2017
![Pastors, We Need To Stop Expecting Worship Leaders To Do Our Job For Us Pastors, We Need To Stop Expecting Worship Leaders To Do Our Job For Us](https://www-images.christianitytoday.com/images/77918.jpg?h=168&w=300)
There are two interesting, but conflicting conversations happening among church leaders right now. Especially, but not exclusively, on social media.
On the one hand, people are decrying the supposed shallowness of today's worship songs.
On the other hand, there's a push ...
![The 3 Biggest Problems With An 'Every Number Is A Person' Approach To Ministry The 3 Biggest Problems With An 'Every Number Is A Person' Approach To Ministry](https://www-images.christianitytoday.com/images/77912.jpg?h=168&w=300)
When a pastor says "we count people because people count" and "numbers matter because every number is a person," I agree.
Everyone in a church service, a discipleship class or a small group is a person for whom Jesus died. And knowing how many of them are ...
![11 Advantages Of Having 50 Churches Of 100 Instead Of 1 Church Of 5,000 11 Advantages Of Having 50 Churches Of 100 Instead Of 1 Church Of 5,000](https://www-images.christianitytoday.com/images/77890.jpg?h=168&w=300)
Church planters are some of the great heroes of the faith. Especially when you realize how many church plants fail within the first few years.
But I wonder, how many failed churches might still be alive and well today if we didn’t pressure them to reach numerical goals ...
![...But I'm Okay With MY Clichés ...But I'm Okay With MY Clichés](https://www-images.christianitytoday.com/images/77854.jpg?h=168&w=300)
A lot of people are talking and writing about leaving the Christian faith lately.
For many, their reasons are profound and horrifying. I have and will write about those tragedies, but this article is not about that. It’s about others who are leaving for reasons that are ...
![The Endlessly Fascinating Microbiology Of Small Church Ministry The Endlessly Fascinating Microbiology Of Small Church Ministry](https://www-images.christianitytoday.com/images/77834.jpg?h=168&w=300)
When you love something, there's always more to discover in it. That was the essence of a conversation I had recently about the value of small church ministry.
It began with a question.
"What you're doing with small churches is great, but won't you have to expand ...
![8 Life and Leadership Lessons From The Jayden K. Smith Hoax 8 Life and Leadership Lessons From The Jayden K. Smith Hoax](https://www-images.christianitytoday.com/images/77800.jpg?h=168&w=300)
If you were on Facebook in the last few days, you heard from Jayden K. Smith.
Actually, you didn’t hear from Jayden, you heard a lot about Jayden.
For those not on Facebook, here’s what happened.
Someone started a rumor that if you accepted a friend request from Jayden ...
![3 Big Problems With Running A Church Like A Business 3 Big Problems With Running A Church Like A Business](https://www-images.christianitytoday.com/images/77767.jpg?h=168&w=300)
The Bible uses many colorful words to describe the church. It’s a family, a body, a fellowship, a holy people, a flock, and more.
But not a business.
In my previous post, I wrote about Why It's A Bad Idea To Run A Church Like A Business. In today’s post, I want ...
![Why It's A Bad Idea To Run A Church Like A Business Why It's A Bad Idea To Run A Church Like A Business](https://www-images.christianitytoday.com/images/77748.jpg?h=168&w=300)
Churches cannot and should not be run like businesses.
I’ve always felt that to be true. But, as a pastor, I only knew it in the abstract.
Then, a few years ago I started my own business. You're reading one of the products of it right now. The writing and speaking I ...
![Fellow Christian, I’m Going To Assume The Best Of You – Even If You Don’t Give Me The Same Courtesy Fellow Christian, I’m Going To Assume The Best Of You – Even If You Don’t Give Me The Same Courtesy](https://www-images.christianitytoday.com/images/77712.jpg?h=168&w=300)
Whatever happened to grace?
Not God’s grace for us. That’s more sure than tomorrow’s sunrise.
But what about giving grace to others? Assuming the best of them instead of the worst? Giving people – especially fellow believers – the benefit of the doubt? ...
![Jesus And Crowds – An Unhappy Marriage Jesus And Crowds – An Unhappy Marriage](https://www-images.christianitytoday.com/images/77656.jpg?h=168&w=300)
Jesus didn’t value crowds. He didn’t even trust them (John 2:23-24). But he valued the people in them.
Even though they chased him everywhere he went, Jesus and crowds had, at best, a strained relationship. As pastors, we need to keep this in mind as we look at how ...
![What Are You Improving At Your Church Right Now? What Are You Improving At Your Church Right Now?](https://www-images.christianitytoday.com/images/77622.jpg?h=168&w=300)
What would you say if someone asked you the question in the title of this post?
“What are you improving at your church right now?”
Would you know what to say? It’s an important question.
In fact, if you can't answer that question with at least one specific ...
![Want An Effective Ministry? Consider Becoming A Zagger Want An Effective Ministry? Consider Becoming A Zagger](https://www-images.christianitytoday.com/images/77604.jpg?h=168&w=300)
"When they zig, you zag."
I don't know who said it first, but a lot of people have said it since.
I'm a zagger.
I’ve tried to be a zigger. To go with the flow, not against it. To pick the low-hanging fruit.
But, time after time, without intending to, I find ...
![Thom Rainer and Lawrence Wilson Interview Karl Vaters About Small Churches Thom Rainer and Lawrence Wilson Interview Karl Vaters About Small Churches](https://www-images.christianitytoday.com/images/77528.jpg?h=168&w=300)
Small churches are becoming big news!
Recently, I had the chance to be interviewed about small churches by two great ministries.
Both interviews were published this week. One in a podcast, the other in a written article.
1. The Thom Rainer Leadership Podcast #338
First, I was honored ...
![If You're Going To Do Church That Way, Do It Well If You're Going To Do Church That Way, Do It Well](https://www-images.christianitytoday.com/images/77503.jpg?h=168&w=300)
There are so many ways to do church.
As long as you’re honoring the Bible, worshiping Jesus and loving people, no method or structure is wrong.
But any method or structure can be done wrong.
Thankfully, it can also be done right.
Whatever program, asset or resource you think ...
![The Top 3 Reasons Church Growth Ideas Usually Fail In Smaller Churches The Top 3 Reasons Church Growth Ideas Usually Fail In Smaller Churches](https://www-images.christianitytoday.com/images/77500.jpg?h=168&w=300)
I love church growth.
I also love the Church Growth Movement. It’s brought some wonderful benefits to the church in the last 40 to 50 years. A renewed emphasis on outreach, accurate assessment tools, and an openness to try new methods are just a few of the positives.
But ...
Read More from Karl
![Small Church Essentials: Field-Tested Principles for Leading a Healthy Congregation of under 250 Small Church Essentials: Field-Tested Principles for Leading a Healthy Congregation of under 250](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41AU9uOZQAL._SL500_.jpg)