The imperative benefits of kindness as part of Christian behaviour.

There is nothing plastic about the feeling people experience when they receive a gift card. Appreciation emails are OK. Cards are better. Handwritten notes rock. But nothing beats a handwritten note AND a gift card. Over the last 15 months, churches made use of gift cards to show appreciation to frontline workers, first responders, teachers, and community leaders. Gift cards purchased from a local business create a triple win. The purpose is to help people in your community feel the love of Jesus.

Hope can always be found, even if it takes some time to find it. The hope of the resurrection exists for all of us. It is the job of the Church to proclaim this truth especially in the public arena of mental health. Churches are called to become communities of freedom and healing. The Sanctuary Course will help you build such a community.

Are you going on vacation this summer? You had better be. If I hear you haven’t, expect a visit from me. Here are some pointers for making it a memorable and refreshing getaway.

If evangelism were only the work of church leaders, we would quickly hit a ceiling on our effectiveness in reaching people with the gospel. However, if evangelism is the work of every believer, anything is possible.

Resilience is the ability to withstand, adapt and grow in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy and stress. It’s the ability to transcend despite all the odds. Resilience is the single quality we all need now to go where no one has gone before.

There’s no question: this COVID-19 pandemic has grabbed our attention. It just cannot be “the same old same old.” I’m not too old to learn; I want to learn. My prayer, as we face an uncertain future, is “Lord, teach us. Lord, use us.”

In this world of isolation, shutdowns and uncertainty, I think ministry is about being available, showing my students I care, and loving them as Jesus would. Sometimes doing that is as simple as dropping off a pizza.

What’s your best shot at staying passionate about God’s call on your life? How can you sustain energy to fulfill God’s purposes for you and your congregation? How about a life-giving relationship with a cohort of leaders, who are in step or one step ahead of you? Our aim in the ABNWT is to develop a legion of leaders whose sole focus is to obey the Great Commission, lead prevailing, relentlessly, outbound churches, and raise up the next generation of adaptive pastors.

Returning to "normal" will mean setting new priorities and parameters of fruitfulness.

Leaders need to be accountable to avoid personal failure

Church planters think “sticky.” Large, engaging Sunday gatherings are not the glue to hold your church together and keep guests returning. What is the key to stickiness in your church?

Millions of Canadians are coming out from house arrest. They are excited to be out. They are a little nervous. Some of them are learning what it means to have real-life conversations again. And all of this new interaction makes for a great opportunity to look at your community with fresh eyes.

Less is more. Two courses are all you need to reach people far from God. Both function effectively online as well as onsite. Both are hugely valuable and offered free of charge. In thinking like a church planter with limited resources, offering these two programs alone will help you effectively reach your community this Fall.

For many church leaders, this has been the hardest season of their lives; their decisions have been questioned, their lives have been interrupted, their faith has been tested and, their fears have tried to overcome them. And now, they are poised for the greatest opportunity they have ever seen.

Gary Taitinger recently shared with our NextGen Cohorts on including younger leaders in all levels of decision-making. This is challenging and time-consuming but the payoff is more than worth it!

In the life cycle of a church, vision ignites everything. Church planters have a passion for reaching people far from God in their communities, towns and cities. Cast vision for souls now. Start before you’re completely ready. Communicate urgency to energize, deputize and mobilize your established congregation to fulfill that vision. Casting vision will net you support and momentum.

One of the lesser-known phrases that I’ve heard in the past year is that coming out of the pandemic, “all church leaders will need to think like church planters”. But what does that mean? What makes “thinking like a church planter” beneficial to leading into the future? Instead, let me suggest what “Thinking Like a Planter” might look like.