articles

Ten Things Pastors Wish They Knew Before They Became Pastors

In an informal survey of pastors, Thom S. Rainer asked a simple question: What do you wish you had been told before you became a pastor? 1. I wish someone had taught me basic leadership skills. “I was well grounded in theology and Bible exegesis, but seminary did not prepare…

Darlene Zschech Enjoys a Truly Global Ministry

Christian retailers would be not be surprised if worship leader Darlene Zschech has prayed the prayer of Jabez—“Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory!” (1 Chron. 4:10). There is no doubt that, in fact, God has done just that for the recording artist who is now known…

The Forgotten Few Minutes Before Church

It’s Sunday morning. Your parking lot is covered—no one is getting inside without being safely directed into a parking spot. Your greeters all remind you of a hug from your grandmother—warm and a little bit squishy. And your ushers are kind of like your parking team, but they couldn’t handle…

When Is It Time to Leave a Church?

If you see any of these seven warning signs in your church, my advice is to run as fast as you can. A friend of mine from England recently asked me for counsel regarding a serious dilemma. His pastor had been involved in extramarital affairs, yet the man never stepped…

8 Ways to Celebrate Baptisms at Your Church

When a new believer is baptized, it’s a momentous event. A life’s been changed for eternity! Try these fresh ideas to make baptism a true celebration: Smile. Express true joy. Baptism is a holy ordinance, but it’s also a joyful event. I love it when the church breaks into spontaneous…

What People Experience in Churches

Most Americans have first-hand experiences in churches or parishes. What happens, if anything, in the hearts and minds of those who attend? To explore this matter, Barna Group surveyed Americans who have attended a Christian church sometime in the past and discovered what they say about their experiences in these…

Why You Should Be Singing Old Songs

Fred McKinnon on bringing back the golden oldies… from 2005! (Fred talks about the Hillsong tune From the Inside Out later in this article – written by Joel Houston in 2005.) Why can’t you just sing some of the older songs? If you’ve been a worship leader for more than…

The Lifecycle of a Worship Song

Everything has a lifecycle. You. Me. Our churches. The TV shows we watch. The brand of cereal we eat. Even the catch-phrase epic fail, which many teenager have already stopped saying, but adults are just now picking up on it (and will say for the next eleven years). Our worship…

John Wesley, Whoopi Goldberg and Worship

Dottie Escobedo-Frank on shaping creative worship on a budget: Creative worship is nothing new. It is an old, rich tradition that began with the Israelites carrying around a holy tent with an arc of the covenant, and stone tablets and regular stuff that carried sacred meaning and holy memory. Every…

10 Pet Peeves of a Visual Worshiper

Camron Ware, Mr. Visual Worshiper, finds himself in different churches almost weekly – helping them set up environmental projection and visual worship atmospheres. He sees a bunch of situations and things that definitely aren’t ideal. Some things just bug him. Here’s a list of things he’d like to see change…

Is It Okay For The Congregation To Clap After A Worship Song?

Kristen Gilles on clapping in church: Have you ever given thought to why we clap our hands during or after we sing a song of praise in our gathered congregation? Have you ever wondered why some congregations are eager to clap their hands while others are reluctant during worship services?…

Guidelines for Buying A New Mixer

Mike Sessler on purchasing a new mixer for your church: Almost weekly, I receive an e-mail asking for advice on which mixer to buy. The answer, of course, is always the same; it depends. No seriously, that’s the answer. Because there is no “one” right mixer for every church. There…

Is Liturgy the Next Trend In Contemporary Worship?

Dr. Tom Lawson, professor of New Testament, Old Testament and Worship at Ozark Christian College, on the new generation’s move towards liturgy in worship: Welcomed or not, the contemporary music-centered approach to worship that has been both dominant and effective most large and mega church worship service is being challenged.…

My Sunday at an Atheistic Church

Kyle Beshears visits a church for atheists in London and discovers they miss music and fellowship: Last month I stumbled upon an article about an atheistic “church service” in London. I didn’t even read the whole thing before I decided I had to go. The Sunday Assembly, as the group…

6 Principles to Guide Your Worship Service

Pastor Joe Thorn shares ideas on planning: CHRISTOCENTRIC: We have no interest in offering generic worship to a generic deity who only goes by the names “You,” “Him,” and “He.” As Christians we are worshipping our “great God and Savior Jesus Christ,” and everything in our worship gathering is leading…

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