Between Monday and Sunday

I'll include this info in the Pastors Today e-newsletter on Monday but I thought some of my readers might want to access them for something going on this evening or tomorrow. Download two all new quizzes in PDF form courtesy of LifeWay's Facts and Trends Magazine. Download them , print them out, and challenge your staff, family, or class to a friendly Christmas-themed competition. Other Christmas resources are available on on this page ... New Year resources are available here ...

I was very stoked when Telena brought me our Fireproof Movie Event kit today. We are planning to host a movie event at Gladeville Baptist Church on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 6:00 p.m. as part of our Spring Small Groups Launch night. We will have tables set up with representatives from all our Sunday morning Bible study groups, our Wednesday night LifeQuest groups, our Home groups, and Affinity groups. One of the things we're planning to do is offer The Love Dare Bible study in the spring on Wednesdays, Sunday mornings, and in some home groups. Thank you Lord for great tools like these!

I wish you could all meet my mom and dad. My mom e-mailed a note to my wife, my brother Chuck, his wife, and me this morning. It was encouraging and insightful so I asked her if I could post it here (she said yes). Here's what she wrote ... I was praying more intensely than usual for you four this morning. Some of this comes from the difficult day I had yesterday. Yesterday I found myself focusing on all that had to be done during this particular season of the year. The Bible study I did this morning helped me see what was happening. I was studying Matthew 13:1-23 . It hit me that I was like the person who heard the Word and understood it then the worries of this world and seduction of wealth choked the truth of God’s Word and my life became unfruitful . You all have much more on you than I—therefore I am committed to continue to pray that you will focus on Jesus and His Truth and not let the worries of this world and the seduction of wealth choke you . My mother is the co...

Today in staff meeting at Gladeville Baptist Church I began the meeting by sharing some insights from Dave Ramsey (he shared these at Catalyst '08 ). He discussed the unbelievable power of unity for a church staff team or any type of staff team. He stated that few churches or organizations experience real unity and shared five enemies to unity on a church staff team ... Poor Communication Dave stated " when the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing, strife sets in " Gossip Ramsey said gossip is when a negative comment is discussed with anyone who can't help solve the problem Unresolved disagreements He said "this happens when a leader doesn't know they exist or avoids confrontation" Lack of shared purpose Dave said "this happens when the leader doesn't restate the goal, the vision, and the mission early and often" Sanctioned incompetence Ramsey defined this as "keeping an inefficient team member because we feel sor...

I found this article in a past edition of Let's Worship Magazine and thought it would be very helpful for pastors or teachers as they are dealing with Christmas and the traditions around Christmas. It's a transcript of an address to a group of ministry leaders. Here's a quote ... Sometimes it seems that Christmas is overlooked as an opportunity to share the good news in a way that they may be saved. Much of what we have around us and the trappings of Christmas came because those who preceded us understood that there was an opportunity in the birth of our Lord to communicate even as the shepherds communicated, that we might do what we do not giving offense to anyone, but that people might be saved. But it’s not easy. Read Christmas Traditions as Worship and Evangelism Tools And don't miss our Christmas and Thanksgiving Resource Index for links to other articles as well as model sermons and worship helps.

Consider a Lord’s Supper celebration and a simple meal. Other ideas include a Pie Squad Party, a Wall of Thanks, and a Seeking Thanksgiving mystery van trip. Ideas are from Diana Davis, author of ' Fresh Ideas, 1,000 Ways to Grow a Thriving and Energetic Church .' Check out these Fresh Ideas for Church Thanksgiving Celebrations

Hey Friends I wanted you to know that in a couple days I will move to a full time role at Gladeville Baptist Church as their Pastor for Vision and Purpose. I will be leading the staff and helping to align our leadership and church family to our vision and purpose. I would appreciate your prayers! I've been on staff at GBC as Pastor for Spiritual Growth for the past 2 1/2 years in a bivocational role. My last day at LifeWay is tomorrow (Fri, Oct. 31) but I will continue to send the weekly pastors today e-newsletter and edit the pastors area of lifeway.com on a contract basis. You can connect with me here ... Facebook http://www.facebook.com/people/Craig_Webb/526681166 Twitter http://twitter.com/pastorstoday/ Church Website http://www.gladevillechurch.org/ thanks so much! Craig

