Author: Scott Gress

It’s not about the band! What’s not about the band? When churches experience decline, members leaving and more wood than people, there’s always someone who says, “We need a praise band.” That’s the easy answer: to point to the most

You’ve started small.  The ladies society made cookies for the police department on valentines day and they are thinking of doing the same thing for the fire department on Easter. A few are even talking about a “thank you” spaghetti

You have made the choice to do your homework and really seek to understand what has happened to your church. You have chosen to share your new awareness with the pastor, church leaders, elders or any number of people. There

The fog of denial is beginning to dissipate.  A picture of your current reality is coming into focus. Your church has less people worshipping than you can remember. There’s more “wood” than people. In other words, you can see a

It’s been sneaking up on you. Those who have been worshipping irregularly have stopped worshipping at all. The spots where they sat three times a month, then two times a month, then once a month and then only occasionally are

There is a reason you are frustrated. There is a reason your church is struggling and you are discouraged. For an answer let’s start with a question. How do you make disciples? “Start a class of course!” How do you

We’ve heard the “Great Commission” enough times already. We know it. We get it. But we don’t do it. Why? Perhaps because the first thing we think of when we hear the words, “Go and make disciples…” is the impression that

Externally focused ministry is a great idea! But it can be filled with false assumptions and fatal errors. Here are 5 Cautions in venturing forth in this ministry. Externally focused ministry is not about promoting your church. It might happen.