Recommended Resource &#8211; Know Your Church Report

Leadership with Our Words

“Brother Jack” was my pastoral hero, yet I heard him preach no more than twenty times. I met […]

Chuck Lawless

Intentionality

8 Reasons Pastorless Churches Should Consider an Interim Pastor

I admit my bias here. I’ve served as an interim pastor when my schedule has allowed, and I’ve […]

Chuck Lawless

Biblical Preaching

12 Things I Wish I’d Never Said When Preaching

To be frank, this post is embarrassing. I write it primarily to say to preachers, “Be careful what […]

Chuck Lawless

Church Assimilation

7 Components of Effective Church Assimilation

Over the years, I’ve studied churches that have done a good job not only of reaching people, but […]

Chuck Lawless

10 Places to Use Church Greeters, Especially During Easter

Many people who write about church growth recognize the importance of having trained greeters at the doors when […]

Chuck Lawless

Christ-Centered Preaching

10 Ways to Prepare for Easter this Week

This coming Sunday, the world will celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Here are some ways to get ready […]

Chuck Lawless

Bitterness

12 Markers of Pastoral Bitterness

It happens. Pastors get smacked around in church work, and they often bear the scars of anger and […]

Chuck Lawless

10 Steps to Reaching the Unchurched

When I first became a believer, evangelism meant “cold call,” door-to-door telling people about Jesus. That approach actually […]

Chuck Lawless

7 Reasons I’m Not a Fan of Longer Sermons

Okay, I admit my subjectivity here. And, I realize some (if not many) readers will disagree with me. […]

Chuck Lawless

Church Leadership

10 Needed Commitments of Bible Study Leaders

I am surprised how little attention churches give to securing Bible study leaders and holding them accountable. Below […]

Chuck Lawless

16 “Leadership Pauses” that Matter

Most leaders I know are go-getters. They establish goals and move forward, seldom slowing down or looking back. […]

Chuck Lawless

6 Cautions about Church Growth

I start this post with a caveat: I believe in the historical understanding of Church Growth, marked by […]

Chuck Lawless

accountability

10 Ways to Fight Becoming an Arrogant Leader

Previously, I’ve written about indicators that your pride might be getting out of hand. All of us wrestle with ego (and […]

Chuck Lawless

Armour of God

Recommended Resource – The Christian in Complete Armour: Daily Readings in Spiritual Warfare

Here’s a famous devotional book on spiritual warfare written by the Puritan William Gurnall that I (Chuck) often […]

Chuck Lawless

Church Growth

10 Statistics/Figures Church Leaders Should Know

Below are ten statistics/figures I would want church leaders to know. See how many of them you know […]

Chuck Lawless

Finances

7 Ways to Help a Young Preacher with Finances

I’m remembering my early years as a pastor. At this stage of my career, I’m especially grateful for […]

Chuck Lawless

5 Indications Your Church May be More a Classroom than a Great Commission Church

I’m a theological educator, so classroom instruction matters to me. I’m convinced that many churches—if not most of […]

Chuck Lawless

Calling

6 Reasons My Calling Still Matters to Me

I had just professed faith in Christ at the end of a service, and my pastor told me […]

Chuck Lawless

10 Leadership Time Wasters

If you’re a leader, you know the importance of using time wisely. That doesn’t mean, though, that most […]

Chuck Lawless

Church Leadership

10 Reasons Deacons Have Been Some of My Best Friends in Ministry

To be honest, I’m almost embarrassed to write this post, as I’ve heard many horror stories of battles […]

Chuck Lawless

10 Questions to Ask before Leaving a Ministry

Making the decision to leave a ministry is seldom easy. Even when the ministry has been difficult, departures […]

Chuck Lawless

7 Steps to Move Members into Ministry

How do you move members into ministry? Here are some basic principles we learned in a study published […]

Chuck Lawless

10 Benefits of Getting Up an Hour Earlier Monday-Friday of Each Week

I don’t sleep well in general, and I also work best at night. At the same time, though, […]

Chuck Lawless

10 Questions for Leaders to Ask Each Week

At the seminary where I teach, we always do end-of-the-academic year faculty evaluations. Annual evaluations like these are helpful […]

Chuck Lawless

Christ-Centered Preaching

8 Christmas Gifts I’d Love to Give to Church Pastoral Staffs

I’ve been blessed to work with several pastoral staffs, and I’ve enjoyed every one of them. In fact, […]

Chuck Lawless

The Pastor’s Day Off: Monday? Friday? Another day?

