tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56107420297144619312011-09-03T01:48:13.122-05:00Personal blog of Craig A. Webb. Practical help for Pastors and Church Leaders.Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.comBlogger1741100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-42248905590897298372011-08-26T09:47:00.000-05:002011-08-26T09:47:35.715-05:00

I want to share how we do our staff review process at The Glade Church. We begin this process at the end of August and give the staff a month to complete the process of requesting and submitting reviews. Note that the staff members each create their own staff review sheet with content from their personal job description. Each supervisor will then meet with the staff member to go over the reviews.

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-86085687212133190212011-08-26T09:40:00.000-05:002011-08-26T09:40:46.909-05:00

We showed this as part of a worship service several weeks ago. I found it to be very powerful!

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-5603684387882125272010-08-20T08:19:00.000-05:002010-08-20T08:19:39.135-05:00

learn more about it at http://transformationalchurch.com/

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-52480970959462681142009-12-29T13:40:00.003-06:002009-12-29T13:47:44.123-06:00

You may view my message from Sunday, December 27, 2009. The main scripture passage was Matthew 6:10: "Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-53245633425684039722009-12-16T08:49:00.006-06:002009-12-16T08:59:54.733-06:00

I get a periodic e-newsletter from Provident (they promote Fireproof and the other Sherwood movies). They have posted links to five free Christmas songs! For some of these you go to a website and have to give your e-mail address and other you have sign in to Amazon.Tenth Avenue North: Go Tell It On The MountainJars of Clay: God Rest Ye Merry GentlemenMatt Maher: Silent NightAnnie Moses Band: O

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-40467740346403130312009-06-17T09:27:00.001-05:002009-06-17T09:27:00.470-05:00

We published a series on How to Avoid the Top 5 Reasons for Pastoral Terminations. This series by Conflict Management specialist Bob Sheffield springs from the 2006 Forced Termination survey conducted by the Church Minister Relation's Directors network in cooperation with LifeWay Christian ResourcesPart 5, Who Runs the Church?Part 4, The Church is Resistant to ChangePart 3, Poor People SkillsPart

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-5286292441193908422009-06-12T15:00:00.002-05:002009-06-12T15:00:00.724-05:00

I've just published a new article in the Pastor's Area of LifeWay.com by Keith Hamilton. He offers 9 Ways to Lessen the Chances of an IRS Church Audit. This is from the introduction to the article ... One of the greatest fears of a church treasurer is that of an audit by the Internal Revenue Service. Understandably, an IRS audit would scare every church treasurer. At least one sales organization

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-57296504157201438312009-06-12T07:45:00.003-05:002009-06-12T07:57:58.109-05:00

Do you ever get sick of your phone ringing? What about Facebook fatigue? Does Twitter sometimes give you stress headaches, making you occasionally wish you could just yank the plug on your online life?There's a good article on CNN.com here that offers a summary of some of the findings of new research from The Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project.You can also take a quiz to learn

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-56121484760288300922009-03-09T09:20:00.003-05:002009-03-09T09:26:43.835-05:00

For those of you who follow this blog, I wanted to make sure you didn't miss my lead in the Pastors Today e-newsletter.This new article by Keith Hamilton is designed to help you as a pastor or church leader minister to your church family.I've posted Keith's 10 Tips for What to Do When You Get Laid OffKeith adds this in the copy so you may provide these as a ministry from your church ...As part of

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-36709821749554004702009-01-26T08:11:00.004-06:002009-01-26T08:39:24.452-06:00

Pastor Craig Groeschel posted an excellent question for pastors and church staff on swerve.lifechurch.tv today you can read his post here ...Should I Stay Or Should I Go?I wanted to respond to his post by sharing two articles in the pastors area of LifeWay.com on this subject. These have been some of the most popular articles on lifeway.com in the past couple of years.The first article is 10

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-29896160047163861292009-01-22T08:18:00.004-06:002009-01-22T08:32:17.384-06:00

