Reggie Joiner's Blog, page 33

How Nehemiah’s Story Calls Us to Unity

The work has started, but it’s not yet complete.We’ve come a long way, though, haven’t we?

Like Nehemiah, we’ve named the problem.We’ve used our resources and influence to address the problem.We’ve formulated a strategy and are working on the problem.Now it’s time to start being the Church.Remember, when we come together, it makes the enemy nervous.

Diversity in Christ

We are the Church regardless of our denominations,political opinions,cultural differences.We’re connected by a gospel, a...

Church Diversity Done Right: 9 Keys for Including Everyone

For far too long, evangelical life has been divided on the issue of diversity. It’s been aptly said segregation still exists in America. It exists every Sunday morning in churches across our country. In a nation that is so ethnically diverse, why are we still behind in the church? What can we do to better welcome those of differing races, nationalities, and socioeconomic levels?

As a pastor, I know firsthand how hard it is to break through the cultural barriers that exist. But if we are to...

11 Steps to Start a Marriage Ministry the Right Way

When I started marriage ministry in the local church in 2001, I felt alone. As I looked across the country, I saw very few churches that had a holistic approach to marriage, or any approach for that matter.

I am encouraged with the number of churches leaders who are going after it. Some have a plan. Others ask: How do I get started? For the latter group, this post is for you.

1. Get Buy-In From Senior Leadership

Let’s start with the obvious. You need to recognize where the power for change...

How to Measure the Diversity of Your Church

The Great Commission calls us to reach all people with the good news of Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection. Today’s church leaders are taking this call seriously, which might just be why you’re reading this blog post.

You want to invite anyone and everyone to experience the fullness of God’s love. To do that, your church must be diverse. But how do you get there? And what does that landscape look like in our country today?

A 2018 survey by LifeWay Research found that 81% of protestant...

Next Gen Pastors: A Definitive Guide to Who and What They Are

A Next Gen Pastor oversees all ministry areas that impact the family and next generation within the church. This is a new, but growing area of ministry. Table of Contents What is Next Gen Ministry? Why Churches Shift to a Next Gen Strategy What Does it Take to be a Next Gen Pastor? What is the NEXT Conference? Read More What is Next Gen Ministry?

It may sound like a subgenre of science fiction, but Next Gen has nothing to do with spaceships or alien invasions. Actually, Next Gen is one of...

The 3 Things Every Church Strategy Needs

Do you ever find yourself thinking about the same tough situation in your ministry over and over again without moving toward a solution? Maybe you have a myriad of solutions but struggle with the right one to pursue.

Or perhaps you aren’t sure what your ministry needs to do next to be more effective in engaging kids and parents.

Strategy Steps for Getting Unstuck

If you’ve ever felt like this, you’re not alone. It’s a paralyzing stuck-ness—a maddening sense of not being sure what to do next....

How to Not Be Overwhelmed by Your To-Do List

Although it was said back in the 1980s, this quote from one of my favorite people best sums up the state of our lives today:

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” —Ferris Bueller

One way we can accomplish this is through a to-do list.

How To-Do Lists Help You Sleep

I read a study focused on peoplewho have trouble sleeping. The research suggested your brain’s natural tendency towards keeping you alive sometimes can keep you from falling...

Using Data to Evaluate Your Ministry

Numbers, numbers, numbers. Doesn’t everyone just love it when numbers have to be reported? How many people showed up to what? Where are you seeing growth or decline?

Why Data is Important In Ministry

Collecting data and numbers is an important part of your ministry role as it helps you evaluate it. And, no matter what ministry role you serve in, you’ll either be reporting numbers or data to a supervisor, or you’ll have numbers reported to you. Each ministry has different numbers and data they...

Reactivating Parents Every Year

Kids are changing fast. As important as it is for churches to stay connected to kids as they grow, it’s even more important for parents to do so.

What Parents Know

Regardless of how much a church learns about life stages, parents know things no one else knows about their own children.

That’s why parents have an advantage that the church will never have related to the future of a child: A parent has history. Parents know their child’s patterns, tendencies, preferences, and behaviors better...

Orange Strategy: 7 Tips On Where To Start

The age-old Orange family ministry question is: “Where do I begin? With my team or with parents?”

Strategy is the name of the game . . . but it is hard to know where to start! Not only are you asking yourself where to begin, you are also staring at your computer screen looking at online materials and wondering how this will all work on Sunday mornings.

Oh friend, we’ve ALL been there! Take a deep breath, grab a pencil and paper, and let’s make a list!

Start Small

The thing about starting a...