A month ago, I let you know about the eight sermons from Exodus by Calvin Wittman that coincide with the 2009 January Bible Study . I wanted you to know that there are four more sermons on Exodus by Calvin in the Winter 2008-2009 Edition of Let's Worship Magazine (One in the print and three on the included CD-Rom). If you don't already subscribe to this great magazine for pastors and worship leaders I encourage you to view the 15-page sample I posted here . The sample includes info about the Acts 1:8 Challenge, Calvin's sermon, "Preparing for Service" from Exodus 4:18-26, as well as 13 "Missions Moments" by Trent Butler to call attention to missions anywhere your church serves or sends.

Howard Dayton of crown.org has a simple and practical article on LifeWay.com called  Help in a Financial Crisis . Here is an excerpt ... What we do and allow in moderation, our children will allow and do in excess. - Benjamin Disraeli in an 1865 address before the British House of Commons Financial problems can be devastating, so it makes good sense for families to practice prevention rather than recuperation. You may feel it's too late to practice prevention, but it's not. In fact, the only way to correct a downward financial spiral is to institute basic, simple, preventive measures in order to counterbalance unbiblical financial practices and to prevent further financial problems.  Here are four steps The first is obvious – stop borrowing "The wicked borrows and does not repay, but the righteous is gracious and giving" (Psalm 37:21). Scripture clearly indicates that borrowing isn't God's best for His people and should never be used as a routine part of f...

Dan Garland, our Director of Pastoral Ministries and Church Consulting says, "raising expectations begins by clearly communicating the expectations associated with the discipleship process of your church." He suggests the following: Begin by developing a clear, easily explained, and communicated mission / purpose statement. Communicate this mission statement to all the membership. Develop a membership class for all new members. Dan has written two very practical articles to help you get yours started How to Raise Expectations through a Membership Class to help you know how to do this. And, an article with Three Sample Formats for Your Membership Class .

We are all staying at Chris and Andrea Ediger's House and having a great time. After eating out at Armando's Cuban Restaurant we are back at their house.

Pastor, I hope you know I appreciate the work that you do. I'm thankful for the opportunity that I and others at LifeWay have to express this by providing strong Biblical resources as well as complimentary articles and free model sermons . For those of you who are not pastors and want to express appreciation for your pastor, Diana Davis, author of Fresh Ideas , offers 10 Ideas for Clergy Appreciation (includes a free download of a complimentary pastor appreciation worksheet). Read Top 10 Ideas for Clergy Appreciation Month now and access the free download.

I had the privilege of seeing Fireproof twice this weekend. On Friday with the department I work in at LifeWay and on Saturday with fifteen couples from the Church I serve bivocationally, Gladeville Baptist Church . I had seen the Fireproof movie several months ago in a screening here at LifeWay but I loved getting to see it again through fresh eyes. I was amazed at how Fireproof affected me emotionally even seeing it for a second and third time. I thank God for Alex Kendrick and Stephen Kendrick who are both great story tellers. I thank God for a Pastor Michael Catt , Executive Pastor Jim McBride , and the Sherwood Baptist Church family who gave so much of themselves to bring glory to God in this film. I received this e-mail newsletter from the Fireproof marketing folks yesterday and rejoiced in the good news ... You made FIREPROOF the No. 4 overall movie in America this past weekend! In fact, if you look at per-screen average (and Hollywood does), you made FIREPROOF the second-...

