Articles for tag: Community Building

April 4, 2020

Virtual Meetings . . . Real Relationships

A Step-by-Step Guide for Leading a Discovery Bible Study (or Any Group or Class) While Social Distancing By Rick Lowry In this season of social distancing, getting your small group or class together for an online or “virtual” meeting is a great alternative. If you are a computer novice, this can sound intimidating. But many simple tools are available to assist even those among us with little Internet experience. Since technology is the greatest concern for those who haven’t yet tried virtual meetings, we’ll discuss the technical details first. After that, we’ll look at some ways virtual groups are different

June 19, 2016

Christian Standard

Culture & Public Square Reconciliation

Love Is the Universal Language

By Becky Ahlberg The problem with discussions about race relations is that we too often start with the differences and not the things we have in common. It”s easy to make hasty generalizations and base our thinking on stereotypes or other people”s experiences. Depending on where you live, you may not encounter many people who are different from you, and it can be difficult to make a fair and objective assessment of them. Let me give you an example. In Anaheim, California, where I live, we have one of the most diverse populations in the country. More than 50 different

April 27, 2014

Christian Standard

Church Leadership

Circle Up

By Susan Lawrence “Then Jesus told his followers to have the people sit in groups on the green grass. So they sat in groups of fifty or a hundred. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish and, looking up to heaven, he thanked God for the food. He divided the bread and gave it to his followers for them to give to the people. Then he divided the two fish among them all. All the people ate and were satisfied” (Mark 6:39-42, New Century Version). I don”t know if the groups of 50 and 100 sat in circles or

February 25, 2009

Christian Standard

Discipleship & Spiritual Formation

Preventing Spiritual Desertion

By Mark A. Taylor Many would characterize the church”s work in the world as spiritual warfare. Our enemy is Satan, and our tools are “the full armor of God” (Ephesians 6:11-17). But not all soldiers in this war persevere until it”s won. Some grow weary of the enemy”s clever schemes and effective tactics. They wear out, give up, and decide to walk away. Why do some continue while others leave the battle? The Bible suggests several answers, one of them underscored by findings from contemporary students of American history. Heroes and Cowards, written by husband-and-wife team Dora L. Costa and

October 21, 2007

Christian Standard

Church & Ministry Church Growth

Why and How Your Church Should Use Name Tags

By Krista Petty My coworkers teased me all week long. (Yes, people in ministry razz one another.) Ten of us were attending a national outreach convention, and the one workshop I was most excited about was titled something like, “The Value of Name Tags.” Yes, it was all about using name tags at church. Why were they making fun of me? The youth minister told me name tags were dorky. He”d never wear one. Another staffer said, “Out of all the great options, you”re choosing that?” To make matters worse, they all pointed out that this workshop was at 4:00

July 16, 2006

Kent E. Fillinger

Church & Ministry Church Growth

Churches, Change, and Growth (Part 2)

Starbucks has mastered community, consistency, and customization. Kent Fillinger explores what churches can learn about welcoming people, shaping first impressions, and offering accessible pathways for spiritual growth.