Rick Warren's Online Community for Pastors and Church Leaders
Diana Davis (www.keeponshining.com) is an author, speaker and wife of the North American Mission Board’s vice president for the Midwest region, Steve Davis. Copyright 2012. Used by permission.
When a new believer is baptized, it's a momentous event. A life's been changed for eternity! Try these fresh ideas to make baptism a true celebration:
Smile. Express true joy. Baptism is a holy ordinance, but it's also a joyful event. I love it when the church breaks into spontaneous cheers or applause.
Get personal. One church …
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Here’s a simple way to evaluate how guests see your church building. Take the “5-Spot Test.”
Stop at five specific places around your church site for five minutes and answer five questions.
Spot #1: Church parking lot. Just before worship, park in a guest space.
How easy is it to find a parking space?
From here, how …
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Now, here’s a fun church-wide CHRISTmas project. Plan a gigantic caroling blitz with an outreach purpose. Every attender at your church—singles, kids, elderly, teens, couples, bad singers, occasional attenders…everyone!—is challenged to contribute one hour for a purposeful caroling party. Try these simple tips for planning.
Tip …
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Here’s a fresh and simple way to invite school teachers and staff to your church. Honor those important community leaders by planning a “Meet the Teacher” Sunday during the first month of school.
Students and adult church members will invite school teachers, principals, librarians, bus drivers, nurses, food servers, coaches, …
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Twitter-Style Evangelism
I’m learning to tweet. It’s amazing what can be said in 140 characters—just a sentence or two. Snippets of info can be motivating. Informative. Inspiring. Captivating.
Now imagine what would happen if you decide to speak a tweet-sized word about God in everyday conversations with people around you. Just a …
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Share these ideas with members of committees, teams, Bible classes and other church groups.
You’re a member of a Sunday School class, church committee or ministry team. You’re on the church ball team, the nursery rotation or praise band. Whatever your involvement in your local church, each group you attend or serve has a leader who …
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Begin a new first-day-of-school tradition at your church! Plan a community-wide coffee for moms after they drop kids off at school. It begins right after the school bell; so if your district’s elementary, middle and high schools start at different times, plan three coffees.
There’s no formal program—simply fellowship and a …
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"…I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority." I Tim. 2:1-2a (HSCB)
It’s not just about celebrating our country. July 4th can focus our church’s attention on praying for our country. Looking for fresh ideas for your church to celebrate July …
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Hundreds of children at a school near your church are ready to celebrate summer vacation.
What an opportunity!
Plan a gigantic End-of-School party with an outreach purpose.
Invite the town with a huge outdoor sign. It might read:
Free End-of-School Party for all Carmel students!
High School Sand Volleyball Bash 7:30 - …
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Summertime’s coming, and you might be surprised how many people in your community would enjoy a walking tour of your church building. Whether it’s large or small, your church building is a beacon in your town.
Who would take a church tour?
Schedule a special tour for parents as they drop their children off for Vacation Bible …
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I want to share my best ideas with you each week, along with a ton of great content, fresh ideas, downloadable resources, and more... all for FREE!
