Among the 41% of Americans planning to attend Easter services, over two thirds of them own smartphones and will most likely look up information about your church online. Do you have service times and location information in clear, easy-to-find locations? Also check out your website to make sure you have staff information, children’s ministry notes, and information about your mission and values along with links to past sermons.

Source: Facts and Trends

Why does this matter for church leaders?

Some simple changes to your church website can make a huge difference in helping visitors find your church and prepare for a visit, let alone helping them decide to visit in the first place.

• Is Your Church Website Mobile-Ready? Several of the most popular website creation tools today have ready-made themes that show up well on the tiny screens of mobile phones. Assuming that the majority of your members and visitors use smartphones, is your website optimized for mobile viewing?
• Where to Share the Basics: The two most important details on any church website are you location and your service times. Contact information should be easy to find as well. You can place this essential information on your home page in the top (or header) section, at the top of a sidebar, or at the bottom of your page, provided visitors don’t have to scroll down too far to find it.
• What makes your church unique? If churches include information about their mission, values, and beliefs, they tend to share too much. What are the most important details you can share about your church in a few brief sentences so that visitors know who you are and what makes your church unique?

Can you run a test on your church website today? Ask a few members of your church to share their input.

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The popularity of cell phones are driving a striking decline in empathy as more regular users are missing out on the benefits of in-person conversations. Couples are writing via text messages rather than conversing in real person, families spend time “together” but on their phones, and job applicants struggle in interviews after writing excellent letters. The use of smartphones isn’t just cutting into our time, they’re cutting into our ability to connect with each other.

Source: Church Mag

Why does this matter for church leaders?

Church leaders need to be aware of any threats to their empathy in order to minister effectively, but as they seek to counsel their congregation and support their spiritual growth, they need to know the kind of impact that technology is having.

• Reclaiming the Conversation: In this new book by Sherry Turkle, we learn that research reveals young people are relying too much on text messages and aren’t developing interpersonal skills and, worst of all, aren’t developing empathy because of this missing face-to-face interaction.
• Marriages and Angry Text Messages: The down side of technology appears to be showing up the most in the context of marriages where couples rely on text messages rather than having a discussion.
• Addressing the Impact of Technology: Pastors have an important role in both setting their own boundaries with technology and helping others do the same. Are there ways your staff and your family can model better cell phone habits?

How can you help your congregation through these challenges presented through smartphones?

Ministry Briefing subscribers receive a weekly curated list of the 40 most important church-related stories of the week, summarized with the original link (like what you see above). We keep church leaders abreast of cultural trends, stocked with new sermon illustrations, and save them time so they can focus on what really matters. 

Readers of my blog can get their first month for $1 by clicking here.

In 20% of Protestant churches their offerings declined in the past year, while a third failed to meet their budget. Among those who were surveyed, 13% shared that the economy had improved giving in their congregations. This shortfall of 32% is better than 2010 when 46% of churches reported that they failed to meet their budget. Larger churches tended to meet their budget more often than smaller churches.

Source: Facts and Trends

Why does this matter for church leaders?

As you track giving and plan for future expenses, general trends can help keep your church in the black this year.

• Shortfalls and Positive Trends: Although 32% of pastors reported that giving had fallen short of their projected budgets this year, the overall trend is positive, as 80% of pastors said the economy had hurt their churches in 2010, but that dropped to 56% in 2014.
• Financial Security Is Hard to Find: Only 26% of churches exceeded their budget, meaning that the majority of churches are living on the edge financially with limited capacity to build up savings.
• Planning for Shortfalls: If you’re among the 32% of pastors who saw a shortfall or the 39% who landed right on target, take some time to establish contingency plans if there are unanticipated declines in giving or unexpected expenses that add strain to your budget.

How can your church better insulate itself from the ups and downs of the economy?

Ministry Briefing subscribers receive a weekly curated list of the 40 most important church-related stories of the week, summarized with the original link (like what you see above). We keep church leaders abreast of cultural trends, stocked with new sermon illustrations, and save them time so they can focus on what really matters. 

Readers of my blog can get their first month for $1 by clicking here.

Show Notes

• What Visitors Look for on Your Church Website http://bit.ly/1Ue735P
• Losing Conversation: The Price We Pay for Smartphones http://bit.ly/256GXFF
• Tullian gets fired by new church http://bit.ly/1Rp0AyE
• When a Pastor Falls, is Restoration Possible? http://bit.ly/1UGQ3UN

Two people were killed outside New Life Church in Colorado Springs in 2007, and in the wake of several recent church shootings, Brady Boyd of the megachurch has set up a 20-member security team for his church that include special forces soldiers. Boyd estimates that over 100 people could have been killed if an armed church member had not killed the shooter in 2007.

Source: Christian Today

Why does this matter for church leaders?

Several high profile church shooting events have prompted debates over the need for less guns or more guns in society, but in the meantime, how do churches plan for better security?