I preached this sermon on Sunday, January 11, 2009. The background passage is Colossians 3:5-17. Thanks to Jodi Brown and Juliet Winchester for their work on the "What Not to Wear" skit.What Not to Wear from Craig Webb on Vimeo.We are trying the Vimeo Plus service to load our sermon videos. View other Gladeville Baptist Church sermons at http://vimeo.com/gladechurch

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-64986324320623121532009-01-21T20:42:00.003-06:002009-01-21T20:47:59.473-06:00

Howard Dayton, Crown Financial, offers excellent overview of important biblical principles of financial management.He says, "If you're a Christian and you haven't been following God's biblical financial principles, isn't it time that you did? After all, "Who you gonna believe," bankrupted businesses and folded financial institutions -- or God?"In this article he deals with ...CHRISTIAN

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-45331504268882187712009-01-20T23:22:00.003-06:002009-01-20T23:38:35.391-06:00

For those of you who are familiar with Essential Church? Reclaiming a Generation of Dropouts by Thom and Sam Rainer, I wanted you to know about the new manual, Tools for an Essential Church. It is co-authored by Dan Garland, Thom Rainer, and Sam Rainer.Tools for an Essential Church takes leadership through a detailed step-by-step process to implement a strategy for becoming an "Essential Church.

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-81012848107730630592009-01-12T23:16:00.004-06:002009-01-20T22:44:59.697-06:00

I've been playing with a website called Issuu.com which allows anyone to publish PDF files so persons may view them online. And it's free. You may have to disable your popup blocker.Check it out ...Get your own - Open publicationYou may also see how I embedded it online on our church website ...

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-90327026547878644712009-01-06T16:19:00.002-06:002009-01-06T16:25:45.861-06:00

While almost two-thirds of Southern Baptist pastors have preached on stewardship in the past year, a new study shows that few of those pastors believe members of their congregation have a significant amount of debt – revealing a serious disconnect with the realities of American family life.The survey of 3,500 Southern Baptist senior pastors was conducted by LifeWay Research on behalf of the

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-84080196943379849042008-12-13T14:05:00.004-06:002008-12-13T14:14:04.462-06:00

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

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-43250488019746811842008-12-11T13:39:00.006-06:002008-12-13T14:14:45.520-06:00

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

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-10141654952748826882008-11-19T14:58:00.005-06:002008-11-19T15:11:50.390-06:00

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

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-58914828351305820592008-11-11T11:36:00.004-06:002008-11-11T11:57:14.628-06:00

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 CommunicationDave stated

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-18797713891001583402008-11-05T05:52:00.000-06:002008-11-05T05:52:00.893-06:00

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.

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-32569941563296217072008-11-04T15:16:00.003-06:002008-11-04T15:22:46.120-06:00

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

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-62363830965379011502008-10-30T11:57:00.003-05:002008-11-15T16:25:25.369-06:00

Hey FriendsI 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

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-84434373274604264332008-10-24T12:17:00.003-05:002008-10-24T12:31:09.880-05:00

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

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-35799979048488363492008-10-21T11:00:00.000-05:002008-10-21T11:00:00.307-05:00

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 CommonsFinancial problems can be devastating, so it makes good sense for families to practice prevention rather than

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-70326824373465735812008-10-21T07:39:00.003-05:002008-10-21T07:44:38.060-05:00

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

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-77042380853457119282008-10-09T20:57:00.004-05:002008-10-09T21:04:07.837-05:00

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.