Over the years, I’ve talked with pastors about the importance of taking a day off (though I’m still […]

Chuck Lawless

10 Suggestions for Telling the Christmas Story this Year

Any of us who teach and preach will likely have opportunities to tell the Christmas story over the […]

Chuck Lawless

Celebrating Christmas

6 Ways to Celebrate Christmas in the Midst of Holiday Craziness

I didn’t always enjoy the Christmas season as a pastor. I loved telling the story of the Christ […]

Chuck Lawless

Global Missions

12 Ways a Local Church Can Help a Missionary

I spend a lot of time with missionaries. Based on my conversations with them over the last several […]

Chuck Lawless

9 Reminders about Being and Doing Church This Christmas

Christmas is always a busy, exciting time for churches. Most of us know these realities, but I’m convinced […]

Chuck Lawless

15 Thoughts to Consider if Your Church is Having a Christmas Eve Service

Because questions about a Christmas Eve service come up every year, here are my thoughts to consider if […]

Chuck Lawless

10 Things to Do When It’s Hard to be Thankful for Your Church

I wish I had no reason to write this post, but I know it fits somebody today. Sometimes, […]

Chuck Lawless

10 Reasons Even this Professor of Evangelism Struggles Doing Evangelism

I’m a professor of evangelism, but that doesn’t mean I find evangelism easy to do. I know that […]

Chuck Lawless

Christian Life

10 Ways to Start the Day Well for God

I’ll be honest – I’m faithful to read and pray each day, but I don’t have a set […]

Chuck Lawless

5 Reasons I Need to Share My Burdens More with Other Believers

I am by nature a loner, and I tend not to share my burdens readily. Sometimes it just […]

Chuck Lawless

10 Reasons Long-Term Pastorates Matter

Just this week, I had a conversation with an aspiring pastor asking about the importance of pastors staying […]

Chuck Lawless

Intercession

A Focused Way to Pray for One Week Beginning This Coming Sunday

Prayer is seldom easy, and sometimes we need guidance to get started. Here’s a way your small group […]

Chuck Lawless

Church Leadership

8 Experiences All Church Leaders Need

I believe in leadership training. In fact, I teach D.Min., EdD, and Ph.D. courses in Christian leadership at Southeastern […]

Chuck Lawless

ministry

10 Things I Want to Say to My First Pastor

As I get older, I think often about people who have influenced my life. One of those influences […]

Chuck Lawless

christian living

8 Things We Must Not Take for Granted as We Start a New Week

You, like I, probably already have your week planned. It’s likely to be busy, I suspect. In the […]

Chuck Lawless

11 Obstacles to Effective Discipleship in the Church

Leading a church to be a discipling church—especially if that’s never been their focus—is not easy. You might, […]

Chuck Lawless

10 Characteristics of the Best Second-Chair Leaders I’ve Known

It’s not always easy to be a second-chair leader, especially when you want to lead but aren’t in […]

Chuck Lawless

10 Reasons You Should Not Do Ministry Alone

I know this post proposes a ministry lifestyle that is difficult to establish and maintain, but I state […]

Chuck Lawless

Global Missions

10 Characteristics of Missions-Minded Churches

I love missions and missionaries—and I’m deeply grateful for churches that take the Great Commission seriously. Here are […]

Chuck Lawless

Church Health

10 Leadership Mistakes in Transitioning a Church

Some years ago, Thom Rainer and I co-wrote, Eating the Elephant: Leading an Established Church to Growth. In that […]

