In Preaching Articles: "Small Church Growth"

5 "On-Ramps” To Drive Giving To Your Church

By Kent Woodyard on Mar 30, 2023

The Church itself plays an important role in fostering generosity. Yes, at the end of the day, it is the responsibility of the giver to give. But it is also the responsibility of the church to create opportunities for generosity.

Tags: Money, Giving, Generosity, giving generous

Do Churches Talk About Money Too Much?

By Kent Woodyard on Mar 12, 2021

“This is just a hugely distasteful example of the American money obsession gospel which us non-Americans find nauseating.” I stared at my inbox and read the response twice. Then three times. Somewhere, in some other country, some nameless person with an @hotmail.com email address was very upset with me.

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:10, Matthew 10:17-27, Luke 21:1-4, Matthew 25:14-30, Matthew 18:21-35  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Money, Giving, giving generous, Jesus and money

Leading From Fear: So Many Churches Do It

By Joe Mckeever on Dec 22, 2021

It’s so easy for a preacher to exhibit fear and not faith when standing before the church and calling the congregation to faithfulness and righteousness.

Scripture: Mark 4:40, Luke 14:7-14

Tags: Faith, leadership, Faith and Fear, church leadership, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

3 Keys To Making Change Stick In Your Church

By Charles Stone on Jul 12, 2023

Change is inevitable. And unless a church creates healthy change in itself, it will soon become obsolete.

Tags: leadership, Change, church conflict, Leadership Listening, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

How To Stay Healthy While Pastoring An Unhealthy Church

By SermonCentral .com on Dec 30, 2021

Hurting churches hurt people. Including pastors who try to help them. Here are 9 principles to help you stay strong.

Tags: Sabbath, Boundaries, pastoral leadership, Broken Church

How To Lead People-Friendly Change In Your Church

By SermonCentral .com on Jan 12, 2022

I’ve been studying the art of change management lately and wanted to share a process with you that could save you a lot of grief the next time you think about a change in your church’s programs or procedures.

Tags: Communication, leadership, Change, Resilience, Leadership, communication  (view more)  (view less)

Ministering To Millennials By Leveraging The Relational Power Of Healthy Churches

By SermonCentral .com on Feb 7, 2022

We need to lean away from the church-as-business model and into the church-as-relational-community model. Love God and love others.

Tags: Personal Testimony, Healthy Relationship, Intergenerational, millennials

3 Shifts Growing Churches Make To Welcome The Lost

By Brandon Kelley on Aug 10, 2023

Most churches genuinely want to welcome and reach those who are far from God. Sometimes the reason they don’t is because they get in their own way.

Tags: Genuine Faith, Evangelism The Lost, authentic ministry, relating to the lost

If The Church Is God's Idea, Who Are We To Dismantle It?

By Jeff K. Clarke on Feb 24, 2022

I wonder if we have allowed our contemporary definition, understanding, and experience of the church to be shaped more by the post-modern impulse of individualism and self-centeredness, than by Christ’s and Paul’s emphasis on the gathered community from every race, tribe, and tongue?

Tags: individualism, church community, Listening, unity and diversity

The Kind Of Old-Time Religion The Church Really Needs

By SermonCentral .com on Mar 11, 2022

I often wonder what the church would look like if it really accepted the challenge to love everybody.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Tags: Love, Outreach, Religion, Generations

How Guests Become Regular Attenders At Your Church

By Josh Reich on Mar 23, 2022

Have you had a guest come to your church who seemed excited but never came back?

Tags: Children, Communication, Visitors, Unwelcomed Guest, communication  (view more)  (view less)

5 Ways Judgmental Christians Are Killing Your Church

By Carey Nieuwhof on Aug 29, 2023

Jesus said Christians should be known for how deeply we love. Yet studies show that in the eyes of many non-Christians, we’re known for how deeply we judge, not for how deeply we love.

Tags: Evangelism, Grace, judgemental, grace, evangelism  (view more)  (view less)

Why Was I So Hard On That Church I Visited?

By Karl Vaters on Jul 1, 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)

Top 10 Healthy Ways To Handle The Church Critic

By Charles Stone on Aug 16, 2022

“Two things you can’t avoid in ministry are…people late to the service and … church critics.” In this short post, I suggest 10 ways to handle the church critic.

Tags: Criticism, patience, offense, pastoral leadership, Pastoral Ministry, church ministry, loving enemies, Disarming, criticism  (view more)  (view less)

How To Be A Strategic Pastor And See Your Church Grow

By Hal Seed on Aug 28, 2022

You make a dozen decisions a day. How do you know what’s the right decision? What moves your church forward? What’s wasting time?

Tags: leadership, strategy, Retreat, Effectiveness, productivity, pastoral leadership, Pastoral Ministry, church leadership, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)