Articles + Podcast
Challenging the Status Quo: How Churches Can Inspire Deep Change
Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 86 By definition, the status quo is the current state of affairs. You may consider it a snapshot in time. For some churches though, a snapshot taken today would look the same as a snapshot taken five years ago, or...
Church Strategic Planning: How to Create a Planning Rhythm
Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 85 At its core, good church strategic planning is not an event—it is a process of continuous improvement. Most churches fail to make plans. Or, at best, they will put ideas on paper but fail to follow through. The tyranny of the...
Cultivate Individual Evangelism
3 Ways Your Church Can Cultivate Creative Individual Evangelism Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 82 In our Strategic Planning work with churches, we always start at the same place, the Great Commission. It is the central mission of the Church for all time....
Reaching a Post-Christian World: 3 Evangelism Lessons from Saint Patrick
Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 81 Before leprechauns, parades, green beer, and four-leaf clovers, there was a faithful Christian leader who ushered in a second-era of church planting that wouldn’t be seen again for centuries. The real Saint Patrick’s story is...
11 Church Hospitality Tips to Serve Guests
The way you treat guests is a reflection of your practical theology. It's true. One of the Bible's deepest values is hospitality, and so if your church is aiming to be Biblical... your church must value hospitality, too! "No one greeted me." "The church was...
The Church’s Competitive Advantage Around the Multi-Ethnic Conversation
Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 78 A young teenage daughter sat in the back seat of her parents’ car parked in a parking lot, as protestors in the street marched by. They were protesting a recent case in their city that had received national news coverage and...
The Power & Pitfalls of Metrics
Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 77 We all want our churches to be healthy. We want them to bear fruit and be strong enough to hold out hope in a world that is seemingly turning against Christianity. But how healthy is your church? We all swap stories and look...
Stop Training Your Leaders
Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 76 You read that right. Stop training your leaders if you want to see better staff and volunteer performance. This sounds almost unbiblical but it has been proven in multiple business studies over multiple decades. In this...
Four Challenges Hispanic Churches Face
Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 75 Spanish is the second most spoken native language in the world. While English is more widespread because it’s often a second language, the Spanish language spreads across multiple continents. Moreover, hispanic communities in...
Reinventing the Church in Europe
Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 74 Now in that day the remnant of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob who have escaped, will never again rely on the one who struck them, but will truly rely on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel. A remnant will return, the...
Make Church Fun Again
Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 72 Many would agree that, overall, 2020 was not fun. Most would even agree that they’re pretty worn out even joking about how rough 2020 was in every facet of life. But, what if we saw the trials and struggles of...
10 Church Consulting Essentials To Know Before Hiring a Consultant
It seems like every month someone new is announcing a new consulting group. How do you navigate the complexity? How can you be sure you have chosen the right partner? We created this list of tips you should know before hiring a church consultant.
The Best Presence
Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 69 I had circled the date on my calendar for over a year. It was a huge landmark for my career. It took every ounce of my influence and effort and hustle to make it a reality. It was something I could hang my hat on....
Clarity Drives Ministry
Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 68 Want to see greater clarity in your ministry, a more productive staff, and an increased impact? Communicate clearly. Lack of clarity in communication to ministry leaders delays effective church ministry. As Donald Miller...
Is Your Church Healthy?
Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 67 “Is your church healthy?” is not intended to be a rhetorical question. Every church leader should constantly be asking it of their ministry. Some say “no”, but most say “yes.” When asked why they think their...
Building Your Schedule to Build Your Church
Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 66 An uncomfortable truth about leadership is that our churches and organizations are an exact reflection of how we lead them. If you’re dissatisfied with the results you’re getting, look inward before blaming external factors....
Three Creative Christmas Outreach Ideas
Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 65 Looking for some pandemic-proof ways to reach your community this Christmas Season? Look no further. We've put together three "out-of-the-box" ideas that your church could do without a big expense or need for tons of...
Why Your Church Isn’t Developing Leaders
Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 64 Editor’s Note: This article is adapted from Building Leaders: Blueprints for Developing Leadership at Every Level of Your Church by Aubrey Malphurs and Will Mancini. To purchase the book, click here. Many authors use the term...
Future-Proof Church Metrics
Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 63 Our Guide team here at TMG has noticed a recurrence in the conversations we have with pastors over the last several months. In the first few minutes of nearly every meeting with a new church contact, we’ll inevitably...
There Is Only One Winning Campaign
Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 62 In 2009 I entered the political world with a run for elected office and won. I spent the next five years in a whirlwind of government meetings, travel, legislation, political campaigns, writing, and strategy to win support...
Bailing on Bad Polity – Part 2
Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 61 Unhealthy leadership structures will cost you dearly. I know this truth from personal experience, and chances are, you do too. If you’re fortunate enough to only experienced healthy church leadership, understand that your...
Bailing on Bad Polity – Part 1
Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 60 Have you ever left a church leadership meeting and wanted to quit church altogether? Dysfunctional leadership is a common problem. In fact, for every church with a healthy leadership structure, there are likely dozens with...
To Hire or Not to Hire
Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 59 The unique challenges of the Covid pandemic highlighted how churches must reallocate personnel dollars in the future. As more ministry shifts online, churches will need to beef-up their digital ministry staffing....
Building a Better Budget
Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 58 Budgeting your church's finances is rarely anyone's favorite thing to do, but it takes money to do ministry. Many people think that money is a "necessary evil" in the church, but money in and of itself is neither good nor...