Chuck Lawless – ChurchLeaders

Why Are Church People so Mean – 8 Reasons

Chuck Lawless — Wed, 02 Oct 2024 06:45:46 +0000

Why are church people so mean? Based on interviews and surveys over the years, here are just some of the reasons church members can be mean.

10 Reasons Why Parking Lot Church Business Meetings Are Seldom Good

Chuck Lawless — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 06:02:17 +0000

A group of church leaders are striving to make an “official” decision, but the discussions move beyond the official discussion to the parking lot.

8 Things To Do When Depression Hits Your Pastor

Chuck Lawless — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 11:01:17 +0000

More and more pastors are dealing with the issue of depression. The pain is often deep, and few pastors have immediate places to turn for guidance and comfort. If that’s your church, here are some thoughts.

5 Ways the Enemy Tries To Keep Us Distracted From Worship

Chuck Lawless — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 11:01:53 +0000

Let me get right to the point: the enemy wants to hinder your worship of God this weekend, so he will work to distract and deceive you.

How to Build Prayer Into a Worship Service

Chuck Lawless — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 06:01:22 +0000

Getting prayer into your church means building prayer into the DNA of a congregation.

12 Signs of Mediocrity in a Church

Chuck Lawless — Fri, 05 Jul 2024 11:03:05 +0000

"As a church consultant, I’ve learned that these signs are often an indicator that the church overall does not strive for excellence."

Why Some Pastors Leave Their Church Too Soon

Chuck Lawless — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 11:01:39 +0000

Few pastors leave a church saying, “I know this is too early, but I’m leaving”; instead, they reach that conclusion after the fact.

10 Common Worship Distractions

Chuck Lawless — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 06:08:38 +0000

Worship music is an incredible blessing, and I have the utmost respect for worship leaders. However, there are 10 distractions that have been frustrating to me as I've encountered them in worship.

12 Ways To Respond in a Spiritual Rut

Chuck Lawless — Wed, 19 Jun 2024 11:01:55 +0000

I wrote yesterday about signs to see if you’re in currently in a spiritual rut. Today, here are some options for getting out of the rut.

8 Marks of Evangelistic Churches

Chuck Lawless — Mon, 17 Jun 2024 11:01:06 +0000

Most churches in North America are not evangelistic. My role as Professor of Evangelism and Missions, though, allows me to learn about churches that are breaking this trend.

15 Signs You Might Need a Day Off

Chuck Lawless — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 11:01:57 +0000

Frankly, I’ve met a lot of church leaders who are just weary. If that’s where you are, here are some warning signs it’s time to take a day off—whether you work for a church or a secular employer.

8 Scriptural Personal Accountability Questions To Ask This Week

Chuck Lawless — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 11:07:46 +0000

There’s great relief when we turn to God and find him gracious. So, here are some questions to ask in the mirror this week.

8 Ways to Reach Single Adults Through Your Church

Chuck Lawless — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 11:03:59 +0000

Pam and I were older when we married, so we both spent many years as a single adult. Consequently, we’re sensitive to reaching single adults through our churches. Perhaps one of these suggestions will help you as you reach this group in your community.

6 Ways To Find Green Grass in the Desert

Chuck Lawless — Mon, 27 May 2024 11:03:19 +0000

God has a way of granting us water in a dry land, hope in the arid, green grass in the desert. Here are some ways to be encouraged to carry your green grass with you no matter how dry your desert might be

9 Reasons Scripture Memorization Matters

Chuck Lawless — Wed, 15 May 2024 06:32:18 +0000

I still remember the first Bible verses I memorized decades ago. I was a young believer saved out of a non-Christian home, and the Bible was new, fresh, and alive to me then. To be honest, though, I often still need to remember why memorization matters.

12 Reasons People Leave a Local Church

Chuck Lawless — Tue, 14 May 2024 11:01:10 +0000

Even if you’re not in the middle of the battle, constant conflict wears out even the best church members.

8 Dangers of ‘À la carte’ Christianity

Chuck Lawless — Thu, 02 May 2024 11:03:10 +0000

Christians sometimes pick what they want and leave the rest on the counter. Here are some dangers of that approach—dangers that might also signal if we’ve moved in this direction.

