christ and the cross. It’s not that they never hear (or dislike) sermons on the end times or social issues or financial stewardship or marriage or parenting, but they seem most passionate about the messages that major on guilt, grace and gratitude. I’m concerned when a congregation gets tired of hearing about the Trinity, the atonement, the new birth or the resurrection and wants to hear another long series on handling stress or the 70 weeks in Daniel.
2. The church staff does not enjoy coming to work. Every job has its ups and downs. Every office will have tension from time to time. But lay leaders should take note when staff members seem sullen, unhappy and have to drag themselves to church every day. Do the members of your church staff like to be around each other? Do they ever talk to each other as friends in the fellowship hall? Do you ever see them laughing together? If no, there may be burn out afoot, or conflict, or something worse.
3. The pastor and his wife do not get along. I’m not talking about the regular tiffs and periodic tough times every couple endures. I’m talking about a marriage that has grown cold and loveless, a relationship that is perfunctory and lacking in passion. Every church should have some mechanism in place to ask the pastor and his wife how their marriage is going (or not). Churches can survive a lot of conflict, but rarely will they be healthy, happy places if the pastor and his wife are quietly (or loudly) unhealthy and unhappy.
4. Almost no one knows where the money goes. Churches handle their finances in different ways. As churches get bigger it can be harder, or even unwise, for everyone in the church to have a say in the allocation of every dollar. And yet, when it comes to finances, erring on the side of transparency is rarely a bad idea. At the very least, there must be more than a small group of people who know (and have a say) in where the money goes. Don’t make the pastor’s salary a matter of national security.
5. The leadership team never changes or always changes. Both are warning signs. On the one hand, churches become ingrown when there is never any new blood among the leaders. If your elders, deacons, trustees, small group leaders, Sunday school teachers, VBS coordinators and worship team members are the same now as they were during the Reagan administration, you have a problem. Maybe the old leaders are power hungry, maybe no one is being trained up, maybe no one new has come to your church in 20 years. All are big problems. On the other hand, if the elders are never interested in serving another term, and the staff members never stick around more than a couple years, and the volunteers only volunteer once, the culture of your church may be too confining, too full of conflict or too unforgiving of honest mistakes.
6. No one is ever raised up from the church for pastoral ministry or sent from the church into missionary service. Good preaching inspires young men to preach. Clarity about the gospel stirs up men and women to share the gospel with those who have not heard. Smaller churches may not send out workers every year, but the congregation that almost never produces pastors and missionaries is almost never a healthy church.
7. There is a bottle neck in decision making. This may be the congregation’s fault. Some church members insist on approving every decision, from staff hiring to the time of the worship service to the proverbial color of the carpet. If everyone has to vote on every decision, your church will never be bigger than the number of people who can knowledgeably vote on every decision (which is pretty small). The bottle neck can all be the pastor’s fault. In some churches nothing happens without the pastor’s personal approval and direct oversight—a sure-fire recipe for turf wars, stunted growth and the driving away of gifted leaders.
8. The preaching has become erratic. This may take on many forms. Maybe the pastor no longer shares the pulpit with other staff members and the occasional outside guest. Maybe the opposite is taking place and the pastor seems to be calling in the reserves more often than not. Maybe the preaching has become more vitriolic, or always hammers away at the same theme, or shows signs of little preparation. Maybe you’ve noticed that the preacher is relying more on video clips or prepackaged sermon outlines, or constantly reuses sermon material from a few years ago. No one wants the preaching to be dull. Some variation is to be expected and welcomed. But take a closer look if the preacher seems doctrinally unstable, irritable or exhausted.
9. There are issues everyone knows about but no one talks about openly. Unhealthy churches often have one major unwritten rule: The person who mentions our problems is the one with the problem. This could be a pastor who can’t preach, an organist who never sticks around for the sermon, an elder who is rumored to be in a compromised relationship, a youth director who doesn’t know how to talk to kids, a staff member who can’t get along with anyone, a leader who leads by fiat and intimidation. To be sure, many matters should be dealt with privately and quietly, but this is no excuse for turning a blind eye to what everyone can plainly see. Naming what everyone knows is often the first step in robbing the problem of its crippling power.  

Kevin is the Senior Pastor at University Reformed Church (RCA) in East Lansing, Michigan, right across the street from Michigan State University. He has been the pastor there since 2004. More from Kevin DeYoung or visit Kevin at http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/