Chuck Lawless

Pastoral Preaching

7 Reasons Preaching Energizes Me

Yesterday, I had the privilege of preaching three times at a local church. I was tired when the […]

Chuck Lawless

7 Simple Ways to Strengthen the Discipleship Strategy in Your Church

My assessment is that many, if not most, churches have no intentional, strategic plan in place to disciple […]

Chuck Lawless

10 Evangelistic Questions Pastors Ought to Ask of Themselves

If you read this blog regularly, you know I’ve never seen a strongly evangelistic church without a pastor […]

Chuck Lawless

Modeling Prayer

A Challenge to Pastors, Missionaries, and Laity Alike

Take a minute and read these texts from the scriptures, and then read my final challenges: “Now I […]

Chuck Lawless

Missions

10 Things that Happen When a Pastor’s Heart Beats for Missions

I wish I could introduce every seminary student, rookie pastor, and even veteran pastor to shepherds I’ve known […]

Chuck Lawless

10 Questions to Ask about Your Church Staff Meetings

Here’s the scenario I challenge you to consider today. You and your church staff are having your regular […]

Chuck Lawless

Preaching

9 Simple Steps to Preaching or Teaching More Powerfully this Weekend

Your preparation for a sermon for this weekend might be finished – or at least leaning in that […]

Chuck Lawless

Church Staff

12 Characteristics of the Best Church Staff Members I’ve Known

Over the years, I’ve met some great church staff members. I’ve also met some problematic ones, but they’ve […]

Chuck Lawless

Church Membership

8 Ways Churches Miss It when Recruiting Volunteers

There’s no question churches have struggled securing volunteers coming out of COVID. Some of the issues related to […]

Chuck Lawless

Marriage

9 Ways Pastors Let Ministry Harm Their Marriage

Too many of us know a ministry couple that has divorced. I encourage pastors to be aware of […]

Chuck Lawless

11 Reflections on Christian Leadership

I do not claim to be a great leader. I realize I still have much room for growth, […]

Chuck Lawless

Prayer

10 Reasons to Set Aside at Least One Hour of Silence and Solitude before Worship this Weekend

In my discipleship class at Southeastern Seminary, I require students each semester to complete a 1-2 hour silence […]

Chuck Lawless

community

10 Reasons Pastors Need Another Pastor as a Prayer Partner

Pastor friend, I’m writing to challenge you to do something that might surprise you. In fact, it might […]

Chuck Lawless

10 Factors That Help Long-Term Pastors Stay at Their Church

In my second pastorate, I stayed at the church for just over eleven years. At the time, more […]

Chuck Lawless

Church Staff

10 Ways to Honor Church Staff Members

For most of my ministry, I have been a senior pastor, a seminary professor, or an interim pastor. […]

Chuck Lawless

Spiritual Disciplines

8 Reasons Spiritual Disciplines Matter

I know it sounds like a basic, simplistic matter in our Christian walk, but I’m writing this post […]

Chuck Lawless

Mentoring

Why You Need a Mentor, and How to Find One

The question “How do I find a mentor?” is a primary one for young church leaders. A few […]

Chuck Lawless

7 Reasons We Must be Patient with Church Members

I’ve heard pastors jokingly say that they would love ministry more if they didn’t have to deal with […]

Chuck Lawless

7 Practical, Personal Ways to Follow Up After Easter

Easter is always a good time to invite folks to attend church, and many church members work more […]

Chuck Lawless

An Easter Devotion: From the Cave

It was essentially a cave in the earth. A hewn-out space in the rock. Perhaps there were others […]

Chuck Lawless

10 Places to Use Church Greeters, Especially During Easter

Many people who write about church growth recognize the importance of having trained greeters at the doors when […]

Chuck Lawless

Anxiety

8 Ways to Break the Bondage of Worry

I admit it – I can be a worrier. That’s a problem, given Paul’s words in Philippians 4:6 […]

Chuck Lawless

10 Signs that Your Church’s Burden for their City is Growing

Most churches, I’m afraid, are inwardly focused. Turning a church outward is not easy, but these signs are […]