At www.lifeway.com/jbs you will find an overview of 2009 January Bible Study (JBS), Living in Awe of God: Studies in Exodus , download samples, and get complimentary JBS 2009 leader and learner guides for your preschoolers and children. You will also find a link (bottom right hand corner) to eight sermon manuscripts by Calvin Wittman from selected passages in Exodus. The following sermons correspond with the chapters of the January Bible Study (JBS) 2009: The Forward Movement of God's Plan, Exodus 1 Setbacks in Service, Exodus 4 - 6 The Plagues of Egypt, Exodus 7 - 11 The Exodus from Egypt, Exodus 13 - 14 Walking By Faith in the Wilderness, Exodus 15 - 17 Prepare to Meet Your God, Exodus 19 God Answers Prayer, Exodus 32 Four Essentials of Worship, Exodus 35 Visit lifeway.com/JBS now to access them

The 40/40 Prayer Vigil consists of 40 days of prayer from September 24 to November 2, 2008, culminating in 40 hours of around the clock intercession during the last 3 days of the Vigil. The Vigil focuses first on personal spiritual revival. It then covers an expanding circle of prayer concerns, from the church to the nation. For more information and to download a Free Prayer Guide for either the 40 days or 40 hours are here .

I really enjoyed this interview. I got to be on the set in Georgia when they were filming part of the movie and was so impressed with everyone on the cast. Kirk Cameron was just as you see him in this interview: humble and passionate about God and family. Remember that you can download a free sample of The Love Dare here If you are looking for sermon or teaching ideas to follow up viewings of The Fireproof Movie you can access a free sermon by Michael Catt in LifeWay's Proclaim Online ... Access the free sermon and free PowerPoint now called Fireproof Your Marriage by Michael Catt (Michael is Executive Producer of Fireproof and the Sr. Pastor at Sherwood Baptist Church ) The sermon is adapted from Michael's book Fireproof Your Life . For more information regarding Fireproof Your Life by Michael Catt, visit www.fireproofyourlife.com

I was very surprised a couple of weeks ago when David Schrader, over at bhpublishinggroup.com told me they would be offering 'Essential Church? Reclaiming a Generation of Dropouts' by Thom and Sam Rainer as a free download for a limited time. This important book has profoundly impacted the way I view how we are operating in the church I serve, especially as we relate to younger members. On ChurchLeadershipBooks.com you will be asked to enter your e-mail address (which will sign you up for the complimentary "Church Leadership Books" e-newsletter) and you will be able to download a PDF of all 255 pages of 'Essential Church?' The download will only be available for a limited period of time so do it today. Access the complimentary download of 'Essential Church?'

I usually don't post my sermons in Proclaim Online but I wanted to take this opportunity to show you how I do my PowerPoint, Sermon Handouts, and the Sermon Booklet format I use. I've posted a five-sermon series that I preached in June . I have published the sermons on article pages but have also linked to .zip files, which include the full PowerPoint presentations for each sermon, PDF and Word Documents of Sermon Handouts, and a Sermon Booklet. In the PowerPoints, observe how we chose to use specific fonts, font sizes, font colors, and shadows. Also notice the use of bold for words we are stressing in particular scripture references. In the Handouts we matched the PowerPoint graphics and use similar fonts and styles. I print my sermons as a booklet using the "bookfold" option in Microsoft Word and use the "manual duplex" option when printing it. Access everything on our EXTRA sermons page ...

Pastor, in the new book, Essential Church? Reclaiming a Generation of Dropouts , Thom and Sam Rainer ask and answer the following question, Is Preaching Still Important? Their answer is "Yes!" Even in today's hyper-techno-driven conversational-wiki-culture, preaching is of the utmost importance. Of the several church-related or pastor-related issues noted by dropouts, preaching came up several times as a critical issue in retaining college students and young adults. Dan Garland, our Director of Pastoral Ministry and Church Consulting pulled together some quotes and research results from "Essential Church?" related to preaching. View the article Is Preaching Still Important Today?