• Do you have a security plan at your church? Whether or not you have armed church members on your church property, every church staff and volunteer team will benefit from emergency lock down and evacuation plans.
• Should churches have armed security? Guns are a sensitive topic in the context of church security since most congregations will have a range of views. Are there alternatives to armed security? Would guns on the church property create a host of new problems? These are the types of questions to consider with your team.
• Do you have security experts in your circles? New Life Church has benefitted from trained special forces soldiers who attend their congregation. From soldiers to law enforcement professionals, consider the security resources that you already have.

How can you make your church safer in the next month? Can you make more improvements in the next three months?  

Ministry Briefing subscribers receive a weekly curated list of the 40 most important church-related stories of the week, summarized with the original link (like what you see above). We keep church leaders abreast of cultural trends, stocked with new sermon illustrations, and save them time so they can focus on what really matters. 

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At one time North Heights Lutheran Church had 7,600 members, making it one of the largest ELCA churches in America. However, the church has broken into contentious factions over the leadership of pastor Mindy Bak. A 2014 membership meeting noted several problems, but some church officials downplayed their seriousness. Today the church is slated to close down and at least one former group of members are meeting at a local hotel.

Source: Star Tribune

Why does this matter for church leaders?

A large, growing church usually falls apart slowly over time and one thing is rarely to blame. A story like this has a great deal to teach us.

• How does theology divide congregations? Disagreement over homosexuality was one of the reasons why the congregation at North Heights divided. Are there any theological issues that could prove divisive for your church in the near future?
• How do you handle mistakes? As recently as 2014 a business meeting delivered a troubling report about financial, programmatic, and staffing mistakes made by the church’s pastor. The report optimistically reported that these could be overcome. Do you have a strong support network to help you through difficult seasons or major mistakes?
• What is the point of no return? It’s likely that no one at this church in 2010 could have imagined it closing down when it had over 4,500 members. It’s clear in retrospect that drastic action was required, but when do you take a step like that to prevent a ministry from closing down altogether?

Hard times are bound to come for any ministry, but do you have a plan in place to manage them?

Ministry Briefing subscribers receive a weekly curated list of the 40 most important church-related stories of the week, summarized with the original link (like what you see above). We keep church leaders abreast of cultural trends, stocked with new sermon illustrations, and save them time so they can focus on what really matters. 

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Former pastor Rob Bell says that he has enjoyed his time away from pastoral ministry because he can preach freely without the burden of “running a church” getting in the way. Bell notes that too many pastors use their sermons to get bigger crowds and buildings, telling people what they want to hear rather than using a sermon for holy disruption.

Source: The Christian Post

Why does this matter for church leaders?

Bell’s comments remind us about the ideals for pastors and ministry and the ways those ideals conflict with the day to day demands of running a church.

• What is a pastor’s role? For many pastors, especially those in 200-300 member congregations, there’s pressure to do it all. Bell notes that even at a large church he felt pressure to maintain the organization rather than focus on preaching and ministering to individuals.
• The pressures preacher’s face: Bell notes that some pastors tame their sermons in order to attract more people. Should sermons be more disruptive?
• Where does ministry happen? Does Bell have a point that running a “ministry” gets in the way of actually ministering?

What gets in the way of your preaching and discipleship? Can you make changes to give yourself greater freedom?

Ministry Briefing subscribers receive a weekly curated list of the 40 most important church-related stories of the week, summarized with the original link (like what you see above). We keep church leaders abreast of cultural trends, stocked with new sermon illustrations, and save them time so they can focus on what really matters. 

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After Andy Stanley shared in a sermon that those who attend small churches are selfish, he has since shared in an interview that he regrets how five minutes have undermined what he has worked hard to do all of this life. Stanley shared that he supports those in small churches, and he intended to challenge his listeners to prioritize reaching out to their kids rather than maintaining their own comfort.

Source: Christianity Today

Why does this matter for church leaders?

Our children are the future of the church, and Andy Stanley’s clarification is important to consider about making a place for them.

• Churches of all sizes are required: Andy Stanley rightfully apologized for criticizing smaller churches and saying that those who attend them are selfish.
• Who is comfortable at church? In his clarification, Stanley shared that his church prioritizes ministry to children and making sure they feel welcome and included.
• Churches that span generations: What does it look like to have a multi-generational ministry? Are there certain groups that need to give up control in order to make this a reality?

How can your church make the next generation a higher priority, even, if necessary, at the expense of the older generation’s comfort?

Bonus thought: Stanley notes that a five minute video clip from a sermon aimed at his congregation has now tainted the work that he has done with churches for the last few decades. This is worth considering when planning out our next sermon. How often do we say something that we pray doesn’t go viral? How does this affect the grace that we should show towards those that say something we don’t agree with?

Ministry Briefing subscribers receive a weekly curated list of the 40 most important church-related stories of the week, summarized with the original link (like what you see above). We keep church leaders abreast of cultural trends, stocked with new sermon illustrations, and save them time so they can focus on what really matters. 

Readers of my blog can get their first month for $1 by clicking here.