In Preaching Articles: showing 1-15 of 23

Don’t Try To Be Successful, Try To Do Good Work

By Karl Vaters on Jul 4, 2024

A minister with a well-nourished soul may or may not have a big church, but they’ll always have a healthy ministry.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:1-11, 1 Corinthians 4:2

Tags: leadership, Faithfulness, Good Works, pastoral leadership, success in ministry, church leadership, measuring success, serving faithfully, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

Sorry, Pastors – The Growth Of The Church Is Not Up To Us

By Karl Vaters on Jun 5, 2024

"Preaching the Word, training disciples and ministering to the community may or may not increase the number of people who sit in front of me from Sunday to Sunday. But it will produce a healthy church."

Tags: Church Growth, Surrender, Healthy Church, God's Church, God in control, pastoral leadership, call to discipleship, church leadership  (view more)  (view less)

We Can Whine About The New Generation Or Worship With Them – But We Can’t Do Both

By Karl Vaters on Apr 26, 2024

We can either whine about how the new generation chooses to worship, or we can worship and minister with them. But we can’t do both.

Scripture: John 7:24

Tags: Perspective, Culture, church culture, Christian Priorities, future generations, church priorities, Generations, e, perspective, culture  (view more)  (view less)

If You're Going To Do Church That Way, Do It Well

By Karl Vaters on Nov 30, 2023

Churches don’t become great by adding more programs. They get better at the ones they already have.

Tags: liturgy, Denomination, Pastoral Ministry, church ministry, church leadership, People Over Programs, Form and Substance, Do What's right, e  (view more)  (view less)

7 Steps To Help Your Good, But Slightly Off-Center Message Break Through The Noise

By Karl Vaters on Oct 27, 2023

When your message is off-center, the quality matters even more.

Tags: leadership, Preaching, preaching tips, Pastoral Ministry, Leadership, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

5 Things You Should Never Say To A Small Church Pastor

By Karl Vaters on Oct 24, 2023

Don’t just get the content right. Consider how it might feel to the hurting pastors who need your help the most.

Tags: leadership, advice, Small Church, Pastoral Ministry, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

Pastoral Transition: Setting Your Church Up For Ministry Success After You're Gone

By Karl Vaters on Oct 20, 2023

Following a long-term, successful pastorate is one of the hardest callings in ministry. Every pastor should do everything we can to make it as easy as possible for the next pastor and the church to do great ministry after we leave.

Scripture: Ephesians 4:11-12

Tags: leadership, servant leadership, Pastoral Transition, Decentralize, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

Do We Need A broader Definition Of Church Growth?

By Karl Vaters on Oct 13, 2023

Any definition of church growth that doesn’t allow for, even celebrate, churches that contribute in non-numerical ways is incomplete.

Tags: Church Growth, priorities, pastoral leadership, First Things First, Right Values  (view more)  (view less)

Your Struggling Church Can Turn Around Today – But Greatness Takes Time

By Karl Vaters on Aug 23, 2023

If you’re pastoring a church that has or is turning around, here's some great news - and possibly your greatest challenge.

Scripture: Revelation 21:5

Tags: leadership, renewal, patience, Church Health, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

What Are You Improving At Your Church Right Now?

By Karl Vaters on Oct 26, 2022

"Every church should constantly be improving. And not just in general terms. We should always be working on specific action plans to make our church better tomorrow than it is today."

Tags: leadership, Church Growth, Healthy Church, effective, productivity, pastoral leadership, church leadership, good leadership, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

3 Big Problems With Running A Church Like A Business

By Karl Vaters on Oct 4, 2022

"We’re always decrying the rise of the consumer culture within the church. But how should we expect people to act when pastors act like CEOs marketing Jesus as a product?"

Tags: Jesus is Lord, pastoral leadership, church and business, Pastoral Ministry, avoiding burnout, church ministry, Lord Of The Church, shallow church  (view more)  (view less)

Backyard Bbq Evangelism: A New, True Parable Of Outside-The-Church-Walls Ministry

By Karl Vaters on Sep 29, 2022

"Don't force people to do ministry your way. Help them with the ministry they're already passionate about."

Tags: Evangelism, Outreach, Spiritual Gifts, Body of Christ, Innovation, evangelism barriers, reaching the lost, evangelism planning, Conversational Evangelism, Unique Gifts, evangelism  (view more)  (view less)

What If We Made Disciples And Left Church Growth To God?

By Karl Vaters on Sep 6, 2022

If we prioritized health, not as a means to growth, but as an end in itself, would we be in a greater position to represent Jesus to the world?

Tags: Discipleship, Church Growth, Make Disciples, great commission, pastoral leadership, church ministry, Growth Strategy, Equip the Saints  (view more)  (view less)

The Top 3 Reasons Church Growth Ideas Usually Fail In Smaller Churches

By Karl Vaters on Aug 31, 2022

We're often told that small churches are failing at church growth. But sometimes church growth ideas are failing in smaller churches.

Tags: Church Growth, Context, pastoral leadership, Church Attendance, church ministry, rural church, Growth Strategy, Urban Church, context, church attendance  (view more)  (view less)

Why Was I So Hard On That Church I Visited?

By Karl Vaters on Jul 2, 2022

How might a newcomer view your church? What barriers may they face? What obstacles could be unintentionally in the way of them connecting and finding a place to belong?

Tags: leadership, Visitors, church ministry, Welcoming Others, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)