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--New research into several questions that often dominate Southern Baptist debates -- from the rise of Calvinism and prevalence of elders in congregations to speaking in tongues and baptism practices -- offers some hard numbers to inform those discussions. The issues in question, and the results uncovered by the survey, show that Southern Baptists have strong opinions in several areas. LifeWay Research , a division of LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention, conducted the study during the spring among a sample of 778 Southern Baptist pastors. CALVINISM LifeWay Research previously reported a rise in the number of self-identified five-point Calvinists among recent seminary graduates. In the new survey, LifeWay Research asked Southern Baptist pastors if they were "concerned" about this increase, asking them to agree or disagree with the statement, "The rise of Calvinism among recent seminary graduates concerns me." Among So...

Pastor, I read an article by Pastor Gene Wilkes in the Spring 2008 edition of LifeWay's Let's Worship Magazine that challenged me in several ways. I've posted an excerpt here along with a link to download the full 5-page article . This is part of his explanation A coach approach to preaching invites the preacher to ask rather than tell and listeners to participate rather than force them to absorb facts or daydream during a speech prepared by a preacher A coach approach to preaching engages the participant at the level of his or her own issues and resources with the clear message of the biblical passage Rather than the preacher making one-size-fits-all applications, he invites the listeners to customize what they have heard to their particular needs or goals It's a big step for me to think about preaching this way, how about you? Read the excerpt and the full article then share your comments ...

I hope you and your church family have plans to see the new movie, Fireproof , when it releases in theaters on September 26, 2008. I wanted you to know that we at LifeWay will be releasing a new resource at the same time Fireproof will release on DVD in February 2009. The Fireproof Bible Study: Live the Love Dare Member book and Kit will create a marriage-centered Bible study experience for individuals and couples. Eight small-group sessions will be based around one or more movie clips from the motion picture Fireproof. It will utilize activities that create community, provide opportunities to dialog about real life in real marriage, explore and apply God's Word, and invite participants into a risky but redemptive journey. The Fireproof Bible Study: Live the Love Dare Kit will include: The Love Dare Journal (B&H Publishing Group) by Fireproof co-writer and director Alex Kendrick and co-writer and producer Stephen Kendrick The Fireproof Bible Study: Live the Love Dare Member ...

I found this video to be very helpful. In this video, Brad Waggoner discusses ' The Shape of Faith to Come ' his soon to be released book (October 2008). In The Shape of Faith to Come , research expert Brad J. Waggoner and his team measure the beliefs and actions of 2,500 active Protestant churchgoers from across the country against seven key standards of biblical spiritual formation. You may purchase The Shape of Faith to Come here

In The Shape of Faith to Come , research expert Brad J. Waggoner and his team measure the beliefs and actions of twentyfive hundred active Protestant churchgoers from across the country against seven key standards of biblical spiritual formation: Learning the Truth Obeying God and Denying Self Sharing Faith Serving God and Others Exercising Biblical Faith Building Solid Relationships Seeking God The far-from-predictable findings reveal the current state and potential forecast of spiritual formation in the United States. This book will release in mid-October but I wanted you to have a change glance at the table of contents, and read the introduction and part of the first chapter. Download sample pages here ...

Saw this new article by Mark Kelly on LifeWay.com ... Inflation didn’t eat away all of the average Southern Baptist pastor’s pay increase over the past two years, but it came close – and churches may have a more difficult time keeping staff members ahead of inflation in 2008. That’s one finding of the SBC Church Compensation Study, a survey of 12,854 staff positions in Southern Baptist churches. The survey was conducted by LifeWay Research , in cooperation with GuideStone Financial Resources and Baptist state conventions through July 1, 2008. The study also found that almost two-thirds of churches are partially or fully paying for their full-time senior pastor to have medical insurance and that compensation can vary significantly depending on geography, worship attendance and the pastor’s experience and education. All the data acquired by the study has been compiled into a Web-based tool that will help churches as they begin planning staff compensation packages for their 2009 budgets...

