Offer Interest- and Background-Based Small Groups

The Church on the Way in Van Nuys, Calif., tailors its opportunities for connection to ensure attendees return again and again. “To really get to know people, you need to find out the relational issues and what culture they grew up with, and then how you can serve them particularly,” says Lead Pastor of Pastoral Care Cecelia Freeman. The church offers groups for every ethnicity in the church, a homeless group, formational groups, topical or seasonal groups, home groups and recreational groups. Next on their to-do list is creating online groups to accommodate members’ busy lives.

James P. Long
James P. Longhttp://JamesPLong.com

James P. Long was formerly the editor of Outreach magazine and the author of a number of books, including Why Is God Silent When We Need Him the Most?

Ohio Church Makeover

This move would not only give them room to grow, but also would enable them to do a lot more to fulfill their mission of being a church focused on “building the kingdom, one life at a time.”

How Much Tech Do You Actually Need?

Because you cannot do this alone, you are going to have to trust the right individuals who know more about tech than you do. Your calling is to shepherd. Do that.

Gene Appel: Do Less Ministry; Reach More People

None of the programs at our church were bad in and of themselves. The volume of it just prevented us from being focused on building relationships with those who are far from God. So, we had to do less ministry to reach more people. It sounds funny, but people had to be trained in how to do life with nonbelievers or people spiritually disinterested.