When it comes to growing disciples, we’ve been led to think we must choose between quantity or quality. I’m not sure where that line of thinking began, but it needs to stop. God calls our churches to multi-dimensional growth; discipleship is about going both deeper and wider. We aim to make spiritually mature disciples. Mature […]
In our book Rebuilt, I wrote about a significant experience while attending a conference at Saddleback Church in California. After sitting through a tough and challenging talk about what it takes to become a healthy, growing church, I stormed out in self-righteous rage. Eventually, though, I came to realize I had just been personally called […]
Often the difference between a great experience at Mass, and just a good or not-so-great one, isn’t an innovative tech system or a small army of ministers (though both might be handy), but something more simple and intuitive, like flow. And probably the only thing it will cost you and your team is a little […]
I just got back from another trip visiting our publisher, Ave Maria Press, at Notre Dame. I’m always inspired and grateful after spending time with them. (By the way, allow me to make a plug for their amazing parish resources, check them out @ avemariapress.com) There was a lot on our agenda. We started exploratory […]
If you’ve been keeping up with my Twitter, you might have noticed that our staff at Nativity are filming a TV show. We have partnered up with our amazing friends at CatholicTV to put together 13 episodes of what we are calling The Rebuilt Show. It will air in the Fall and Spring, and you […]
Many will hate to hear it, but one sign of a healthy church is growth in weekend attendance. If people are actively leaving, or not a single new family has joined your parish in some time, then chances are, there are things you could be doing to better attract and serve people through your Sunday […]
Anyone who works at a church knows the summer generally means less attendance, less offertory, and less “going on” in general. But that doesn’t mean the summer is time to check out until September rolls around. Beyond the obvious benefit of refreshment and renewal the summer vacation should provide (if you plan it properly), summertime is […]
This is the time of year for new leadership transitions. In the Catholic world, May to July is usually the season for ordinations and new church assignments. Some are becoming pastors for the first time- others are just moving on. You might be taking over the reins from a great leader, or someone who didn’t […]
I’m posting this week from California at Saddleback Church’s Global PEACE Conference. I’m here with Brian Crook, our Director of Missions at Nativity. It’s been an inspiring and thought-provoking experience. Pastor Rick Warren had the vision of bringing together pastors from countries around the world to share ideas and learn from one another how to […]
This past week, our “Message Team” met for an all day off-site to finalize our plans for our message series for the upcoming year. The message team consists of 7 people on staff who meet each week to help develop and evaluate my weekend messages. A few times a year we take extra time to […]
