How would your ministry change if you focused on growing through intentional relationships and connection? The 4% who walk through your doors each week represent your church’s future.

What metrics are you using? Tracking the right metrics in the church will help you make the right course corrections and seek the right help as you move forward. 

Have you ever asked why aren't people coming back to your church? I know this seems a little opposite of how we typically view church; come here, and we’ll fill you up for the week. But, I would say we have an opportunity here to reframe what church looks like in this season and meet people where they’re at. The gospel never changes, but our methods can change constantly.

What does a vitalized church in Canada actually look like? The reality is every church is on a trajectory and we can’t look at an individual month or year, but we need to look at the overall trends and characteristics of a church that is vitalized. Let’s look at 5 characteristics of a vitalized church.

Our Canadian churches have the greatest opportunity to reverse the trend of decreasing Christian influence in Canada. It works when we obey Christ and shed off everything else. We invite you to join us at the Church Vitalization Summit on August 29 and 30 for two 90-minute virtual sessions on reversing the trend in Canada.

Our Canadian churches have the greatest opportunity to reverse the trend of decreasing Christian influence in Canada. It works when we obey Christ and shed off everything else. We invite you to join us at the Church Vitalization Summit on August 29 and 30 for two 90-minute virtual sessions on reversing the trend in Canada.

We are presently in a very new era of ministry. There is no guidebook for the age we are currently in. We must get into their fishbowl as cross-cultural missionaries and lead like Jesus, love like Jesus, and serve as Jesus would.

Ready to think about spring outreaches? Here are four fantastic outreaches you can do this spring. The sky is brightening. The air is warming. The snow is melting – well, not quite yet. But spring is coming, and this is a great opportunity to reach your community in the coming months. Your church can make a difference in your community by meeting the needs of your community. Building bridges of relationship and connection to the people who are not yet a part of your church but will be one day.

Is your church stuck? Do you find yourself in the tension of organizational structure and relational equity? Once you decide to focus on these seven things, you can begin to work and develop them as you go forward. The blend of organization and organism embedded in each of these areas will keep you growing in numbers while also growing in depth of relationship and commitment to Christ.

How do you handle conflict? Conflict is not easy, and many pastors would rather not engage in it. However, learn to exercise your leadership muscles in these ways and watch the unity grow in and amongst those you lead.

What is your church's 'inviteability' factor? I know it's not a real word, but 'inviteability' is the key piece to growing your church. Don't just tell your people to invite, model it, teach it, train on it, tell stories about it and celebrate it.

I hope to see a movement of churches in Canada across denominations go from plateaued and declining to thriving by reaching lost people in their locale. I pray for an enormous increase in Salvations across Canada with reports of life transformation by the Gospel. I long for churches that make disciples who make disciples who make disciples.

As the world begins to open back up, travel restrictions loosen, and mandates relax, the tendency is to want to get back to the way things were. For the church, this wouldn’t be the best idea.

We are called to spiritual maturity (Hebrews 5:14, Hebrews 6:1-2). There is an expectation that Christ-followers will start out as spiritual infants and mature over time. But a key element of maturity is not our age. There are many believers who are older in years but act very spiritually immaturely. This is because we have erroneously defined maturity as “tenure”. When really, spiritual maturity is about reproduction.

We look at the pattern we see in 1 John chapter 2. As you read through this chapter, you’ll begin to see a pattern that John is developing – “little children” (v12), “young men” (v14), “fathers” (v15). The terms John is using is referring to spiritual development and not actual age.

We all get the job description for Christians – “Go and Make Disciples” (Matthew 28:19). But the question I often get asked is, “How do you make disciples?” This is a great question and one that the church in North America hasn’t answered very well. We’ve made attenders and singers and listeners, but I wonder about our ability to make disciples.

Ask a church member why they’re at the church. Ask any parent why they go to the church they go to. They will all have the same answer, “We have friends here.”

We know the line well, “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). We’ve preached on it, we’ve used it on a bulletin, and we may have even printed it on a t-shirt. But do we understand what Jesus was saying when He said that we would become “fishers of men”?