It’s Day 1 at the Church Systems Check-up and Boot Camp in Orlando and one of the the things we’re doing live in front of a group of 200+ attendees is a message run-through. We’re literally running through this Sunday’s message – rehearsing it ahead of time to get feedback and make changes well before Sunday. Why do we do this? For the same reason that actors … Read More
My Top Fall Sermons – All Half Off!
Fall will be here before you know it – so today with our HALF OFF Fall Sermons Sale I’m encouraging you to start planning NOW. It’s an interesting thing we do as pastors – preparing a sermon every seven days. I have a lot of motivational speaker friends who only have to develop one or two speeches a year, but we have to … Read More
The Power of Vacation: Keeping Your Tank Full
Like most pastors, you may struggle when it comes to planning your time away. In my early years of church planting, when I was bivocational, I was greatly challenged in this area until I discovered the power of taking some extended time off. Though the word “vacation” is not found in the Bible, there’s nothing unspiritual about taking a vacation. … Read More
Understanding what Jesus Said About Finances
Today’s blog comes to us from my friend and stewardship mentor Steve Stroope as an excerpt from his book, Money Matters in Church: A Practical Guide for Leaders. Steve is lead pastor of the multi-campus Lake Pointe Church near Dallas, Texas. Under his leadership, the congregation has grown from 57 members in 1980 to a current attendance of more than … Read More
Dr. Bob Whitesel: How to Read John Wesley’s Sermons
The following post is from my good friend and John Wesley authority, Dr Bob Whitesel. I had the tremendous privilege of traveling with him on a UK tour to study the “Footsteps of John Wesley.” This immersion was so powerful that I invited Dr. Whitesel to speak for a half day on the church growth principles of John Wesley (we … Read More
FLASH SALE – Power of the Sabbath 75% Off!
It was four years after I had started The Journey Church. I was having my regular phone calls with one of my mentors in Atlanta. I was complaining. Frustrated. Tired. My waistline was expanding and so was my to-do list. (And although I didn’t have the guts to tell him, my marriage wasn’t in a great place either). He called me … Read More
FREE Event – RSVP for A Conversation with John Wesley
I still have a few spots available for you to join me TOMORROW for a brand new FREE conference call event in celebration of John Wesley’s 312th birthday! (RSVP required!) You’ll also get an exclusive sneak peek at a BRAND NEW resource on Wesley (see the P.S. below to learn more). Click here for all the details and to sign up now … Read More
Choose to Grow – Not Glide – This Summer
The average church tends to just “glide” through the summer. But don’t believe the myth – you CAN choose to GROW! The truth is there ARE proven things you can do to flatten that summer dip, and make sure it’s a minor one instead of a drastic drop-off. Just a few days ago, I shared some insider tips on “How to Avoid the … Read More
The Task of Evangelism – A Saturday Quote
“Preceding and accompanying the task of building our Christian schools, we must keep faithfully and practically in mind our primary task of evangelism, the work of winning souls from sin unto salvation, from Satan unto God. This work takes precedence of all other work in the Christian program. Salvation for sinners is through Jesus Christ alone, nor is there any … Read More
Never Once Feared – A Saturday Quote
“I have never once feared the devil, but I tremble every time I enter the pulpit.” – John Knox, the Fiery Founder of Presbyterianism