7 Characteristics of Long-Term Pastors Who Don’t Give Up Easily

Chuck Lawless — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 11:01:33 +0000

Long-term pastors have no question of their original call to that ministry. They can usually describe it in vivid terms because it was—and is still—so real to them. Until God just as clearly releases them from that calling, they’re invested where they are.

Sermon-Based Small Groups: Yes or No

Chuck Lawless — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 06:09:55 +0000

More and more churches seem to be moving to a sermon-based curriculum for their small groups. That is, they review and study the same text the pastor preached on the previous Sunday. On the other hand, I’ve met church leaders who oppose this approach.

8 Reasons Pastorless Churches Should Consider an Interim Pastor

Chuck Lawless — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 11:01:13 +0000

When a church is in a leadership transition, bringing on an interim pastor can be a blessing to the congregation.

12 Random Questions I Would Like To Ask Pastors

Chuck Lawless — Sat, 13 Apr 2024 11:03:36 +0000

What’s your least favorite part of doing pastoral ministry? For me, I think it’s having confrontational meetings—even though I know they’re necessary at times.

6 Sets of Contrasting Ministry Mistakes I’ve Made

Chuck Lawless — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 11:01:39 +0000

I’ve made a lot of ministry mistakes in 40+ years—and some that almost seem contradictory to others. Here are some of those mistakes.

7 Unique Ways To Prepare To Preach or Teach This Weekend

Chuck Lawless — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 11:01:39 +0000

If you are teaching a small group or preaching a sermon this week, you recognize that your preparation matters. Here are seven unique ways to prepare to preach or teach this coming weekend.

10 Reasons To Pray for Pastors on Monday

Chuck Lawless — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 11:03:37 +0000

Your pastor always needs your prayer. But here are 10 reasons why you need to pray for your pastor on the first day of the workweek.

8 Things That Keep Young People in Church

Chuck Lawless — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 12:03:16 +0000

It’s no secret that many college-age students who were raised in church drop out once they’re on their own. On the other hand, some churches have done a good job of keeping and reaching this group. Here’s what I see that keeps young people in church.

6 Reasons To Sit in a Different Seat at Church This Weekend

Chuck Lawless — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 12:01:20 +0000

When sitting in church, most of us have a habit of going to the same place every Sunday. But here are some reasons why you and I should sit in a different spot in church this weekend.

9 Evidences That Popularity and Fame Are Getting the Best of You

Chuck Lawless — Sat, 10 Feb 2024 12:03:54 +0000

The former puts you on the platform before others, but the latter convicts your soul. Aloneness with God slowly disappears for the person drawn away by fame and popularity.

8 Thoughts That Help Me Trust God When I Don’t Understand

Chuck Lawless — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 12:03:54 +0000

Here are eight thoughts for when you don't understand what God is doing in your life.

9 Ways a Pastor Might Prioritize Evangelism

Chuck Lawless — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 12:03:06 +0000

If the person preaching the Word every week is not faithfully evangelizing, it’s unlikely the church will do anything different. That fact means that pastors must intentionally prioritize evangelism. Here are some ways to do that.

12 ‘Unexpected’ Places To See a Pastor

Chuck Lawless — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 12:03:22 +0000

Every once in a while, I’m in a conversation where a church member expresses “surprise” to have seen his or her pastor outside the pulpit.

7 Reasons It’s Taking Longer To Call a Pastor

Chuck Lawless — Sat, 20 Jan 2024 12:03:29 +0000

It takes many churches at least a year in their search for a new pastor before finding their next leader. Here are some reasons this process is often so long.

15 Signs of Leadership Fatigue

Chuck Lawless — Wed, 10 Jan 2024 12:03:44 +0000

The longer the social upheavals of our time rage on, the more likely the possibility of leadership fatigue.

10 Characteristics of Pastors Who Finished Well

Chuck Lawless — Sat, 30 Dec 2023 12:01:22 +0000

There are pastors I knew who were faithful unto death, who faithfully served God all the way to the end of their lives. Here is what set them apart.

10 Discipleship Questions for the Coming New Year

Chuck Lawless — Wed, 20 Dec 2023 07:50:45 +0000

Setting goals this next week will give me time to pray about and prepare for meeting those goals. Maybe these discipleship questions will help you in setting goals for 2023.

