How to equip the people in your church so they become generous givers

We are living in tough economic times. In many churches, budgets are shrinking, resources are lacking, and downsizing isn’t something reserved just for the marketplace anymore. With a high unemployment rate, mounting national debt and no quick-fix solutions, we’re facing unprecedented economic challenges.

But this isn’t the first time church leaders have faced difficult conditions like these. While attempting to raise funds to aid the struggling believers in Jerusalem, the apostle Paul offered these words: “And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity” (2 Cor. 8:1-2, NIV, emphasis added). Wow, what a statement! read more

Your staff has God-given gifts you need to identify (and affirm)

Doing more with less might be one of the most common buzz phrases in the marketplace and church-ministry world today—and most frightening. In this unstable economy, everyone wants to know how to improve results while using fewer people and spending less money but still achieving or maintaining the same level of excellence. More and more churches are having to operate on smaller budgets and with smaller staffs. But, it is possible to achieve greater results from fewer resources while maintaining your organization’s integrity and budget, as well as your staff’s sanity and happiness.

The Statistics Aren’t Pretty. Last year, according to the government figures, worker productivity climbed 3.5 percent as companies shed millions of employees and figured out ways to get more work from those who remained. It was the biggest increase in six years—and it was great for corporate profits. read more

The five biggest mistakes pastors make in counseling victims of sexual abuse—and how to avoid repeating these traumatizing errors read more

The role of righteous judgment in a New Testament church’s life read more

Where pastors go wrong (and right) with spiritual authority read more

Building—and protecting—your home base is your greatest ministry read more

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Are we preaching freedom to the demonically oppressed? read more

Why every leader must descend to greatness read more

Women still face huge barriers in the American church today. Here are seven biblical reasons we must empower female leaders. read more

How Jesus’ discipleship model applies to the local church read more

Tired of being a pulpit performer? Consider these preaching basics read more