In Preaching Articles: "Church Relationships"

5 Top Priorities For Increasing Your Church

By Charles Arn on Jan 11, 2025

Decades of research reveal five church-growth principles—disciple-making, relationships, felt-needs, transitions, and social networks—that help any church engage its community.

Scripture: Matthew 25:14-30

Tags: Growth, Discipleship, leadership, pastor, Church Growth, Ministry Leadership, Pastor, Leadership, Congregational Health  (view more)  (view less)

Top 7 Ways To Close The Back Door Of Your Church

By Rob Overton on Mar 19, 2020

Many churches mistake numerical growth for spiritual health. Strengthening relationships, service pathways, and intentional follow-up systems is essential for closing the back door.

Scripture: Hebrews 10:24-25, Acts 20:28, John 10:14-15, 1 Thessalonians 5:14, Galatians 6:2  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: pastoral care, Church Health, Assimilation, Pastoral Care, Church Systems, Member Retention  (view more)  (view less)

Eight Ideas For Reaping The Fruit Of Your Vacation Bible School

By Hal Seed on Jul 8, 2024

Learn how to move beyond counting VBS attendance to measuring true fruit by building relationships, following up well, and enfolding unchurched families into the life of your church.

Tags: Evangelism, Church, Children, Outreach, family, VBS, evangelism, church  (view more)  (view less)

Senior Pastor: Friend Or Foe

By Josh Griffin on Sep 14, 2024

Veteran youth director Josh Griffin gives seasoned advice to senior pastors on developing their relationship with their youth ministry leader.

Tags: Youth, leadership, staff, Pastors, pastoral care, student, Pastoral Care, Youth Ministry, church leadership, Leadership, Church Leadership, Senior Pastor, Staff Relationships  (view more)  (view less)

Are You Giving Everyone A Big Church Welcome?

By John Gilman Ii on Jun 19, 2023

A proper welcome needs to have more than just a greeting. Churches need to create welcome pathways that guide people into more familiarity, connection, and relationship with the church. Creating a positive and effective welcoming strategy has never been more important. There is still time to put a great welcome process in place. Here are six tips to get you started in the right direction.

Scripture: Genesis 1:25-30

Tags: Visitors

Don't Abandon The Babies This Easter

By Lance Witt on May 2, 2024

The greatest gift we give a new believer is not information, it is RELATIONSHIP. The primary need of a new believer is nurture not knowledge.

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 2:7-8

Tags: Easter, Discipleship, relationships, New believer

Becoming An Approachable Leader In Ministry

By Ken Sande on Mar 6, 2025

Approachability is essential for effective pastoral leadership. This guide shows how leaders earn trust, cultivate humility, and gain a “relational passport” with their people.

Scripture: Philippians 2:1-11, Philippians 2:3-4, Matthew 18:12-14, 1 Corinthians 1:4-9, Mark 10:42-45  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Church, Peace, leadership, pastor, conflict, relationships, Relational Wisdom, counsel, Communication General, Leadership General, Pastor, Leadership, church  (view more)  (view less)

7 Ways To Correct A Team Member In A Healthy Way

By Ron Edmondson on Nov 2, 2022

"All of us make mistakes and occasionally need someone to help us become better at what we do. This should always be the end goal of correction."

Scripture: Hebrews 12:11

Tags: church leadership, Leadership, relationships, Restoration, Respect, Biblical truth, Godly Leaders, pastoral leadership, leadership  (view more)  (view less)

A Risk Worth Taking

By Leigh Ann Carey Looyenga on Apr 10, 2024

Are you tired? Worn down by the pace of life and ministry? Do you feel like the abundant life may not be for ministry leaders?

Scripture: Genesis 2:1-2, Deuteronomy 5:6

Tags: Sunday, Sabbath, relationships, Rest, intimacy with Christ  (view more)  (view less)

4 Ways Pastors Can Refill Their Depleted Souls

By Charles Stone on Apr 21, 2022

Although we intuitively understand how to refuel ourselves, we often don’t do it. He challenged us to ask why we don’t.

Scripture: Mark 1:35-39

Tags: relationships, Rest, soul care, intimacy with Christ

7 Things Forgiveness Is

By Ron Edmondson on Jun 11, 2022

As difficult as forgiveness may be to extend, it is often a most important ingredient in healthy relationships and in being a completely healthy person.

Scripture: Romans 12:19, Hebrews 12:1, Colossians 3:13, Romans 12:18

Tags: Loving Others, grace, Grace, Forgiveness, relationships  (view more)  (view less)

Building Preacher-Listener Connection – Part 1

By Peter Mead on Apr 22, 2024

People can usually sense if you are not being genuine.

Tags: relationships, Confess Sin, God's Word, Genuine Faith

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

Slaves In Your Church’s Backyard

By David Batstone on Dec 14, 2022

Modern slavery hides in plain sight. These stories reveal how trafficking thrives worldwide and even locally, calling Christians to seek justice with persistent, sacrificial love.

Tags: Compassion, Culture, Slavery, Justice, traffic, injustice, Human Trafficking, abolition, culture, Modern Slavery, Abolition  (view more)  (view less)

Relational Leadership Part 1

By Lance Witt on Nov 6, 2023

What is the key to relational leadership?

Scripture: Galatians 5:13, 1 Peter 1:22, Romans 12:10, 1 John 4:21, 1 Corinthians 16:13-14, Ephesians 5:2, Hebrews 10:24, Colossians 3:14, 1 John 3:14, John 13:34-35, Matthew 22:37-39  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: leadership, Transformational, Leading Like Christ, Leadership, relationships, Ministry Work, pastoral leadership, relational leaders, church leadership, Transactional  (view more)  (view less)