How To Develop Leaders
How To Develop Leaders

Here’s a sentence that no pastor has ever uttered:  “Our problem is that we have too many leaders.” Ha! It’s laughable to think that we’d ever have such a problem. Instead, we often have the opposite problem. Not nearly enough leaders to do the ministry that we feel called to do. We need more leaders….

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Resistance is Normal
Resistance is Normal

One of my favorite myths about leadership is that leaders get whatever they want. It literally makes me chuckle as I type it. Sure, there are times when leaders get what they want and moments where followers just go along with whatever the leader requests.  But mostly there’s resistance. Now, “what the leader wants” is…

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How to Cultivate Leadership Reliability
How to Cultivate Leadership Reliability

The year my first daughter turned 12 was a doozy. A lot was changing in her world, and it’s hard moving into adolescence. Not only was she entering into middle school and a new phase of church life by participating in youth group, but she was beginning to experience the changes to body and brain…

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The Fundamentals Of Leadership
The Fundamentals Of Leadership

Sometimes we can make things too complicated. That’s why it’s so important to be reminded of the basics.  The story is told that legendary pro football coach Vince Lombardi would begin every year’s training camp by gathering the team, holding a ball in the air, and saying, “Gentlemen… this is a football.”  As the camp…

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Five Leadership Decisions Every Pastor Needs to Make
Five Leadership Decisions Every Pastor Needs to Make

Part of a leader’s job description is to make decisions.  Of course, there’s more to pastoral leadership than decision-making: as pastors we’re caring for people, preparing and preaching sermons, counseling married couples, visiting senior adults, training leaders, organizing ministry, and much more. In the midst of that multi-faceted ministry, we’re also responsible to make decisions….

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The Marks of Healthy Leadership
The Marks of Healthy Leadership

Nobody opts-in to gravity.  Gravity is part of reality. You don’t have to like it. You can wish it wasn’t there. You can try to fight against it. But gravity will win — just ask any young boy who strapped wings to his back and took a leap off his family’s roof! Leadership is like…

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Sermons About Healing From Trauma
Sermons About Healing From Trauma

Explore how sermons can be a part of healing from trauma by legitimizing a congregation’s suffering. This blog offers practical sermons and insights to help pastors address emotional struggles from the pulpit, turning the church into a sanctuary for healing and hope. Don’t miss the ten invaluable resources aimed at enriching your ministry.

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10 Ways to Grow Community
10 Ways to Grow Community

Want to make your church feel more like a tight-knit community? Our latest blog post gives you 10 awesome ways to do just that. From creating small study groups to using social media for good, we offer tips that will help everyone feel more connected and involved. Check it out to learn how to make your church not just a place to pray, but also a community to call home.

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Best 2023 Christmas Sermons
Best 2023 Christmas Sermons

Maximize your impact with these top-tier Christmas sermon series and guides. Each one is about cherishing Jesus Christ, resting in his finished work, and anticipating his triumphant return.

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Top Ten Sermons for Fall 2023
Top Ten Sermons for Fall 2023

When we trade our sunglass for sweaters, it’s time to welcome fall. We typically think about fall as a time for pumpkin spice and football, but fall also is a time of transition for your congregation. People reflect on the past year and look forward to what’s next. They also spend more time thinking about what gives their life meaning and satisfaction. And did you know that more people fall in love in fall than any other season?! We’ve pulled together our top five must-preach sermons for this fall.

