“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
2 Things That are Better Than a Multivitamin (Thursdays are for Health)
“Many people think that if they take a multivitamin, they don’t need to eat their fruits and vegetables. While vitamins are an important part of a healthy lifestyle, no vitamin can duplicate the unique nutrient composition found in whole fruits and vegetables that work in the body to minimize inflammation, destroy harmful cells and bolster health. Focus your energy on nutrient-rich foods, … Read More
Fusion Fridays: The Role of Assimilation
“Encouraging people to stick around our churches is not about making our auditoriums look full and our numbers impressive; it’s about leading them to faith in Jesus, through the Spirit’s prompting. Putting a strong, strategic assimilation system in place is the best way to ensure that our newcomers will stay with us long enough to respond to Christ’s pull.” … Read More
Fusion Fridays: Why Assimilate?
“Assimilation leads to life transformation by giving people the means and opportunity to become maturing followers of Christ. In broad terms, assimilation can be defined as the process used to encourage your first-time guests to continue coming back until they see and understand God’s power, accept Jesus as Savior, and commit themselves to the local church through leadership.” … Read More