Chuck Lawless

10 Evangelistic Questions Pastors Ought to Ask of Themselves

If you read this blog regularly, you know I’ve never seen a strongly evangelistic church without a pastor […]

Chuck Lawless

How to Deal with Criticism

I don’t like criticism. I don’t like it when someone negatively critiques my sermon, my blogs, my teaching, […]

Chuck Lawless

9 Differences for Church Leaders When We’re Walking with God and When We Are Not

Recently, I spoke with a group of church leaders about walking with God. In that discussion, we talked […]

Chuck Lawless

10 Ways to Bridge Generation Gaps in Churches

In many churches, generation gaps are still wide. I’ve learned, though, that generations often resist one another without […]

Chuck Lawless

The Importance of the Pastor in the Pulpit

Though I don’t believe a plurality of leaders is the only New Testament model of church, I do […]

Chuck Lawless

Global Missions

Lord, Thank You for Telling Us More: Psalm 19

Chuck Lawless

5 Reasons Pauses Matter in Preaching—and Why They’re So Hard to Do

My preaching professor in seminary challenged us to use pauses wisely in sermons—but doing that is not easy. […]

Chuck Lawless

Faithfulness

Remembering Pastors’ Center Senior Fellow Dr. Jim Shaddix

A few years ago, I wrote a blog post entitled, “10 Markers of the Best Spiritual Leaders I […]

Chuck Lawless

spiritual growth

10 Characteristics of Spiritually Weak Christian Leaders

I’m hesitant to write this post because I know I probably exhibit some of these characteristics. Nevertheless, here are some […]

Chuck Lawless

faith

7 Bible Stories/Passages That Help Me When My Faith Struggles

We live in a messed-up world that seems to get even crazier every day. I wish I could […]

Chuck Lawless

faith

10 Ways to Challenge and Stretch Your Faith

Without faith, it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6). Still, many of us have a stagnant faith […]

Chuck Lawless

Sermon Preparation

7 Reasons We Preachers Need to Listen to Other Preaching

When I first started preaching decades ago, the primary ways to listen to other preachers were to visit […]

Chuck Lawless

Pastors

7 Reasons Why Ministry Can Contribute to Ego

Ego always lurks at the door of even the finest ministers of the gospel. In fact, my experience […]

Chuck Lawless

A Christmas Wish for a Nonbelieving Friend

Hi, friend. You and I have had such good times together. We can be apart for months at […]

Chuck Lawless

advent

What Christmas Eve Means

It’s Christmas Eve. Scholars debate the actual date of Jesus’ birth, but the truth of this event is […]

Chuck Lawless

Nativity Story

A Christmas Devotion for This Weekend

They’ve been some of the most gripping moments of my life. I’ve watched silently around the world as: […]

Chuck Lawless

A Christmas Preaching and Teaching Illustration I Pray Challenges and Encourages You

I remember well the Christmases of my childhood. Seldom did we sleep well on Christmas Eve. I doubt […]

Chuck Lawless

gratitude

12 Ways to Build Thanksgiving into Your Life

We have so much for which to be grateful today. I fear, though, that we too often limit […]

Chuck Lawless

gratitude

7 Things the Sin of Ingratitude Reveals about Us

It’s Thanksgiving season, when we spend time expressing our gratitude to God and each other. I fear, though, […]

Chuck Lawless

Encouragements for New Leaders: Lessons I Wish I Knew as a Young Pastor

On April 1, 1981, I began my ministry as a full-time pastor. Here are some lessons I wish […]

Chuck Lawless

7 Reasons Why Pastors Need Encouragement Today

I’m always grateful for “Pastor Appreciation Month” every time it comes around in October. It means a lot […]

Chuck Lawless

12 Unique Gifts Believers Have Given Me as Their Pastor

It’s Pastor Appreciation Month. As I think about this month, I’m reminded of some of the unique gifts […]

Chuck Lawless

Children's Ministry

One Time When I’m Most Pleased with My Preaching

I love to preach the Word of God, but I make no claims to be good at it. […]

Chuck Lawless

Children's Ministry

8 Reasons Why Pastors Need to Serve in the Nursery or Preschool for a Sunday

I’ve served as a pastor, and I fully understand our desire to preach every Sunday. Few of us […]

Chuck Lawless

Humility

A Quiz: Are You a Teachable Person?

