Many Christian leaders are wrestling with what it looks or will look like to reopen in-person church gatherings. Some churches, perhaps yours, are meeting in person now. But whether you are or not, if you’re honest you know things are not “normal.”

About the Author

Dr. Carol Tanksley is a board-certified OB-Gyn physician as well as a Doctor of Ministry. She’s published several books by Charisma House, and has been highlighted several times in Ministry Today, Charisma and SpiritLed Woman. Find more of Dr. Carol’s resources at drcarolministries.com.

While your church is unique in its offerings, it still operates similarly to other types of businesses. It must pay employees a fair wage, cover debts and expenses, and maintain a budget. As a church leader, you have an important role to play in the financial health of your church.

About the Author:

Dr. Tom McElheny has served as an elder and director of Christian education for three Sarasota, Florida, churches, holds advanced degrees in business and education, and is CEO of his company, ChurchPlaza (www.churchplaza.com).

This is harder than I expected.

All of it. From the lockdown to this weird middle ground, to whatever’s coming next, the sense of constant uncertainty is wearing on me.

No, I’m not sick. And none of my loved ones are. For those of you who are sick or who are dealing with the illness or the death of a loved one, I cannot imagine your burden. But even for those of us who were simply asked to stay home, then walk through the phased steps to return to something close to normal, this is proving hard in some unexpected ways...

About the Author

KARL VATERS has been a small church pastor for thirty years, and is currently the teaching pastor at Cornerstone Christian Fellowship in Fountain Valley, California. He is author of The Grasshopper Myth: Big Churches, Small Churches, and the Small Thinking that Divides Us and Small Church Essentials: Field-Tested Principles for Leading a Healthy Congregation of Under 250. You can learn more about Karl at www.KarlVaters.com. Karl and his wife, Shelley, have three kids (Veronica, Matt, and Phil) and one son-in-law (Sam).

God designed a complex network of neurological circuits to work together to help us stay relationally connected and attuned to each other. When these relational circuits are running as designed, we call this “Relational Mode.” Our emotional and relational sensitivity is working and we look at life through a relational filter. We are emotionally attuned to other people and share their pain. In this mode our identity is stable and we spread joy and life to those around us...

Excerpt pulled from pages 171-175 in The Other Half of Church by Michel Hendricks and Jim Wilder

(Moody Publishers, August 2020)

Some of you reading this are standing at the edge of something new and contemplating your first step across the border. I want to remind you that God has already gone before you. Stepping out may stretch your faith, but God is already preparing a way.

The first bold step never comes without challenges. Crossing borders, stepping into new seasons, and walking through open doors will always stretch our faith and challenge our comfort. The moment you step out into a new environment, the adventure begins.

About the Author

MARK JOBE is the president of Moody Bible Institute and host of Moody Radio's Bold Steps. He is the author of Unstuck: Out of Your Cave into Your Call. He is also the founding pastor of New Life Community Church, a Chicago-based ministry with 27 locations throughout Chicago. Mark has a Master's degree from Moody Theological Seminary and a Doctorate in

Church attendance has been on thin ice for some time with many Millennials asking, “Why should I go to church at all?” One often repeated comment about church is, “I love Jesus. It is church people I don’t care for.” Church life hasn’t produced the kind of character young people desire. Now COVID-19 has further changed Sunday attendance. Many people are asking, “Why should I go back? Isn’t virtual church enough?”

About the Author

Michel Hendricks and Jim Wilder have written The Other Half of Church about full-brain training in Christlike character. The four soils detailed in the book grow mature disciples of Jesus and provide the basis for the transforming sequence described in this article. Both authors and their families live in Colorado.

Have you ever winced upon learning that a long-time member has left your church? Even harder, does that individual appear to doubt some or much of what he or she used to believe about God, the Bible, Jesus Christ, the Church, and the Christian faith?

If so, how did you respond?

That’s a tough question to answer, isn’t it? Even for pastors. Especially for pastors...

About the Author

David Sanford‘s book and Bible projects have been published by Zondervan, Tyndale, Thomas Nelson, Doubleday, Barbour, and Amazon. His newest book is Choose Courage: 3-Minute Devotions for Men.

I learned to drive before smartphones with GPS were commonplace. If I wanted to go somewhere new, I needed to do a little homework first. Do you remember the routine? Find the address, look it up on a map (or later, MapQuest), and then either plan your route or print out the directions. It was laborious, but it was a necessary process if you wanted to arrive at your destination.

About the author

Matt VanGent is an Executive Pastor and Leadership Coach, helping pastors bridge the gap between the theology they learned in seminary and the leadership skills they need in order to grow healthy churches. You can find out more at beyondseminary.net.

Churches in vacation destinations face unique struggles. They tend to see fluctuating attendance, with many visitors coming in during the vacation season and then attendance dropping in the off-season. With the right planning, most of these churches can adapt and save up money for these times.

But with COVID-19, some churches will undoubtedly miss out on the vacation influx as people cut back on or cancel travel plans. How can these churches weather the storm? Here are a few practical ways to survive if your church is missing out on the usual rush of visitors...

About the Author:

Dr. Tom McElheny has served as an elder and director of Christian education for three Sarasota, Florida, churches, holds advanced degrees in business and education, and is CEO of his company, ChurchPlaza (www.churchplaza.com).

God’s words are powerful because within His words there is a love we don’t have to work for or strive to maintain. God loves you. He says it, and you can experience that love on a daily basis. Particularly if you are a words of affirmation kind of man or woman, you can feel loved. You can live into God’s love by hearing God’s words. Through your mobile device, you can read God’s words to you and experience love and companionship in a way you may never have thought possible...

Excerpted from Seen. Known. Loved.: 5 Truths About God and Your Love Language by Gary Chapman & R. York Moore ( 2020). Published by Moody Publishers. Used with permission.