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-73694773023092440162008-10-07T07:12:00.003-05:002008-10-07T07:26:15.278-05:00

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

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-22911762577867959002008-09-30T06:52:00.005-05:002008-09-30T07:12:02.278-05:00

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

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-21957980707811328802008-09-26T09:34:00.003-05:002008-09-26T09:42:03.035-05:00

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

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-45383687686951007102008-09-24T13:16:00.003-05:002008-09-24T13:22:03.014-05:00

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

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-36208986633000756672008-09-24T09:50:00.002-05:002008-09-24T10:05:19.477-05:00

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 hereIf you are looking for sermon or teaching ideas to follow up viewings of The

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-7435192099387981772008-09-22T07:58:00.005-05:002008-09-22T08:13:18.518-05:00

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

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-89914759716020460222008-09-18T07:13:00.000-05:002008-09-18T07:13:00.117-05:00

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

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-73033893166684279932008-09-17T07:18:00.002-05:002008-09-17T07:18:00.694-05:00

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

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-29841282434751507312008-09-16T06:56:00.006-05:002008-09-16T14:44:40.571-05:00

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

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-87700562615579437772008-08-30T06:11:00.003-05:002008-08-30T06:11:00.662-05:00

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 explanationA coach approach to preaching invites the preacher to ask rather than tell and listeners to participate rather than force them to absorb

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-69366764048455809952008-08-29T14:32:00.000-05:002008-08-29T12:06:12.792-05:00

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

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-69798621651615363422008-08-26T07:28:00.004-05:002008-08-26T07:39:31.644-05:00

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

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-45915947955128563632008-08-22T14:57:00.002-05:002008-08-22T15:17:43.256-05:00

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 GodThe

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-29363974555772293022008-08-19T08:15:00.002-05:002008-08-19T08:15:00.862-05:00

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.

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-8414107636187012702008-08-14T10:50:00.005-05:002008-08-14T11:02:54.040-05:00

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

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-85364953637478660192008-08-13T09:34:00.005-05:002008-08-13T09:55:23.209-05:00

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

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-87060227538428818332008-08-11T10:18:00.004-05:002008-08-11T10:51:01.608-05:00

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 WebcourseConnect-Grow-Serve-Go Webcourse

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-3304165003775347192008-08-10T20:00:00.004-05:002008-08-10T20:12:59.194-05:00

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

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-73331150962239824672008-08-06T08:07:00.004-05:002008-08-06T08:16:53.735-05:00

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 FactorHere are the seven reasons, view the article to read his explanations ...They disregard timeThe have an unclear purposeThe have inadequate preparationThey

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-74410822714887902902008-08-05T10:54:00.002-05:002008-08-05T10:58:43.179-05:00

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

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-11959041166659895032008-08-01T14:25:00.004-05:002008-08-01T14:32:57.926-05:00

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 hereI 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.

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-21338169874443585242008-07-30T15:10:00.007-05:002008-08-01T14:33:22.877-05:00

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.comYou may view

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-52170634304166694142008-07-25T08:31:00.011-05:002008-09-30T07:09:12.556-05:00

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

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-73841402127649088132008-07-24T10:22:00.004-05:002008-07-24T21:43:37.651-05:00

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)

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-78963750910745350212008-07-23T21:34:00.003-05:002008-07-23T22:11:13.460-05:00

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 KnolI 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

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-20146717206867773192008-07-20T06:00:00.000-05:002008-07-20T06:00:00.734-05:00

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

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-1363602099974131992008-07-19T07:45:00.000-05:002008-07-19T07:45:00.233-05:00

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.

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-43681303027837790802008-07-18T09:13:00.003-05:002008-07-18T09:45:21.722-05:00

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

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-14503007536462316842008-07-17T06:50:00.002-05:002008-07-17T06:50:00.419-05:00

Excerpted from a BPNews.com article by Michael FoustNASHVILLE, 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

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-13441700713546127182008-07-16T06:27:00.007-05:002008-07-16T14:19:48.728-05:00

Courtesy of LifeWay.com/News MINERAL WELLS, TexasSeventeen 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" –

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-30155108252539072352008-07-13T06:18:00.000-05:002008-07-13T06:18:01.083-05:00

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

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-28685879781441026902008-07-11T16:30:00.000-05:002008-07-11T16:49:25.470-05:00