I recognize that I’m not always teachable, so I hesitate to write this post. At the same time, […]

Chuck Lawless

A Word to Pastors, Student Ministers, Student Leaders, and Churches

I was 13 years old, and I attended church for the first time in my life. Over the […]

Chuck Lawless

christian living

Why Believers Must Avoid Immoral Joking

Several months ago, I wrote on why how we talk as believers matters. I’ve hesitated since then writing […]

Chuck Lawless

Mentoring

10 Reasons Why Pastors Need to be Mentoring at Least One College Student

Few things excite me as much as the opportunities I have to invest in college students, even if […]

Chuck Lawless

Character

10 Characteristics of the Best Preachers I’ve Known

First, a caveat: determining what constitutes an effective preacher is subjective, so you and I might differ here […]

Chuck Lawless

ministry

8 Reasons I Still Love Ministry

Today, here are some the reasons I still love ministry, even when it’s tough. For whatever reason, God […]

Chuck Lawless

Hurting

7 Things to Do When Church Work Just Hurts

It happens to all of us in ministry at some point. The work to which we know God […]

Chuck Lawless

Aspiring Pastors

10 Things I Wished I’d Done as a Young Pastor

I’ve written previously about my lessons learned as a young pastor (here, here, and here), but I’m thinking […]

Chuck Lawless

12 Questions Church Leaders Need to Ask Monthly

The Bible assumes believers will be striving to follow God, continually living in an ongoing state of evaluation, […]

Chuck Lawless

11 Signs of Hope for a Declining Church

Many churches in North America are plateaued or declining. Given that reality, many church leaders need signs of […]

Chuck Lawless

10 Questions Good Church Leaders Ask

I love good leaders in churches. I may read a lot of books on leadership, but I learn […]

Chuck Lawless

13 Ways to Get Outside the Christian Bubble

Because I continually talk with believers who are cocooned in the church world, I’m updating and re-posting these […]

Chuck Lawless

7 Evidences We Might Be Stuck in the Christian Bubble

It’s a problem for many of us. In fact, I contend that for most of us, the longer […]

Chuck Lawless

First Impressions

10 “First Impressions” Done Well in Churches

We usually get only one shot to positively capture the attention of guests visiting our church. Here are […]

Chuck Lawless

Anger

7 Things to Do When You’re Mad at a Church Member

It happens. Church members get angry with each other. When we do, though, here are some steps to […]

Chuck Lawless

9 Ways A Pastor Might Prioritize Evangelism

I’ve said it before on this site: “I’ve never seen an evangelistic church without an evangelistic pastor.” If […]

Chuck Lawless

Endurance

7 Characteristics of Pastoral Leaders Who Don’t Give Up Easily

I spent a few minutes recently with a pastor who’s led his church for 25+ years. Seeing him […]

Chuck Lawless

8 Characteristics of Disciple-Making Churches

I admit that the North American church has done a poor job of making disciples. Too often, we […]

Chuck Lawless

Church Membership

7 Ways to Get More Members Involved

Most of us who lead churches have regular attenders who aren’t involved in the congregation. These folks sometimes […]

Chuck Lawless

Great Commission

A Word to Pastors: Why We Must Develop Relationships with Missionaries

Pastors, I’m asking for the personal privilege to speak directly to you with this post (and, Southern Baptist […]

Chuck Lawless

Words of Advice for Young Pastors

I don’t claim to be a perfect pastor, but I’ve been doing ministry a long time. Here’s a […]

Chuck Lawless

10 Ways to Renew (or Keep) Your Passion for Ministry

I’ve been there. You know God has called you to ministry, but your passion is waning, if not […]

