January 1, 2026
Succession and the Church
Few churches handle lead minister succession well, but there are four steps for an effective succession PLAN (Prepare, Look Ahead, Assess, Navigate).
Articles for tag: Elder
December 31, 2024
A Time of Refreshing
When Bob Russell retired from his stellar 40-year ministry with Southeast Christian Church, he created a unique retreat to encourage those who serve as lead ministers in their congregations.
September 23, 2024
September 29 Study | Bow Down
Worship in heaven is on-going. It never ends—and never gets old.
September 19, 2022
Life in Ukraine Today: A Torturous Reminder of Old Horrors
Andrey told me stories of the Nazi occupation of their region during World War II, and how the German army used the building as a prison, and that many prisoners were hanged there. . . . We all assumed it could never happen again . . . and yet Russian occupiers have turned life in the city into a torturous reminder of those old horrors.
Resolve
The Declaration of Independence spoke great words about freedom, but even greater words were spoken 2,000 years ago.
September 6, 2021
Cleansing
We gather around the Lord’s Table today in a different time and under a new covenant, but in the presence of the same God who cleanses sin.
April 5, 2021
Jesus, As He Really Is
When you see Jesus face-to-face, “as he really is,” what will be your declaration of worship?
October 5, 2020
Two Important Questions
By Randy Ballinger Everyone needs to answer two important questions: “What am I living for?” and “For what am I willing to die?” We may forget to answer these two fundamental questions as we go about our fast-paced lives. So, how do you answer them? This table points us to the One who clearly and resolutely answered those questions. What was Jesus living for? His purpose was “to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). For what was Jesus willing to die? “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). For Jesus, though, death was not
September 14, 2020
‘Surely, You Don’t Mean Me?’
By Randy Ballinger When we read the Gospel accounts about the night before Jesus went to the cross, we see words about the institution of the Lord’s Supper: “Do this in remembrance of me”; we remember what Jesus did for us. “For the forgiveness of sins”; this is why Jesus did what he did for us. But we also see words that may trouble us, for they certainly troubled his disciples: “One of you will betray me.” When Jesus revealed that a betrayer was sitting at the table with him, it caused each one of his disciples to consider whether
September 4, 2019
Key Lay Leaders of First Christian, Evansville, Die in Plane Crash
First Christian Church in Evansville, Ind., suffered the loss of three key lay leaders in a plane crash last week in Montana. Tim Arnold, Grant Weythman, and Allen Eicher were flying in a small plane toward Pinehaven Christian Children’s Ranch in Montana as part of a volunteer missions team when they struck a power line and crashed. According to the Courier & Press, Weythman and Eicher were elders at First Christian, and Arnold was a former elder. They were headed to the children’s ranch to repair broken machinery. “They were very much what we call shepherds—trying to make sure everybody
October 13, 2018
Taking Our Q&A to the ‘Next Level’
We sat down with Macon A. Gibe, best-selling author of The Intentional Pastor, Reaching the Next Level, and Isolating Your Church’s DNA, to discuss ministry and church trends and how to best leverage and engage them. _ _ _ QUESTION: Mr. Gibe, you’ve published three best-selling books for churches and church leaders. To what do you owe your incredible success? ANSWER: It was no accident, I can tell you that! Seriously, I would attribute it to three things: intentionality, aspirational thinking, and a cursory understanding of science. Q: Your first book, back in 2002, was Isolating Your Church’s DNA.
