How to fill your pews has been a question since before the pandemic. It is especially compelling now. As you think about this important question, keep in mind the following eight facts, and eight ways you can act. I encourage you to share this article with your key leaders and decision-makers so that you can discover the unique ways you will choose to fill your pews this year.

Mentoring is the glue that held the early church together. If your congregation is falling apart, it’s time to take a look at the power of mentoring.

Jesus mentored his followers. Those followers, in turn, mentored new followers. And so on until the message and the power of the Gospel spread far and wide.

When Jesus took time for spiritual renewal, he went into the wilderness. He stepped away from all the trappings of his work. He traveled without a laptop. Without a calendar. He even left his disciples at home. In other words, Jesus left behind the first-century version of distractions so that he could fully unplug.

You are on the front lines of leadership during the most extensive, swiftest cultural shift the world has ever experienced. Everything has changed. You have been rising to the challenge. Some of you share this as the most rewarding, if not demanding, chapter of your ministry. It’s time to boost your spiritual immune system.

For three days in an Airbnb rental in a cozy Atlanta neighborhood, my team and I took a spiritual retreat.  Nine of us worshiped together, laughed and played together, ate meals together, envisioned the coming year together, and worked on some detailed processes together.

Is Discipleship Enough? When it comes to church revitalization, discipleship pathway systems are touted as the answer. These systems are supposed to produce disciples such as growth and thus enable churches to fulfill the Great Commission. But is discipleship enough?...

Can This Church Rebuild? Can this church rebuild? I wondered to myself as I sat in worship on Sunday morning.  The church in question is one I have attended for the last 10 years so I had a special interest in the answer. I like this church. It’s well-positioned...

Three Stubborn Obstacles that Keep Your Congregation Stuck   There are three stubborn obstacles that keep your congregation stuck. These barriers to renewal reinforce patterns of decline. Not only that, but these barriers also prevent congregations from moving...

Minority Rules   The minority, not the majority, rules. You may think that because we live in a democracy, and like to give everyone voice and vote, to make sure that everyone has a seat at the table, that the majority would rule. You would be wrong. The minority...

Beyond the Hands and Feet of Christ   A recent pastoral prayer I heard reminded me that it’s time to up your prayer game beyond praying to be the hands and feet of Christ. Longing to be a mere appendage of Christ is aiming too low. Rather than being the hands and...