Chuck Lawless

Preaching

10 Questions to Ask in Your Sermon Preparation This Week

Pastors, I know from experience that sermon preparation is seldom easy—and I don’t want to add any stress […]

Chuck Lawless

Denomination

8 Reasons I Believe in Denominationalism

I’m a Southern Baptist. We’re hardly a perfect denomination, but I’m honored to be part of our team. […]

Chuck Lawless

Friendship

7 Reasons All of Us Pastors Need Great Friends in Our Church

It almost seems strange to me to write this post, for my early professors and mentors cautioned me […]

Chuck Lawless

10 Characteristics of Leaders Who Last

As a seminary professor, I work with young leaders. I have learned the most, though, from leaders who […]

Chuck Lawless

Bivocational Ministry

12 Reasons I Affirm Bivocational Ministry

More and more pastors are beginning to embrace as their primary calling the role of bivocational minister. Some […]

Chuck Lawless

7 Reasons Why Pastors Must Invest in A Few Young People – And How to Begin

I listened intensely today as I heard a great, mature preacher talk about the influence of his pastor […]

Chuck Lawless

8 Things to Remember When It Feels Like The Devil’s Winning

Sometimes it just feels like Satan’s winning the game. No matter how hard we want to believe otherwise, […]

Chuck Lawless

Prayer

7 Prayers My Pastoral Hero Prays Every Day

Tom Elliff is the most prayerful man I know, and he’s one of my pastoral heroes. He’s served […]

Chuck Lawless

6 More Leadership Tasks for this Easter

Here are six steps Christian leaders might take this week as we focus on the resurrection and live […]

Chuck Lawless

7 Suggestions for Preaching the Resurrection Story This Weekend

Around the world, we will celebrate Resurrection Day this coming Sunday. Many people in many places will tell […]

Chuck Lawless

10 Things the Resurrection Means for Christian Leaders

Even when it’s not Easter season, the glory of the resurrection is always present-tense and relevant. It’s more […]

Chuck Lawless

8 Ways to Pray for Easter Weekend Events

I fear that many churches plan for weeks (or months) for Easter weekend, but then pray for only […]

Chuck Lawless

Community Engagement

9 Simple Ways to Begin Reaching Your Community For Christ

If you read this blog much, you know my heart for the nations that don’t know Christ. At […]

Chuck Lawless

7 Words of Encouragement For Church Leaders For This Weekend

Today, I want to encourage church leaders as you prepare to lead worship services this weekend. Here are […]

Chuck Lawless

Next-Gen Ministry

6 Ways for Pastors to Raise Up the Next Generation of Pastors and Missionaries

I think most of us are missing it, pastors. My perception is that we give little attention to […]

Chuck Lawless

Pastoral Preaching

11 Ways to Grow and Improve in Your Preaching

On the Pastor Matters podcast, I mentioned 11 ways to grow and improve in your preaching this year […]

Chuck Lawless

Books

5 Recommended Books on Preaching

On the latest episode of the Pastor Matters podcast, Growing and Improving in Preaching, I encouraged pastors to […]

Chuck Lawless

Joy

7 Ways to Find Joy Today if Yesterday’s Ministry Was Hard

I’ve been involved in the local church as a pastor long enough to know that some Sundays are […]

Chuck Lawless

9 Ways To Re-Ignite Your Preaching Ministry This Week

Even those of us who love to preach sometimes lose our passion for the work, even if it’s […]

Chuck Lawless

10 Questions I Ask Before Preaching or Teaching

I’ve been preaching and teaching a long time, and I certainly don’t claim to be an expert. In […]

Chuck Lawless

8 Reasons the Pastor Matters Most in a Church’s Evangelistic Efforts

In my decades of studying churches, I’ve never seen an evangelistic church not led by an evangelistic pastor. […]

Chuck Lawless

Prayer

8 Characteristics of Praying Churches

I’ve written this week about characteristics of evangelistic churches and equipping churches. Frankly, it’s easier to find these […]