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

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-55879687723567338302008-07-11T09:59:00.006-05:002008-07-11T10:17:42.856-05:00

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

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-70032364009594367632008-07-09T14:15:00.006-05:002008-07-09T14:34:50.873-05:00

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 &

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-85866985703316420202008-07-09T12:56:00.003-05:002008-07-09T13:13:52.621-05:00

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,

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-77145855938445107292008-07-07T07:38:00.002-05:002008-07-07T08:34:24.413-05:00

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

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-41636238833846075272008-07-02T07:57:00.000-05:002008-07-02T07:57:00.904-05:00

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

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-15923330553146425312008-07-01T06:53:00.004-05:002008-07-01T07:18:37.496-05:00

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

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-47870454883504677182008-06-30T13:04:00.004-05:002008-06-30T20:28:09.815-05:00

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

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-84306618193324390692008-06-30T11:23:00.005-05:002008-06-30T11:39:31.286-05:00

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

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-77613803607348248702008-06-23T07:02:00.004-05:002008-06-23T07:26:24.189-05:00

I've just posted a new article by Bob Sheffield. In this article he says that when your church is resistant to change there are congregational, personal, cultural, as well as fear / faith issues that need to be examined and considered. In the article he offers a list of things to consider for each.He then offers five ways to deal with a church resistant to change:Properly assess the church’s

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-19650007372541383682008-06-19T09:46:00.003-05:002008-06-19T09:53:19.301-05:00

Howard Dayton, co-founder of Crown Financial Ministries, has an excellent article in Baptist Press today addressing the crisis that many churches are facing as a result of the current US and global economy.In this article he deals with the issue of people cutting back giving as well as the biblical encouragement to counter the fears they are facing. He ends the article with four steps to follow

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-26851473017798498652008-06-12T14:24:00.000-05:002008-06-12T14:32:02.207-05:00

I was intrigued several months ago when my wife told me she was entering two of her paintings in an art show sponsored by First Baptist, Nashville. I've heard many church leaders express a longing to reclaim the arts for Christ including music and motion pictures but had not heard of a church sponsored art festival.At the art show I met Bob Snider who helped the church organize this outreach

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-78339738743830226242008-06-12T08:08:00.004-05:002008-06-12T08:19:09.053-05:00

I've just posted the latest in a series of five articles on Pastor Terminations. This article deals with the sensitive issue of a pastor's people skills. Bob Sheffield defines people skills as “the ability of a pastor to minister effectively to and through people.”Sheffield shares four reasons he believes pastors struggle in relating to their church family and follows them with six practical tips

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-84821478227730905312008-06-09T09:50:00.004-05:002008-06-09T10:09:26.335-05:00

This is a picture of my phone accessing the new YouVersion mobile (access it on your phone at m.youversion.com ). I regularly use YouVersion.com to access scripture when I am doing sermon preparation on my MacBookPro or on another computer that does not have my Bible Navigator software. I love having quick access to 14 versions including my favorite, the Holman Christian Standard Bible.So, I was

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-88604622233450688342008-06-09T07:06:00.004-05:002008-06-09T07:30:32.472-05:00

I was very surprised this morning to see The Barna Report's view that, "Unless Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama commits political suicide between now and election day, the Senator from Illinois is in a very comfortable position to win the November race against Republican challenger John McCain."This is another quote from their website, "A new survey from The Barna Group, exploring

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-29756795318563988192008-06-07T06:00:00.002-05:002008-06-12T09:04:33.719-05:00

I began serving as the pastor of Lahaina Baptist Church in December of 1994 (and was there until 2003). It was a unique congregation in a unique setting. Lahaina is located on the West Side of the Island of Maui in the state of Hawaii. Lahaina is a tourist magnet with 5 championship golf courses and numerous resorts and world-class beaches. So, on Sunday mornings at Lahaina Baptist Church