I just read a news text update on my phone: "Russians withdraw from Georgia, leave as much destruction as possible as they go." How I hurt for the innocent people hurt by this conflict. I thought about how we are tempted to do the same thing when we are backing out of a conflict, leaving a job after quitting or being fired, or leaving a place of ministry. I was reminded of an article I posted by Pastor Calvin Wittman titled, " How to Leave Your Church With Grace ." If you find yourself in the position of having to leave or wanting to leave very badly and finally getting the opportunity here are a few things to consider. Recognize that the church still belongs to God and only He can make it what it should be. Forgive those who have wronged you. Let your parting words reflect the grace of God not a grudge of the flesh. Who you really are is best seen in the midst of difficulty. As you leave, even if you are leaving under fire, make a conscious choice to leave under gr...

I posted an article yesterday by Dan Garland (Director of Pastoral Ministry and Church Consulting ) as part of his Today's Bivocational Pastor e-newsletter. This excellent article deals with the results from two new studies show that church growth has more to do with internal rather than external factors. He first reviews some of the findings in The American Church Research Project then compares them to the findings in Essential Church? Reclaiming a Generation of Dropouts by Thom Rainer and Sam Rainer . Look at these findings and read an overview of how Thom and Sam Rainer evaluate some of these key internal factors in Essential Church. Read What Causes Churches to Grow or Decline?

Bret Robbe, Director of Leadership and Adult Publishing at LifeWay just published a new knol with great information about Connect, Grow, Serve, Go . The Connect, Grow, Serve, Go knol also includes links to two free webcourses ... LifeSpan Spiritual Development Webcourse Connect-Grow-Serve-Go Webcourse

I have this in tomorrow's edition of Pastors Today but wanted to go ahead and put it in the blog tonight. I'm really glad LifeWay Research is offering a service like this for those pastors or other church leaders that make good use of solid, current, and helpful research results. E-LifeWay Research Insights is a twice-monthly email briefing that provides you with the facts you need to make informed ministry decisions. Stay informed, but let us do the work. Each briefing provides exclusive new research, at-a-glance summaries of research from a variety of sources, a deeper look at LifeWay Research studies, and examples of research in use. You may download a sample here ... The $48.00 annual subscription includes 24 issues keeping you informed throughout the year. Each issue is sent straight to your email inbox on the 1st and 15th of the month. For new subscribers, we will send a free pre-release copy of Essential Church by Thom and Sam Rainer (limited quantities).

Just saw a good article on Michael Zigarelli's Christianity 9 to 5 site dealing with the reasons speakers flop. It was a good reminder for me. The article is by Mark Sanborn president of Sanborn & Associates, Inc. and author of The Fred Factor Here are the seven reasons, view the article to read his explanations ... They disregard time The have an unclear purpose The have inadequate preparation They fail to capture attention They appear pompous They are boring They use false endings

I just posted these yesterday on the EXTRA! sermon helps page . September 2008 - Series, A Changed Life by Steve Andrews EXTRA! sermons are free sermon manuscripts which follow the themes of the Bible Studies for Life Curriculum Series (BSFL). During September Adults using BSFL will be looking at a unit of study called, “ Short Stories, Tall Orders .” These lessons from four of Jesus’ parables in Matthew help adults know how to live in light of the kingdom of God. See individual sermons for how they relate to the Bible study topic. 07 - A Stone's Throw Away, John 8 14 - Terms of Transformation, Matthew 11 21 - Moving Mountains with Faith, Matthew 17 28 - True Freedom, John 8 Free Download : A Changed Life Sermon Manuscripts, PowerPoint Template, and Images (1.2 MB .zip file)

I just uploaded a new PowerPoint template to be used with the Fireproof Your Marriage sermon by Michael Catt. You may access the free Fireproof PowerPoint template here I had fun working on this and hope it's useful for preaching and teaching. I created one for Facing the Giants last year and it had almost 7000 downloads.