Chuck Lawless

Preaching

8 Suggestions for Planning an Annual Preaching Schedule

If I’m honest, I did far too little regular planning of my sermons when I was a young […]

Chuck Lawless

Church Revitalization

For Pastors: A Simple Step Toward Personal Renewal and Church Revitalization

Do you need renewal? Does your church need revitalization? Here’s my simple suggestion for moving toward personal renewal […]

Chuck Lawless

A Christmas Preaching and Teaching Illustration I Pray Challenges and Encourages You

I remember well the Christmases of my childhood. Seldom did we sleep well on Christmas Eve. I doubt […]

Chuck Lawless

10 Things I’d Do Differently as a Pastor During the Christmas Season

It’s December, and the Christmas season is upon us. As I look back on my years as a […]

Chuck Lawless

10 Christmas Gifts I’d Love to Give to Young Pastors

It’s been a long time since I was a young pastor, but I still remember how exciting–-and sometimes […]

Chuck Lawless

Books

12 Recommended Books on Preaching

We at Southeastern Seminary have an incredible preaching faculty, including Danny Akin, Jim Shaddix, Scott Pace, Dwayne Milioni, […]

Chuck Lawless

9 Reasons We Preachers Need to Say “Thank You” Today

It’s easy for we preachers to sometimes get focused on only the negatives of ministry. Church members can […]

Chuck Lawless

8 Reasons I Most Appreciate Pastors

This month is Pastor Appreciation Month. I’m grateful for the pastor who taught me as a young believer, […]

Chuck Lawless

10 Things to Say to Your Pastor This Weekend

Pastor Appreciation Month has only two more Sundays in it. This weekend, why not take a few minutes […]

Chuck Lawless

Pastor to Pastor: 10 Reasons I Appreciate You

I admit my bias here. I’m a pastor. So, when I write about how much I appreciate pastors, […]

Chuck Lawless

25 Ways to Show Gratitude to Your Pastor for Pastor Appreciation Month

I love pastors. Their ministries over the years have changed my life. Here are some ways to show […]

Chuck Lawless

Church Health

10 Questions to Ask Yourself if You’re a Leader in a Church that Needs Revitalization

If you’re leading a church in a tough revitalization effort, these questions are designed to help you evaluate your […]

Chuck Lawless

rest

15 Signs You Might Need a Day Off

Frankly, I’ve met a lot of church leaders who are just weary. If that’s where you are, here […]

Chuck Lawless

Spiritual Warfare

9 Risks of Not Teaching about Spiritual Warfare

When I first started teaching about spiritual warfare more than 20 years ago, few evangelicals were tackling this […]

Chuck Lawless

12 Questions to Evaluate Your Church’s Culture

Every church has a culture, whether it be positive or negative. The problem, though, is that too few […]

Chuck Lawless

12 Stages of Pastoral Ministry

Everyone’s story is different, but I’ve worked with enough students and pastors now over two decades to see […]

Chuck Lawless

10 Ways for Pastors to Express Their Love for Their Congregation

I know some churches are problem churches with difficult people, but I’ve not experienced that kind of church. […]

Chuck Lawless

8 Important Ways to Prepare for Preaching This Weekend

It’s the middle of the week, but I trust you’re preparing to preach in several days. Apart from […]

Chuck Lawless

8 Reasons Churches Talk More about the Great Commission than Do It

Chuck Lawless

Church Health

15 Reasons People Walk Away From the Church

Most, if not all, of us know someone who attended church but then simply walked away from God’s people. The pandemic, I believe, has only increased that number. Based on my work with churches and the unchurched, here are some of the reasons I’ve heard:

Chuck Lawless

6 Reasons All of Us, No Matter How Old We Are, Need an Older Mentor

The older I get, the more I recognize that accomplishing what this title suggests is not easy. Eventually, we become one of the very old—and the number of faithful Christ-followers older than we are becomes increasingly hard to find. Nevertheless, I think we should try.

Chuck Lawless