7 Characteristics of Disciple-Making Pastors

Chuck Lawless — Wed, 13 Dec 2023 12:01:43 +0000

Discipleship is essential to a pastor's role. Here are seven characteristics of a disciple-making pastors.

10 Characteristics of the Best Preachers I’ve Known

Chuck Lawless — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 12:07:32 +0000

Based on my interactions with pastors for almost 30 years, here are characteristics of the best preachers I’ve known.

4 Quotes About Preaching That Have Recently Challenged Me

Chuck Lawless — Sat, 02 Dec 2023 12:07:21 +0000

I’ve recently spent some time reviewing books about preaching and renewing my fervor for the task. Here are some quotes that have challenged me.

10 Reasons Long-Term Pastorates Matter

Chuck Lawless — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 12:07:16 +0000

Studies over the years have shown the value of long-term pastoral tenures. When staying at a tough church is challenging, maybe these reasons below will challenge you to hold on.

Why the Christmas Season Can Be Hard for Pastors – 10 Reasons

Chuck Lawless — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 07:50:34 +0000

I love the Christmas season but the Christmas seasoncan be hard for pastors. Pastors experience Christmas stress for a host of reasons, one of them being taking on the stress and heartache of the people to whom they are ministering.

11 Obstacles to Effective Discipleship

Chuck Lawless — Sun, 19 Nov 2023 22:03:05 +0000

Do we give up in this work? No, we recognize the obstacles and push around them. Making effective disciples is not optional for us.

8 Illegitimate Excuses and Rationalizations in My Life

Chuck Lawless — Mon, 06 Nov 2023 12:07:02 +0000

I realize I’ve sometimes tried to convince myself with excuses and rationalizations that my actions or choices are proper—and only God in his gracious love still continually convicts, challenges, and changes me.

8 Traits I See in Good Worship Leaders

Chuck Lawless — Sat, 21 Oct 2023 11:01:16 +0000

As I visit churches in my various roles, I’m privileged to worship with many different congregations. The styles aren’t always the same, but I can tell you some of the common traits I find in worship leaders who catch my attention.

10 Potential Idols in My Life

Chuck Lawless — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 11:07:51 +0000

I’ve been burdened recently about identifying, confessing, and overcoming things in my life that I sometimes elevate to the level of idolatry.

Why We Are Unlikely to Experience Church Revival

Chuck Lawless — Fri, 06 Oct 2023 06:03:09 +0000

While revival is a gift of God, our church culture doesn’t exhibit some of the characteristics that have preceded God’s great movements. Here are seven thoughts on why we may not see revival in America any time soon.

10 Things To Do When God Seems to Be Saying ‘No’

Chuck Lawless — Wed, 27 Sep 2023 11:01:16 +0000

We’ve all been there. We pray and pray, and it seems God’s answer is “no.” When that happens, here’s what I encourage you to do.

5 Attacks of the Enemy on Christian Workers These Days

Chuck Lawless — Fri, 22 Sep 2023 11:03:09 +0000

The enemy has always sought to turn our attention away from reaching non-believers, discipling new believers, and planting healthy churches.

6 Simple Strategies That Help Me Pray More

Chuck Lawless — Sat, 16 Sep 2023 11:03:45 +0000

I have much, much room to grow in prayer, but I hope at least one of these ideas helps you. The cost is simply too great if we church leaders don’t pray much.

8 Reasons Why Non-Believers Don’t Always Listen to Us

Chuck Lawless — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 11:03:10 +0000

I’m working hard at developing relationships with non-believers. I’m reminded regularly, though, that they don’t always readily listen to believers when we try to share the gospel.

15 Time Management Tips

Chuck Lawless — Sat, 09 Sep 2023 11:01:44 +0000

I make no claim to be an expert at time management. What I am is a seminary dean, education consultant, church consultant, and local church pastor who has been forced to learn how to budget time. Here are some time management tips that have worked for me

7 Prayers To Pray To Make Worship More Powerful This Weekend

Chuck Lawless — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 11:03:09 +0000

As you join your congregation for worship this weekend, I encourage you to pray these prayers before you gather.