I just published a new sermon by Pastor Michael Catt. Michael Catt has been the Senior Pastor of Sherwood Baptist Church, Albany, Georgia since 1989. In that role, he has served as Executive Producer for all three Sherwood Pictures' films: Flywheel , Facing the Giants , and Fireproof . For more information regarding Fireproof Your Life by Michael Catt, visit www.fireproofyourlife.com You may view the sermon Fireproof Your Marriage now You may also visit the LifeWay's Fireproof movie site here

One of the central parts of the new movie, Fireproof (in theaters September 26, 2008 and available on DVD in early 2009) is The Love Dare book that Caleb's father presents him when Caleb's marriage is spinning out of control. When Barbara (my wife) and I went to Albany, Georgia to watch part of the filming of Fireproof , and saw clips of the movie, we both began thinking of ways this amazing film could be used to impact marriages in our church family as well as marriages all over the world. During a break from the filming, Alex Kendrick, Fireproof Producer, and co-writer with his brother Stephen ( Fireproof Director) took us into a side room and asked us what we thought so far. Our questions turned to ministry impact and what resources would be available for pastors and church leaders. Alex felt the same way and shared that this was the vision of the whole team. They hoped that LifeWay would be involved. I am so proud that B & H Publishing Group (a division of LifeWay ...

One of my favorite writers is Diana Davis. This article on How to Celebrate a Church Anniversary comes from her book Fresh Ideas: 1,000 Ways to Grow a Thriving and Energetic Church . We have posted numerous articles/excerpts from this book with Diana's permission and they have all been hits. If you are preparing to celebrate a milestone anniversary in your church (whether it's 5, 5, or 150 years) you'll want to check out Diana's practical ideas in the article How to Celebrate a Church Anniversary You may also want to check out her newest book, Fresh Ideas for Women's Ministry: Creative Plans and Programs that Really Work.

I'm planning to experiment with Knols in the coming months to post information on Preaching, Pastoral Care, Leadership, Evangelism, and a Pastor's personal growth. Just like a blog, it's free and fairly easy to get started. Read the Article Introducing Knol I created a quick Knol on Preaching and look forward to adding content there during the next few weeks. Got any ideas for specific topics you think I should cover?

Are you thinking about getting a new car to save on fuel costs? Or, trying to see if you need to use public transit? Estimating the cost of gas for a road trip? Here are a three free calculators from dollartimes.com ... Gas Costs : How much can you save with a more fuel efficient car? Cost of Commuting by Car : How much can you save if you use public transport or skip the commute? Cost of Gas Taking a Road Trip : How much will you spend on gas, driving? You may also want to check out this page from fueleconomy.gov ... Calculate Fuel Costs & Compare Savings (side by side)

I posted a new quick poll in the pastor's area of LifeWay.com. It will just be up until Thursday, July 24, 2008 so go to lifeway.com/pastor and be included in this informal survey. I am aware that there are different definitions for each of these styles and you may not know what constitutes a "Gen X / Postmodern" style of worship, but if it's your style you probably know it.

I'm not sure where you stand on this issue. Anointing with oil is not part of my normal practice. Bruce Grubbs, the senior pastor at the church where I serve part-time on staff ( Gladeville Baptist ) does this on a regular basis and I think it's very cool. I posted a new article on this subject by Pastor Harold Dinsmore in the Pastors Area of LifeWay.com. Pastor Dinsmore believes we are missing a great opportunity if we don't choose to offer the anointing of oil when we pray for the sick. He offers his reasoning as well as five things to consider should you choose to do this. Read Should We Anoint the Sick with Oil Today?

