Top Churches

ChurchRelevance.com has just compiled a list of churches that they call "the Top 22 Churches". In the article they explain how they compiled the list and why.

I love learning and discovering new things, and especially from those who are doing it well. Many of these churches I have studied and discovered incredible ideas and strategies for ministry.  Furthermore, many of these churches do an incredible job of sharing their methods, ideas, and resources to help other churches grow people closer to Christ.

In my time of leading a church and helping ministries continue to change and adapt to be more effective, I find it interesting how people often respond as you introduce new ideas. Many times you will share the insights and that they come from such and such church, and the response will be something like…"well, we shouldn’t do this because such and such a church does it, we can come up with something better, and so on." Then, you will share an new idea and wait to give that it comes from another church and the response will be…"well, are there any other churches who do anything like this."

Again, it is challenging at times, yet funny at times. Most of it all, it is part of the leadership journey as you help people navigate change and implement new methods. Other issues that are always in play on issues like this: always discover and implement the principles not necessarily everything exactly as they are doing it, process and discover how this fits your context of ministry, value people, value the past/present, and allow the Spirit of God to lead as you desire to be excellent and relevant.

This is one of the things I love about what I do; studying, processing, praying, and discovering new things that will help FBCSmyrna and the church universal be effective for the glory of God.