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-32767033849999323762008-06-06T06:53:00.000-05:002008-06-06T13:00:42.431-05:00

"Americans hold contradictory opinions on the issue of homosexuality, including whether homosexual behavior is sinful. A similar percentage of Americans consider homosexual behavior sinful to those who do not, and neither view gains a majority, according to a new study by LifeWay Research. The study also found that Americans’ views of homosexuality impacts their openness to participation in a

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-21783561040307951512008-06-05T06:46:00.003-05:002008-06-05T06:52:03.449-05:00

"A majority of Southern Baptist Convention pastors believes the media have overstated the threat of global warming and that SBC resolutions have not been "too timid" when they addressed global warming, according to a recent study on global issues by LifeWay Research.""The study also found that there is a contrast between the opinions of SBC pastors and average Americans on several national issues

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-40779982965943038022008-06-03T20:06:00.003-05:002008-06-03T20:18:48.620-05:00

I posted this article on Monday in the Pastor's Area of LifeWay.com. It's part of the section that deals with Pastoral Care and Counseling. With the many things that compete for our time as pastors I think we may feel the most guilt about this area.Ken Gosnell, one of my favorite writers, is the author of this article. He uses PASTOR as an acrostic to spell out several practical ways to minister

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-72973748806167764732008-05-27T10:39:00.002-05:002008-05-27T10:44:38.206-05:00

A new study from The Barna Group explores social networking as well as how Americans use digital technology to get the products, services, and content they desire. The research identifies the mainstream - as well as emerging - platforms and practices. Additionally, the Barna study also examines how the Christian community engages with such technologies, including the use of church podcasts.David

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-55023468043440571102008-05-23T14:02:00.005-05:002008-05-23T14:09:13.101-05:00

I've just posted a new article that will be my lead for Monday's Pastors Today e-Newsletter. It's by one of my favorite writers, Ken Gosnell.Ken says, I have found that in order to make a real impact, I have to move past giving a presentation to really teaching people. Here are a few simple principles that I have found to be helpful ...Create powerful points.Use real stories.Write from different

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-57925640808989341772008-05-21T07:43:00.004-05:002008-05-21T14:10:38.133-05:00

I'm reading an advance manuscript for Essential Church? Reclaiming a Generation of Dropouts by Thom Rainer and his son, research expert and respected blogger, Sam Rainer. I'm experiencing the same excitement that I felt when I first read the Simple Church: Returning to God's Process for Making Disciples by Thom Rainer & Eric Geiger.For me, Simple Church was life changing and church changing. In

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-87531877811173371052008-05-19T11:57:00.003-05:002008-05-19T11:57:01.018-05:00

Jeff Iorg is the president of Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary. He's just published a new book dealing with understanding the call of God.I've posted a 15-page sample that you can download from the LifeWay online catalog. This sample includes the title page, contents page, and chapter 8: "The Call to Pastoral Ministry." I recommend you order the book and read the sample while you're

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-11642194037054310302008-05-17T06:30:00.000-05:002008-05-17T06:30:01.464-05:00

I love any new book from Thom Rainer (and it's not just because he's the president of LifeWay). Think about the other great books he has put out there ...Simple Church: Returning to God's Process of Making Disciples The Book of Church Growth: History, Theology, and PrinciplesEffective Evangelistic Churches: Successful Churches Reveal What Works and What Doesn'tBreakout Churches: Discover How to

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-60419362953394730092008-05-16T06:00:00.000-05:002008-05-16T06:00:01.301-05:00

Most of us have an average length we preach. You may have to ask someone else in your church to find out.So, About how long is your Sunday morning sermon (excluding invitation)?Take the poll on the front of the Pastor's Area of LifeWay.comIt will only be active until May 23, 2008.