Excerpted from a BPNews.com article by Michael Foust NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Men who attend religious services regularly are more likely to have happy and stable marriages, more likely to be involved with their children and less likely to divorce, new research says. Additionally, mothers who attend church weekly are half as likely to have children out of wedlock, the study says. The research by the University of Virginia's W. Bradford Wilcox analyzed data from three national surveys: the General Social Survey, the National Survey of Families and Households, and the National Survey of Family Growth. The research also drew partially from data in Wilcox's book, "Soft Patriarchs, New Men: How Christianity Shapes Fathers and Husbands." Read Foust's article in Baptist Press: Christian & Religious Families Happier, Less Likely to Divorce And, read a preview of Soft Patriarchs, New Men at books.google.com or buy Soft Patriarchs at Amazon.com

Courtesy of LifeWay.com/News MINERAL WELLS, Texas Seventeen years of prison and a lifetime of hate, violence and racism is mapped on Steven Neill's body. Druids, swastikas, skulls and symbols of the occult circle and mesh darkly up his arms and disappear into his shirt; the letters "skinhead" are tattooed across the knuckles of both fists. Friedrich Nietzsche's famous phrase – "God is dead" – stands defiantly in black, inked into his wrist. But God is very much alive to Neill, pastor of Northside Baptist Church in Mineral Wells, Texas, and his markings weave a visible testimony of a life transformed. "These are the roadmap of my life-story," he said unashamedly, running a rough hand up his arm. The tattoos are an easy way to share Jesus, just like Share Jesus Without Fear – the witnessing method that stopped Neill in his tracks and led to his salvation. Read Neo-Nazi finds freedom in prison by Russ Rankin

Wayne Oakes, minister/church relations consultant for the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, says uncertain times bring anxiety into the church. When everything around them is changing, Christians often cling to an unchanging local church for security. So, when church leadership suggests change, the anxious member feels the last leg of security kicked out from under him. Read this practical article excerpted from BPNews.net by Norman Jameson .

I had the chance to go through the new online webcourse: Simple Church - Next Steps and was blown away by the five practical training videos featuring Eric Geiger (co-author of Simple Church) as well as the PowerPoint training session on Managing Change and Conflict featuring LifeWay Lead Consultant, Barry Campbell . I plan to purchase this online training for our church staff and other key leaders as we continue to pursue the Simple Church model. I encourage you to buy and complete this webcourse as well . You will also want to view a video interview with Dan Garland, Director of Pastoral Ministries and Church Consulting here at LifeWay and Scott Kerr. Scott Kerr is pastor of Valley Creek Baptist Church in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. They discuss the process of a traditional church becoming a Simple Church. Access the Webcourse Simple Church - Next Steps here Download a Sample of the book Simple Church here

I read an article this morning in BPNews.net titled, Ky. church confronts danger of moral failure and wanted to let you see the letter that Pastor Todd Brady sent to his church family. I am grateful for his leadership and example for the rest of us ... Dear Church Family: Churches should trust their leaders. Church leaders should live and provide leadership which is worthy of such trust. Shivers went down my spine when I read of the minister in Plano, Texas, who was arrested recently in a sex sting after having solicited a minor online and after having driven three hours to meet with what he thought was a 13 year-old girl. This incident is yet another contribution to the loss of trust and confidence in our society’s church authorities. Eleven years of ministry with students on a college campus cause me to be acutely aware of the dangers of sexual temptation—particularly internet pornography. In light of this latest story from Texas, I am thrilled that the pastoral leadership and staff...

My family is a huge fan of the NPR program Car Talk . So, I am stoked to see that they have an animated program featuring Click & Clack, the Tappet brothers. Here's a summary from the website: Tom and Ray Magliozzi, the didactic duo whose voices grace the NPR airwaves on the ever-popular radio show Car Talk, have moved themselves into the world of animation with the all-new primetime series Click & Clack's As the Wrench Turns . The program takes off from the hit NPR show and follows the on- and off-air escapades of Click and Clack, the Tappet brothers (alter-egos of Tom and Ray Magliozzi) as they try to fix cars, fend off disgruntled customers and seek out increasingly creative ways to goof off. Click & Clack's As the Wrench Turns is set at Car Talk Plaza, a fictional building that houses their radio studio and their famed garage in Harvard Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts. You'll have to check your local station for the schedule. Nashville's WNPT Cha...

