In Preaching Articles: "Better Church"

The Word Nobody Likes… Part 2

By Lance Witt on Dec 5, 2023

One of the reasons the word accountability gets a bad rap is because of the way some people have carried out accountability. Holding people accountable is not using your position as a club to embarrass, humiliate, mistreat, belittle or shame people. Our accountability of people should make those on our team better not bitter.

Scripture: Daniel 6:1

Tags: Humility, leadership, relationships, Accountability, Performance, Feedback, Pastoral Ministry, church ministry, Empowering Others, Effective Leadership, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

Five Strategic Advantages Of Small Churches

By Brandon O'brien on Feb 14, 2024

Brandon O'Brien offers five strengths that he believes are inherent in small congregations, which can leverage these characteristics for ministry success.

Tags: Church, Growth, pastor, Church Growth, Health, Small Church, Church General, Pastor, church  (view more)  (view less)

10 Tips For Guest Speaking Every Pastor Should Know

By Brandon Hilgemann on Jul 8, 2019

11 tips to help make you a better guest preacher—one they will actually want to invite back.

Scripture: Matthew 17:24-27

Tags: guest, Preaching, invite, Tip, Feedback  (view more)  (view less)

10 Reasons Small Churches Tend To Stay Small

By Joe Mckeever on Sep 21, 2024

After working for years among hundreds of small congregations, Joe McKeever speaks to the subtle growth barriers that tend to go unnoticed or unaddressed in stagnant churches.

Scripture: John 13:35, Psalm 85:6, Luke 11:1-2

Tags: Church, Outreach, pastor, Church Growth, Health, Fail, Small Church, Church Practices, Pastor, church  (view more)  (view less)

10 Things Healthy Churches Do Well

By Joe Mckeever on Jan 24, 2025

Whether we are a critic or a lover of the church — or for some of us, both — it's important to remain balanced.

Scripture: Acts 6:1-7

Tags: Church Growth, Healthy Church, Pastors, CHURCH LIFE, Church General, Accept  (view more)  (view less)

4 Reasons Why People Leave And 3 Ways Pastors Respond

By Greg Surratt on Apr 29, 2020

In the early days of starting Seacoast, I used to wince when someone asked for an appointment. “Was this another ‘core team member’ hanging up their spurs?”, I’d think to myself.

Scripture: Hebrews 10:25-35, Hebrews 10:25

Tags: Church, Church Growth, Connect, Assimilation, Church Practices  (view more)  (view less)

5 Things That Are Not So Wrong With The Church

By SermonCentral .com on Mar 4, 2022

I’ve noticed that for a couple thousand years now, the church has had this tendency to be quick to point out what is wrong with the church, but slow to affirm what is right.

Tags: Church, Culture, negative, Church Health, church, culture  (view more)  (view less)

11 Signs Your Church Is Going Extinct

By Carey Nieuwhof on Jun 12, 2019

Unless you’re in a free fall right now, it can be hard to know whether your congregation will thrive, survive or take a dive in the next decade.

Scripture: 1 Samuel 2:1-11

Tags: Church, Preaching, preaching, church

4 Thoughts On Finding A Mentor

By Ron Edmondson on Jun 25, 2024

"I have had many mentors who have invested deeply in my life. I am who I am partly because of the intentionality of others pouring into my life. They have made me a better leader, better husband, father, friend, and person."

Scripture: Proverbs 15:22

Tags: Character, Grow, Personal Growth, Mentor, Godly Leaders, mentoring, personal holiness, Disciple  (view more)  (view less)

A Category You Won’t Find In The Bible: The Churchless Christian

By Thabiti Anyabwile on Oct 27, 2022

"It is important for Christians to be members of a local church because the New Testament apostles can’t conceive of anything called a Christian that’s not connected to Christ’s body."

Tags: Church, Discipleship, Christian Life, Healthy Church, Called to serve, local church, be the church, Church Body of Christ, Christian community, church  (view more)  (view less)

What Are You Doing To Stay Small And Strategic?

By Peter Mead on Aug 1, 2024

We need to make sure that in our preaching ministry we are not drawn into thinking purely in a “bigger is better” model.

Tags: Preaching, preaching

How To Handle The Gore Of Good Friday

By Peter Mead on Mar 22, 2021

The crucifixion is bloody. Should we shock people out of a religious view of crucifixion, or is it better not to overwhelm people with the gore?

Tags: Good Friday, Preaching, preaching

Is Your Church Stuck Or Just Small?

By SermonCentral on Jan 23, 2019

If your church is healthy, quit stressing about getting bigger. God may not be calling you to bigness.

Scripture: Acts 1:1-15

Tags: Growth, Church Growth, Healthy Church, effective, Small Church  (view more)  (view less)

52 Quotes For This Generation Of Church Leaders

By Brad Lomenick on Apr 15, 2020

52 insightful quotes from Brad Lomenick that pertain to the preaching and pastoral audience.

Tags: pastor, Pastors, Leadership General, Young, Church, leadership  (view more)  (view less)

The Case For The Hour-Long Church Service

By Dave Browning on Jan 5, 2023

For some Christian leaders, an hour-long service can be viewed as too short, if not restrictive. For the people we are trying to reach, however, an hour may seem long, if not excessive.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:21

Tags: Preaching, church service, Time, preaching