“It has been said that, ‘The church is a family expecting guests.’ Is your family ready? The church – your church – truly is a family expecting guests. And you should be ready to show them intentional hospitality when they arrive. While they are in your company, they need to feel comfortable and valued, no matter where they are in … Read More
Choose Whole Grain Instead (Thursdays are for Health)
“As you begin to fill your diet with more living foods, also be intentional about cutting out refined carbohydrates. Opt instead for whole grain products. Whole grain varieties (which are also complex carbohydrates) retain the fiber and nutrients that have been stripped from white carbohydrates, so they interact with your body in an entirely different way. One note of caution: Be … Read More
Fusion Fridays: From Crowd to Congregation
“I fully believe that when new people visit your church and establish themselves as part of the crowd, you are embarking on a journey with those people. If you commit to guiding them across the bridge of assimilation, you are giving them the best opportunity to respond to God and give their lives to Jesus. Once they sincerely profess their … Read More
Limit Animal Protein (Thursdays are for Health)
“A hundred years ago, meat was more of a treat than a staple. Sunday dinner was special because it was usually the only meal of the week where meat was served. These days, however, we’ve come to believe that a meal isn’t complete unless it includes meat. This is problematic. Thanks to the saturated fat that is synonymous with animal … Read More
Fusion Fridays: Cooperating with God
“Not one person who comes through your doors comes haphazardly. By sending a guest to you, God is giving you the privilege of cooperating with him to move someone forward in his or her journey toward Jesus.” – Nelson Searcy and Jennifer Dykes Henson The above quote is from p. 30 of Fusion: Turning First-Time Guests Into Fully Engaged Members of Your Church. This … Read More
Trade White for Whole Grain (Thursdays are for Health)
“Over a period of six years, scientists tracked 43,000 men whose diets were high in white rice, white bread, and white pasta. The participants had two and a half times the incidence of Type II diabetes as those who ate high-fiber alternatives such as whole grain bread and brown rice. In addition to obesity and diabetes, these nutritionally defunct foods … Read More
HALF OFF: The Generosity Ladder
My book The Generosity Ladder: Your Next Step to Financial Peace, continues to help more and more churches and I want to say Thank You to all who already picked it up for yourself and for the people in your church. This book is a great tool for you to use to help educate your people on the truth of … Read More
Fusion Fridays: Having the Right Perspective
“Your regular attenders represent people in the process of becoming fully developing followers of Jesus. Your guest count gauges the effectiveness of your evangelism and outreach. When grounded in the right perspective, numbers are an indication of life change. They are a testimony that God is at work. But anyone who looks at numbers with a competitive spirit or who … Read More
1 Quirky Phrase to Battle Weight & Disease (Thursdays are for Health)
“Refined carbohydrates, such as white bread, brown rice, white pastas and most baked goods are one of the major culprits behind America’s weight and sickness epidemic. When refined carbohydrates enter your body they are converted directly to sugar, which is why they are responsible for so many obesity-related diseases. So remember, ‘If it’s white, don’t bite.’” – Nelson Searcy, Steve Reynolds … Read More
Fusion Fridays: Caring About the Numbers
“I’m sure you know how the critics think: To those of us who advocate healthy, growing churches, it’s all about the numbers, right? Well, the critics are right to an extent: we do care about numbers. Why? Because every number represents a life. In a properly facilitated assimilation system, the number of new members you have is a reflection of … Read More