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-30284909684569924472008-05-15T13:14:00.002-05:002008-05-15T13:19:16.806-05:00

I've just posted the second article in our series on Pastor Terminations. We are counting down the top five reasons they happen.Bob Sheffield says church leaders and members may think that the pastor has a leadership style that seeks to have everything his way. In some instances, this is more reality than perception. Bob says that we pastors walk a fine line between exercising too little and too

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-51158129735565186172008-05-14T06:00:00.002-05:002008-05-14T07:35:12.880-05:00

NASHVILLE, Tenn., 5/7/08 -- While economists debate how serious America’s economic slowdown really is, Southern Baptist pastors report their members are still giving, in spite of the financial pressures felt by many families.A new study by LifeWay Research shows that 72 percent of Southern Baptist pastors indicate difficulties in the U.S. economy are affecting their churches negatively, yet 76

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-90286445967926853072008-05-13T06:25:00.000-05:002008-05-13T06:25:00.358-05:00

I found this research fascinating. In a new study from The Barna Group, they explore "the religious and demographic background of these two groups and show that they differ significantly from the born again Christian population in a variety of respects."As far as Jehovah’s Witnesses ...Only 7% of Jehovah’s Witnesses meet the criteria for being born againOnly one out of every ten of those adults

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-83963587488852128832008-05-12T07:26:00.004-05:002008-05-12T07:35:17.548-05:00

I saw this article by David Jeremiah in Baptist Press this morning. I think you could use this for a Wednesday night devotional or develop it into a sermon. Here's an excerpt ...Dr. Jeremiah asks, "Who is the most famous fugitive in the Bible? Jonah is famous for being the prophet who ran from God, but then ran into God in the depths of the ocean. He discovered there are no hiding places from

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-58341183405933612972008-05-11T08:00:00.000-05:002008-05-11T08:00:01.203-05:00

Thanks for participating in last week's Quick Poll question from the Pastor's Area of LifeWay.com: "How many close friends (besides your spouse) do you have?" I'm thankful to God for those who have close friends. Would you pause and pray for those who don't? Ike Reighard says, "Friendship is a vital part of New Testament ministry and leadership. Without quality, biblical friendships, we are

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-29294930190610418002008-05-10T21:50:00.005-05:002008-05-10T22:43:46.475-05:00

We're planning to take part of each of our three morning worship services tomorrow to thank God for our Mother's. This is what I am planning to share before we offer a prayer of thanks and blessing for moms.The book of Proverbs has great wisdom for every one of us. It is the Word of God and the wisdom from God for our lives. When these Proverbs were first written, they were intended as guides for

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-22407267670657362452008-05-09T07:04:00.003-05:002008-05-09T07:11:36.115-05:00

I've just posted a new article on LifeWay.com. This is the first in a five-article series where retired pastoral ministry specialist Bob Sheffield will share the top five causes of forced terminations (from the 2006 Forced Termination survey conducted by the Church Minister Relation's Directors network in cooperation with LifeWay Christian Resources) and offer several prevention strategies for

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-82892018171203938032008-05-07T12:49:00.005-05:002008-05-07T13:04:12.560-05:00

In his new song "Love Is Not A Fight," Warren Barfield sings about the importance of staying true to marriage vows.Love is a shelter in the raging stormLove is peace in the middle of a warIf we try to leave, may God send His angels to guard the doorNo, love is not a fight but it's something worth fighting forClick on the Warren Barfield video to view it ...

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-15492728080773089482008-05-03T07:30:00.003-05:002008-05-03T07:30:00.645-05:00

Unchurched adults interested in finding a congregation aren't nearly as likely to visit one in person as a church member who is shopping for a new congregation. That means effective evangelism must begin outside the sanctuary in relationships between Christians and unbelievers, according to research from several recent studies from LifeWay Research.My favorite part of the report is the audio

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-55724603124545846392008-05-02T13:02:00.005-05:002008-05-02T13:37:36.330-05:00

