“You’re the boss now!” These were some of the most exciting yet terrifying words I had ever heard. Quite honestly, I never imagined myself as a lead pastor. I spent six and a half years serving as a youth and associate pastor in two different churches, and while I felt that God was going to refocus my ministry, I never imagined that He would point me towards a lead pastor role.

Burning the ships is not the only path to a relentless mission. Clarity, focus, and adaptation help navigate the unchartered.

While you may once again be bemoaning the interruption of your church planning calendar, this is the season for forging great church partnerships to reach lost people and serve your community. Here are some ideas to inspire you for the season ahead.

This Halloween enjoy giving and receiving, watch kids have fun dressing up in cute costumes, and use it as a time to reach out to your neighbours and show the love of Jesus. There are a variety of ways your church can host events for your community.

“We discovered in the past 90 days that it requires a lot of administration to settle in a new country and new community. Getting a SIN number, getting a driver’s licence, our children into the new school to mention just a few. We went out fishing, planned a hunt, and moved into our first rental house, all in 90 days.”
Jacques Lombard and his family's account of coming from South Africa to Peace River, Alberta.

These are simple ways to get out and be in your community 5 hours per week. Remember, you’re building connections and making yourself accessible to those who live, work and play there. Don’t stay in your building. Get out and get in your community.

We are inspired by our everyday Children’s Ministry heroes in the ABNWT District! What they did this past number of months is truly amazing. Kathy Zelman asked some of our CM people to send in highlights and it is so great to see what God is doing in our District. May this encourage you and spur on with some great ideas in your context this upcoming year.

There is nothing plastic about the feeling people experience when they receive a gift card. Appreciation emails are OK. Cards are better. Handwritten notes rock. But nothing beats a handwritten note AND a gift card. Over the last 15 months, churches made use of gift cards to show appreciation to frontline workers, first responders, teachers, and community leaders. Gift cards purchased from a local business create a triple win. The purpose is to help people in your community feel the love of Jesus.

Hope can always be found, even if it takes some time to find it. The hope of the resurrection exists for all of us. It is the job of the Church to proclaim this truth especially in the public arena of mental health. Churches are called to become communities of freedom and healing. The Sanctuary Course will help you build such a community.

If evangelism were only the work of church leaders, we would quickly hit a ceiling on our effectiveness in reaching people with the gospel. However, if evangelism is the work of every believer, anything is possible.

Returning to "normal" will mean setting new priorities and parameters of fruitfulness.

Church planters think “sticky.” Large, engaging Sunday gatherings are not the glue to hold your church together and keep guests returning. What is the key to stickiness in your church?

Less is more. Two courses are all you need to reach people far from God. Both function effectively online as well as onsite. Both are hugely valuable and offered free of charge. In thinking like a church planter with limited resources, offering these two programs alone will help you effectively reach your community this Fall.

Mothers Day Weekend, May 8-9, 2021, is a time to spoil Moms with treats and surprises. While we have been isolating, Moms everywhere are working harder than ever. What better time to say, “Thank you” and honour the moms and women in your community!

As church leaders move into the future it would serve us well to be exposed to the diversity of the world. If we aren’t, our default mental models will create a single-story narrative to help us make sense by making simplistic assumptions that ensure our comfort and keep us from having to change.

It doesn’t have to be a huge carnival. It doesn’t have to be a musical that takes months to prepare and dozens of volunteers. It doesn’t need a whole lot of money to make it happen. I’m talking about showing God’s love by blessing your community.

Are you thinking about Easter 2021 yet? Wondering if restrictions will be lifted? Will we be able to gather onsite and if so, what percentage of capacity will be allowed? There is a good possibility that church this Easter will look a lot more like 2020 than 2019. The good news is you don’t have to wait until Easter to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus.

Because life advances at the speed of trust, building relationships on integrity and respect is a welcomed support for community leaders. COVID magnified the need for relational community strength and accelerated change. Make the effort in 2021 to personally be familiar with all 15 leaders on this list.