I have finished posting the August 2008 Extra Sermons, " Returning to God ." This is a five-sermon series from Jonah by Jerry Gifford. The series includes five sermons with the following titles and scriptures: Six Signs We Need to Return to God, Jonah 1:1-3, 5 God Wants You Back, Jonah 1:4 - 2:10 Returning to God: Confinement, Communion, and Confession, Jonah 2 A Second Chance with God, Jonah 3 A Heartless Prophet, Jonah 4 You will also be able to download the complete series. The download will include both RTF and PDF manuscripts, a PowerPoint template, and three images. View the Returning to God series now ...

The final article in our series on Pastor Terminations launched this morning. "Pastor, this is our church and not yours and it is about time you realized this." If you've heard this statement, you know the potential conflict it represents. "Who runs the church?" and the power and control issues coming from that question is the number one reason for pastor termination. You can help to avoid this by understanding the following five truths about power and control issues and by heeding the following five suggestions to neutralize these issues. Read The Number One Issue for Pastor Termination: Control Issues Over "Who Runs the Church?"

I was listening to NPR on the way home and had my breath taken away by an audio essay that was a part of the, "This I Believe" series. Kim Phuc is best known as the girl in the famous photo of a Vietnam War napalm-bombing attack near Saigon. As I listened, I wasn't sure where she was going but was touched to the core as her story unfolded. I encourage you to listen to her essay . The uncomfortable part of this story is that this famous photo has her running unclothed away from the napalm-bomb. But this is a powerful story of her coming to know the love of God through reading the Bible. This is how she puts it ... In Christmas 1982, I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal savior. It was an amazing turning point in my life. God helped me to learn to forgive — the most difficult of all lessons. It didn't happen in a day and it wasn't easy. But I finally got it. You may read or listen to her essay here, " The Long Road To Forgiveness ." Depending on your sett...

The results of the 2008 Southern Baptist Convention Compensation Study are now online. Anyone can access the results and run free reports. This is valuable information for churches who are evaluating how they compensation their staff. It is also valuable for pastors and church staff as they evaluate their own compensation as it relates to their age, experience, and education as well as other important factors like church attendance and the church's budget. An electronic survey questionnaire was carefully designed by an advisory group representing Baptist state conventions , LifeWay Christian Resources , and GuideStone Financial Resources . The questionnaire was accessible via the internet from January 7 through April 15 of 2008. Authors of the study suggest you use the “Customized Study” menu option . It “cuts through” many apparent differences in data and gives you data for churches most like your own in size and financial resources. It is also important to use all state conventi...

NASHVILLE, Tenn., 6/27/08 – In the second major release from their U.S. Religious Landscape Survey, the Pew Forum states that "70 percent of Americans with a religious affiliation say that many religions – not just their own – can lead to eternal life." The detailed findings (available at: http://religions.pewforum.org/reports ) indicate that 57 percent of those attending evangelical churches also agree that many religions can lead to eternal life. Only 36 percent chose the alternative, "My religion is the one, true faith leading to eternal life." However, some have expressed concerns about the way the question was asked. "The Pew Forum accurately reported the question they asked and accurately reported the responses they received, but I do not think that led to an accurate portrayal of evangelicals," said Ed Stetzer, director of LifeWay Research , the research arm of LifeWay Christian Resources. Terry Mattingly of the Scripps Howard News Service and the ...

I featured this in my newsletter ( Pastors Today ) but wanted to make sure those of you who follow the blog saw it. I've also blogged about Essential Church? before but I have added an extended preview download of the book in our online catalog. Download a 28-Page Sample of Essential Church ... Here's an overview of the book: "Why do so many young adults (ages 18 to 22) leave the church, and what will it take to bring them back?" This important question is examined and duly answered in Essential Church? Reclaiming a Generation of Dropouts , a follow-up to Thom S. Rainer's best-selling Simple Church co-written this time with his son, research expert Sam Rainer (check out Sam's excellent blog Church Forward ). Essential Church? is based on a study of one-thousand so-called "church dropouts" who were interviewed about why they left. Their answers are quite surprising, having less to do with "losing their religion" and more about the desire...