Category Archives: church growth

Gil Rendle – Journey in the Wilderness

Posted on August 27, 2011 by Richard Heyduck

We will be reading Gil Rendle’s book Journey in the Wilderness: New Life for Mainline Churches here in the North District next month. It is well worth reading for all of us in the United Methodist Church who desire to … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, church growth, Culture, United Methodism | Leave a comment

NOT the meaning of life

Posted on June 10, 2010 by Richard Heyduck

Of my many experiences at the meeting of the Texas Annual Conference last week, perhaps that most striking was Bishop Huie’s mention that the West Ohio Annual Conference was losing 42 positions for Elders this year. She didn’t share anything … Continue reading →

Posted in church growth, Texas Annual Conference, United Methodism | 1 Comment

The problem of technology

Posted on May 25, 2010 by Richard Heyduck

I read a fair number of books. When they grab me, I’ll apply myself and read them quickly. When they don’t,  I’ll work more slowly. Albert Borgman’s Power Failure: Christianity in the Culture of Technology is one of the latter. … Continue reading →

Posted in Albert Borgmann, church growth, Max Weber, Ministry, United Methodism | 1 Comment

Learning from North Point, part 9

Posted on May 18, 2010 by Richard Heyduck

(Picking up from an old series) North Point’s fifth “Principle for Effective Ministry” is “Listen to Outsiders.” Pretty strange idea, isn’t it? After all, what can we expect outsiders to know? If we want to know what to do as … Continue reading →

Posted in church growth, Evangelism, North Point Church, Spirituality | 2 Comments

What Kind?

Posted on January 20, 2010 by Richard Heyduck

Bishop Will Willimon passes along some good questions from Lloyd John Ogilvie: What sort of people does Christ want to deploy in the world? What sort of church do we need to produce those people? What sort of leaders do … Continue reading →

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Our Audience

Posted on October 22, 2009 by Richard Heyduck

Eric Bryant asks, “Has listening to church attenders led to the decline of the church?” Declining churches, in his experience, focus on the people they already have. What do they want? How can we keep them happy? Innovative churches, on … Continue reading →

Posted in church growth, Discipleship, Ecclesiology, Evangelism, Jesus | 1 Comment

Success in ministry

Posted on August 29, 2009 by Richard Heyduck

Several years ago we had an after-school ministry for upper elementary aged children. By the time we stopped it, it looked like a whopping success. Our little small town church would have 40-50 kids, mostly not from our church, show … Continue reading →

Posted in church growth, Leadership, Local church, Ministry | 1 Comment

Wanting It

Posted on August 17, 2009 by Richard Heyduck

Dan Dick has another good post at United Methodeviations. Talking about growing a church, he observes that mainline churches tend to go after the same group of people over and over again. We have trouble moving beyond the middle class … Continue reading →

Posted in church growth, Evangelism, Worship | 1 Comment

Driven

Posted on July 30, 2009 by Richard Heyduck

I’m reading, Dave Browning’s Deliberate Simplicity: How the Church Does More by Doing Less, one of the books I was given for my birthday. I’m only in the second chapter, so this post will be far short of a full … Continue reading →

Posted in church growth, Ecclesiology, Leadership, Simple Church | 4 Comments

What does it take to Grow a Great Church?

Posted on May 13, 2009 by Richard Heyduck

Many things have been suggested over the years. Here’s my list – these are the things I pray for: The Manifest Presence of God. The bible tells us God is omnipresent (everywhere). We believe God is with us every time … Continue reading →

Posted in church growth, Local church, Spirituality | 1 Comment