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How to Create Systems and Processes in Your Small Church
How to Create Systems and Processes in Your Small Church

Do Sunday mornings at your church feel scattered or disorganized? Do you feel like you’re constantly putting out fires or duct-taping solutions together “for now?”  Maybe your desk is covered in papers and post-it notes, your to-do list is a mile long, and you have several people you need to follow up with… if only…

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17 Must-Have Resources for Small Church Pastors
17 Must-Have Resources for Small Church Pastors

As the pastor of a small church, there are probably many responsibilities you’re doing, not because you want to, but because you have to.  Your church is still small. You don’t have a large budget or a large staff, so you end up doing a lot of the work yourself. Yet, you only have so…

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4 Common Problems All Small Church Pastors Face
4 Common Problems All Small Church Pastors Face

Every church has problems. They come in all shapes and sizes. That’s why episode 3 of the Hello Church! podcast is all about addressing the problems pastors of smaller churches face and how to overcome them.  Whether you’re a new pastor or a seasoned leader, this episode is a valuable resource for anyone seeking to…

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How to Lead Your Small Church Through Change
How to Lead Your Small Church Through Change

Whether you’re the new pastor of a small church or you’ve been the pastor for a while, leading your church through change isn’t always easy.  Not only will you need to spend considerable time and energy coming up with and testing new ideas and procedures to figure out what works, but you’ll also have to…

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Growing A Small Church
Growing A Small Church

Are you frustrated trying to grow your small church?  Maybe it feels as though you’ve hit a plateau, and no matter how hard you try, you can’t get past a certain point. Maybe you have no idea which church growth strategies to try. Or maybe you know exactly which strategies to try… if only you…

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At the Movies Sermon Series Ideas for Preachers
At the Movies Sermon Series Ideas for Preachers

Life exists in seasons – so why shouldn’t your sermons? Summer Sermon series meet the community, the church, and the preacher in reality – Summer brings a distinct flavor and pace in contrast with the rest of the year.  This is especially true if you have (or want) young families in your church. School being…

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How to Use Canva for Churches
How to Use Canva for Churches

Canva for churches is essential. Why? Quality-designed graphics are vital to enhancing the visual appeal and communication effectiveness within churches.  As centers of worship and community engagement, churches often rely on visual elements to convey their message, create a welcoming atmosphere, and effectively communicate their mission and values to members and newcomers alike.  Well-crafted graphics,…

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The Best Sermon Apps and Tools
The Best Sermon Apps and Tools

While seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit is a must and the first step in preparing any sermon, many sermon preparation tools are available to assist in crafting inspiring and life-changing gospel messages. While the usefulness and quality of each will be largely subjective, there are several resources that rise to the top of…

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How to Measure Vital Metrics In Your Church
How to Measure Vital Metrics In Your Church

Your church is doing a lot of things – investing time and resources in ministries and events. But how do you know if those investments are bearing fruit?
Chances are, you didn’t become a pastor because you love crunching numbers. And yet, there’s so much our church metrics can tell us about the health of our churches. We don’t want to miss out on what the numbers are telling us.

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Inspiring Generosity and the Offering Talk
Inspiring Generosity and the Offering Talk

Did you know? If every Christian would tithe 10 percent, faith organizations would have an extra $139 billion per year. And yet, only 5 percent of church-goers tithe on a regular basis. (Source)
Tithing may have a negative reputation among some in our society, but it’s incredibly important.
These tithes don’t merely build buildings or pay salaries.
The more money our churches receive through tithes and offerings, the more they can do to reach the people in our communities and provide services to those in need.
Here are three ways to increase generosity in your church.

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Ordinances and Sacraments in the Sunday Service
Ordinances and Sacraments in the Sunday Service

Whether you’re currently a pastor or you simply grew up in the church, you’ve likely seen hundreds of baptisms and taken communion hundreds, if not thousands, of times.
As a result, these church ordinances and sacraments can often become routine.
That’s why we’re sharing a few easy, practical tips to make these church ordinances and sacraments more meaningful for both yourself and your church congregation.

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Connecting with Non-Christians During the Sunday Service
Connecting with Non-Christians During the Sunday Service

Would you like to increase the number of people who attend your church on a weekly basis–both Christians and non-Christians? For most pastors, the answer is a clear yes! Many churches tell unbelievers, “You’re not welcome here,” without realizing it. If you want your church to be a friendly place where first-time visitors and non-Christians feel welcome (and want to return!), you need to be intentional.

