What Makes A Great Sermon Great? Abraham Lincoln’s Opinion…

I just finished reading John Maxwell’s new book, Everyone Communicates, Few Connect, and I’ll be talking about it in a future CLI Newsletter (you are getting the newsletter aren’t you? if not, click here). Here’s a powerful story that Maxwell shares in this book: President Abraham Lincoln, an incredible communicator, was known during the Civil War to attend a church … Read More


Nelson SearcyPreaching

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How Teaching God’s Truth Can Get Your Church Noticed

I got an email recently from Freddy Villarreal, Tele-Coaching Participant and Lead Pastor of Freedom Life Church in Virginia, about how their local news (and then CNN) ran a story about the Desperate Sex Lives sermon series they did in February.  Here’s the video: Freddy – great job representing your church and the Church on-camera! I’m not a fan of … Read More


Nelson SearcyEvangelism

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FDR on Sermon Preparation…

I ran across this story in a book I was reading recently and I think it has great application when it comes to planning and preparing to preach: Franklin Delano Roosevelt was once asked how long it would take to prepare an address on a particular theme. “That depends on how long you want me to speak,’ the President answered. … Read More


Nelson SearcyPreaching, Worship Planning

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What are Your Expectations for Your Worship Pastor and Musicians?

This is Jason Hatley, Pastor of Worship Arts at The Journey.  Nelson asked me to share some thoughts today on one of the more frequently asked questions in both his and my coaching networks – the question of worship ministry expectations. Excellence on Sunday begins with excellence in the rehearsal room. And the one person who is responsible for getting … Read More


Nelson SearcyWorship Planning

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How to Survive the Recession – 44 Tips from Tom Peters (FREE VIDEO)

Tom Peters has been one of my favorite ‘business guru’s’ for a long time.  Many of his books are on my ‘must read’ list, including his latest, Little Big Things, which I will have more to say about in a future Church Leader Insights Newsletter – you do get that right?  If not, get it here.  Now. Here’s a recent … Read More


Nelson SearcyLeadership

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Happy Easter from the Searcy Family!

Happy Easter! I wanted to share a picture of my son, Alex, with the Easter Bunny today. He’s almost 4 years old and he’s almost as excited about Easter as I am! Oh, and in case you were wondering: no, I’m NOT the guy in the bunny suit. We’re praying for you, your family and your church to have a … Read More


Nelson SearcyUncategorized

How to Involve Your Full Staff in Groups

Adam Bishop here, Small Groups Pastor at The Journey.  Nelson asked me to post today about how to get your full staff involved in Small Groups. In Activate: An Entirely New Approach to Small Groups, Nelson and Kerrick mention that The Journey has a scalable structure for our small group system, including “Coaches.” Sometimes we’re asked who makes up that … Read More


Nelson SearcySmall Groups

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