This is a great blog post by Craig Groeschel (Pastor of LifeChurch.tv). His blog is one that I follow very closely. This one was especially true and I think this is a good word for all of us who are teaching/preaching ...Craig Groeschel says, "Everything you say must be true. But everything that is true doesn’t need to be said." Then he lists several examples (go to his blog post to read all of

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-82694275406450174242008-05-02T12:28:00.003-05:002008-05-02T12:33:42.107-05:00

I've posted five new sermons by Rick Ezell in Proclaim Online. You may access them on the Pastor's EXTRA! sermons page.Here are the titles:The Undeniable Mark of a Champion, 2 Corinthians 4The Worth of Your Work, Colossians 3The Secrets of a Healthy Home, Ephesians 6:1-4; 1 Timothy 3:4; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Titus 2:7; 1 Corinthians 14:1; Psalm 127:1The Incredible Power of Your Words, 2 Samuel 9 The

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-39709358406534656272008-04-29T06:42:00.004-05:002008-04-29T06:57:18.385-05:00

I read this article by Ken Hemphill this morning and found the following to be very interesting. It's an excerpt from a longer article (see full Baptist Press article here)"I believe that any ability that enables one to serve the King in and through the church should be used accordingly when it meets the following criteria:1. It must be recognized and acknowledged as a gracious gift of the

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-91067073953482252332008-04-25T13:11:00.006-05:002008-04-25T13:18:10.711-05:00

I love that I get to share wonderful materials that other pastors have used in their churches.In early December 2007 I posted a complimentary download, "Praying Like Jesus: 10 Brief Studies in Prayer" by Rick Ezell. These were very popular so Rick sent another series called, "Prayer that Changed History: 7 Brief Studies of Prayer in the Early Church." These simple, one-page studies on prayer are

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-75073043507559948442008-04-17T08:00:00.004-05:002008-04-17T08:21:34.657-05:00

I just posted a new article in the Pastor's area of LifeWay.com on Tuesday. It was written by our new director of Pastoral Ministries and Church Consulting at LifeWay, Dan Garland. I wanted to make sure you saw it.Dan Garland believes that Vacation Bible School (VBS) is one of the most effective ways* to fulfill Jesus’ call to, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-56399928152205786412008-04-10T13:10:00.004-05:002008-04-10T13:33:03.027-05:00

An earlier Harris Poll revealed the type of books Americans read but this new study released on April 8, 2008 shows that across all demographics that the Bible is America's favorite book of all time.The summary of the study closes with this great statement, "they may not agree on candidates, but one thing that brings together partisans is their favorite book. For Republicans, Democrats and

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-710635288856222662008-04-07T07:28:00.003-05:002008-04-07T07:48:36.466-05:00

I posted this on LifeWay.com a while ago but when I included it as a link in Pastors Today it got a great response.This church covenant written by my dad, Henry Webb, and is based on his study of the expectations that Jesus revealed for His followers. His hope is that pastors and church leaders can use this as a starting point with their leadership team to develop or update their own church

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-62410391043987590772008-04-05T15:52:00.005-05:002008-05-15T13:36:24.972-05:00

I posted a new seven-sermon series in Proclaim online yesterday by Jerry Gifford. You'll want to take a look at it, along with the PowerPoint template that I created.View the Sermon Series, Building Loving Relationships, 1 Corinthians 13Here are the titles and verses for the seven sermons.1. Building Loving Relationships, Series Introduction2. Wounded: The Patient Needs Patience (vs. 4)3. Content

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5610742029714461931.post-76760078587340887742008-03-31T08:19:00.004-05:002008-03-31T08:32:23.825-05:00

March 31, 2008 (Ventura, CA)Most Americans get married at some point in their life: just one out of five adults (22%) has never been married. Among those who have said their wedding vows, one out of three have been divorced at least once, according to a new study from The Barna Group.Marriage Is the NormIn addition to finding that four out of every five adults (78%) have been married at least

Craig Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17206287401044261617noreply@blogger.com0