Decisions, Decisions
E2: Effective Elders Blog Editor’s Note: Each Friday we publish a new blog post from our partners in ministry, E2: Effective Elders. We publish it here simultaneous to E2’s posting on their site. The leaders of E2 write an article for our print and online magazine every month as well. Those articles are full of wisdom and practical help for elders. Please check them out! _____ By Rod Nielsen Decision-making in a church can be a blessing or a curse. Often, the decision itself is not as problematic as the process of coming to a decision. Major decisions—such as entering into
April 27, 2018
Hope for Hurting Ministers
By Steve Reeves A survey of Christian church/church of Christ ministers from September 2016 found that 43 percent of the 500 responders were seriously considering leaving the ministry. In addition, Tim Wallingford with the Center for Church Leadership (CCL) says attrition among ministers in our churches might be as high as 70 percent. Here are some additional findings Wallingford shared with me when I began volunteering with the CCL: 74 percent of ministers have debt. The school debt among many couples, upon their graduation, is as high as $75,000. 54 percent of churches offer no retirement benefits; 47 percent offer
January 1, 2018
Hope for Hurting Ministers
By Steve Reeves A survey of Christian church/church of Christ ministers from September 2016 found that 43 percent of the 500 responders were seriously considering leaving the ministry. In addition, Tim Wallingford with the Center for Church Leadership (CCL) says attrition among ministers in our churches might be as high as 70 percent. Here are some additional findings Wallingford shared with me when I began volunteering with the CCL: 74 percent of ministers have debt. The school debt among many couples, upon their graduation, is as high as $75,000. 54 percent of churches offer no retirement benefits; 47 percent offer
September 23, 2016
“˜There”s Not a Jar Left” . . . the Epitaph of Many Churches
By Tim Harlow Erwin McManus says turning a church around is really just a matter of killing one church and opening a new one, and I”d have to agree. “Because of your faith, it will happen” (Matthew 9:29, New Living Translation). When I came to this 40-year-old church, it really took us 7 to 10 years to transition it to the place where we could start doing what we knew God wanted us to do. The upside was we had some people and some money and a building. But the downside was many of the people had a different vision
August 28, 2016
Growing Elders to Lead
By Jim Estep The leaders you want won”t sprout overnight, like weeds in a garden. Here”s how to develop strategies to nurture the crop of new leaders you need. The phone call is all too familiar. An elder begins the conversation stating the obvious, “We need new elders! All our elders are getting older, and no one is stepping up to serve.” I listen, perhaps ask about the church and the strengths of the current leadership; but eventually the inescapable question must be asked, “What have you been intentionally doing to bring up the next generation of leaders in your church?”
Country Communion
By Daniel Schantz “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you” (John 14:27, New King James Version). You arrive late at the little country church that is surrounded by lime green sycamore trees. Late, because you had a tiff with your wife at breakfast. The pianist is playing “The Old Rugged Cross” on a piano that is slightly out of tune, just like you. Just as you and your wife take a seat, several farmers stand up and make their way to the back of the auditorium. Their faces are red from sun labors, except for their foreheads
Best Practices for Elders Discipling Younger Men
By Michael C. Mack QUESTION: We, as elders, are looking at discipling some of the younger men. Can you suggest some of the best programs or curriculum? ANSWERS: “Start an authentic personal relationship with them. If this doesn”t happen, nothing else will. I work in corporate America, in addition to my roles in the church. I have seen in both entities efforts to “˜assign” mentors, and this just doesn”t work. You have to have a relationship with someone before you can mentor them.” “”Michael Fountain, elder, Minerva (Ohio) First Christian Church “My most fruitful times of discipleship have been very
October 31, 2014
A Universal Language
By C. Robert Wetzel Have you ever found yourself worshipping in a congregation in a country where you did not know the language? Perhaps occasionally you recognized a melody of a hymn and tried to sing the words that you associated with that tune. Or saw Scripture was being read, but could only guess what it might be by looking to see how the Bible was opened. Was it about halfway? Then maybe it was a Psalm. Was it near the back? Probably a New Testament reading. But what? It becomes even worse during the sermon. Why is the preacher
Too Much Preparation?
By Bruce Templeton (From our series “The Best or Worst Advice I’ve Ever Received.”) The worst advice I ever received was from an elder who knew a lot about running a bank, but very little about leading a church. I was “young and dumb,” but I loved the church and was willing to listen to any advice I could get! I was serving a church coming off its best year in the last 25: more baptisms, greater attendance, and a greater spirit of excitement and joy. He believed the real way to build a church was to visit people who