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How to Welcome Church Visitors
How to Welcome Church Visitors

Have you ever visited a new church and the experience felt awkward and confusing? Maybe you didn’t know where to park or how to find the nursery. Perhaps you had no idea who or what the pastor was referring to throughout most of the Sunday morning announcements.  Do your first-time visitors ever feel this way…

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Creative Church Stage Design
Creative Church Stage Design

How much thought do you put into your church stage design on a regular basis? Does your church create elaborate, complicated sets for each new sermon series, or have you had the same setup for months or even years? In this episode of the Hello Church podcast, we’re talking with Jonathan Malm of the popular…

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Planning Your Sunday Morning Worship
Planning Your Sunday Morning Worship

As a pastor, you probably spend hours planning your Sunday sermon–choosing just the right verses, stories, and illustrations–but how much thought do you put into the Sunday morning worship music that accompanies it? While it’s certainly easier to simply let the worship team choose whichever songs they like best, taking a bit of time to…

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Sunday Service Volunteers
Sunday Service Volunteers

Whether you’re a pastor, a church staff member, or simply a member of your local church congregation, you likely know just how important Sunday service volunteers are.  From the greeters to the sound technicians to the security team, your church depends on the generosity of talented volunteers to keep the church running smoothly.  That’s why,…

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Preaching Through Non-Fiction Books
Preaching Through Non-Fiction Books

Is it OK for preachers to do a sermon series based on a non-fiction book or a movie instead of solely going through the Bible? What about preaching through someone else’s series? There is so much content available that other people create. You don’t have to write your sermons all by yourself every single time….

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Preaching Through A Sermon Calendar
Preaching Through A Sermon Calendar

There are benefits to putting together a teaching calendar to assist you in your sermon preparation, study time, and vision. Planning ahead can provide you the opportunity to take some weekends off from teaching, which is very needed for many pastors. Allowing others to step in and preach for you certain weeks of the year…

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Praying For Those In Authority
Praying For Those In Authority

Considering preaching a new sermon series on how to pray for those in authority? Whether you’re currently preaching through an election season, you’re preparing for an upcoming National Day of Prayer, or your congregation is grappling with recent events that have left them confused, angry, or struggling to keep the faith, chances are, now is…

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2023 Sermon Calendars
2023 Sermon Calendars

Are you the person who knows you need a sermon calendar, but you just can’t ever get ahead enough to do it? You fully intend to get organized and get farther out in the sermon idea process, but then it happens… the calendar fills up, you get too busy, and it never becomes a priority. …

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Preaching Through the Old Testament
Preaching Through the Old Testament

Many of us dream about preaching God’s Word, but there are so many different dynamics and challenges that we have to work through – especially in 21st century America. There are many ways it could go right and numerous ways it could go wrong. But even if we, as preachers, can get even a few…

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Sunday Service Announcements
Sunday Service Announcements

Chances are you spend hours planning, researching, and crafting an effective sermon each week, but do you take the time to plan your Sunday church announcements as well? Sunday announcements are a necessary part of most worship services, as they help the congregation stay up-to-date on all the important events happening in the life of…

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Preaching Through Tough Texts
Preaching Through Tough Texts

As pastors, we have a responsibility to communicate the gospel clearly and compellingly. Unfortunately, this isn’t always easy to do. Part of being a pastor also means preaching through tough texts that have the potential to cause confusion, hurt, or division among church members. Whether you prefer studying the Bible topically or you prefer to…

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Preaching Through Pain
Preaching Through Pain

When you became a pastor, were you “signing up” for despair and pain? To be honest, it is part of the equation of leading.  Have you modeled healthy leadership during seasons of pain? Sometimes we do, and there will be times when we flat-out make mistakes. In those scenarios, we mend offenses.  Likely, many of…

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Planning Your Sunday Service
Planning Your Sunday Service

As a pastor, you’ve probably put a great deal of time and effort into learning how to preach an effective sermon. It makes sense, as some might argue that the sermon is the most important aspect of a Sunday morning worship service.  Yet, while preparing an impactful sermon is important, it’s only one part of…

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