Article for Ministers: Winning People Long Term

How To Gain Loyalty

Some of the things you can do in your own congregation to rectify any lack of loyalty are:

1. Teach the difference between faithfulness and loyalty.

2. Remind your people that, according to their new nature, they already want to be loyal. Unless they are outright rebels, disloyal acts come out of ignorance and/or weakness of the flesh.

3. Let them know, in light of their sharpened understanding, you are expecting them to be loyal. They will be what you expect them to be.

[ read more...]

Some of the things you can do in your own congregation to rectify any lack of loyalty are:
1. Teach the difference between faithfulness and loyalty.
2. Remind your people that, according to their new nature, they already want to be loyal. Unless they are outright rebels, disloyal acts come out of ignorance and/or weakness of the flesh.
3. Let them know, in light of their sharpened understanding, you are expecting them to be loyal. They will be what you expect them to be.
[ read more...]

Guard the Gates - Part 2

The expression of guarding the gates really has to do with guarding the mind. As noted in the previous message, John Bunyan wrote another classic although much less recognized than Pilgrim’s Progress entitled The Holy War which tells the story of Mansoul being captured and taken over by Diabolus because of the gates being compromised. That same plan is still being effectively carried out in our generation. People of every kind and status within the church have a responsibility to not let this kind of thing take place. This is especially true of those who are actively called into the ministry. If the shepherd can be toppled, the sheep will scatter.

It was explored how that study allows a man who serves a church to guard his mind. While that is a good measure to take up, there is another crucial “guard” that we have to recognize. It is the aspect of prayer. Of all the disciplines involved in a Christian’s life, prayer is the most difficult one to maintain conversely it can be one of the most joyous and powerful tools we can find in our spiritual arsenal. A preacher must maintain regular habits of communion with God in prayer. If a minister is not careful he can come to the place in which he will neglect his place of prayer because of his attention to the Kingdom. He may have all kinds of grand truths rolling through his soul because of the constant exposure to the Word. He can be so busy with various meetings, discipleship of new converts, and counseling of those who are in the throes of some dilemma of life, and obligations to duties of the organizational stripe, that he can entirely neglect his prayer life. In fact a minister is more likely to omit his praying than a new convert who has just come in to the church.

Diabolus loves to get the men involved in ministry to fall to the temptation of substitutes for prayer. Sermons on prayer, reading books on prayer, attending prayer conferences, and hearing sermons on prayer can never take the place of prayer. One can even come under the belief that church attendance, praise, singing, giving, and doing measures of physical labor at church can be a valid substitute for prayer. What soon happens is a tendency to resort to all of these things to move us into a position for revival without true heart-felt prayer.

Pastoral prayer is a great biblical concept and it has great authority. There is an ingredient of spiritual authority that comes to life when a pastor will discipline himself to prayer for his people. From the outset, I have to tell you that this is NOT an easy task to do. Prayer that is truly heart-felt and sincere rarely takes place (for me, perhaps not others) when we just decide to get on our knees and begin to pray. There has to be some stimulus of preparation that is involved in it. There are useful things that you will learn to use to help put your mind into a vein of prayer.

There are times when reading books on prayer will be very helpful to put you into a mindset of prayer. Some of the ones that I have regularly gone back to frequently and year after year are listed below:

E. M. Bounds Complete Works on Prayer—There are eight books in a single volume and are very rich and motivational toward opening my heart for prayer. The Necessity of Prayer, The Essentials of Prayer, The Possibilities of Prayer, The Reality of Prayer, Purpose in Prayer, The Weapon of Prayer, Power Through Prayer, and Prayer and Praying Men.

Leonard Ravenhill on Prayer—Ravenhill’s material is becoming increasingly rarer to find in bookstores these days. He was a staple for many of the preachers who attended the Deeper Life conferences scattered around the nation in the 1970’s. There have been times that I have read just a page or so of Ravenhill’s material and found it incredibly rich in preparing my heart and mind for prayer. Particularly helpful a [ read more...]

Guard the Gates - Part 2

The expression of guarding the gates really has to do with guarding the mind. As noted in the previous message, John Bunyan wrote another classic although much less recognized than Pilgrim’s Progress entitled The Holy War which tells the story of Mansoul being captured and taken over by Diabolus because of the gates being compromised. That same plan is still being effectively carried out in our generation. People of every kind and status within the church have a responsibility to not let this kind of thing take place. This is especially true of those who are actively called into the ministry. If the shepherd can be toppled, the sheep will scatter.

It was explored how that study allows a man who serves a church to guard his mind. While that is a good measure to take up, there is another crucial “guard” that we have to recognize. It is the aspect of prayer. Of all the disciplines involved in a Christian’s life, prayer is the most difficult one to maintain conversely it can be one of the most joyous and powerful tools we can find in our spiritual arsenal. A preacher must maintain regular habits of communion with God in prayer. If a minister is not careful he can come to the place in which he will neglect his place of prayer because of his attention to the Kingdom. He may have all kinds of grand truths rolling through his soul because of the constant exposure to the Word. He can be so busy with various meetings, discipleship of new converts, and counseling of those who are in the throes of some dilemma of life, and obligations to duties of the organizational stripe, that he can entirely neglect his prayer life. In fact a minister is more likely to omit his praying than a new convert who has just come in to the church.

Diabolus loves to get the men involved in ministry to fall to the temptation of substitutes for prayer. Sermons on prayer, reading books on prayer, attending prayer conferences, and hearing sermons on prayer can never take the place of prayer. One can even come under the belief that church attendance, praise, singing, giving, and doing measures of physical labor at church can be a valid substitute for prayer. What soon happens is a tendency to resort to all of these things to move us into a position for revival without true heart-felt prayer.

Pastoral prayer is a great biblical concept and it has great authority. There is an ingredient of spiritual authority that comes to life when a pastor will discipline himself to prayer for his people. From the outset, I have to tell you that this is NOT an easy task to do. Prayer that is truly heart-felt and sincere rarely takes place (for me, perhaps not others) when we just decide to get on our knees and begin to pray. There has to be some stimulus of preparation that is involved in it. There are useful things that you will learn to use to help put your mind into a vein of prayer.

There are times when reading books on prayer will be very helpful to put you into a mindset of prayer. Some of the ones that I have regularly gone back to frequently and year after year are listed below:

E. M. Bounds Complete Works on Prayer—There are eight books in a single volume and are very rich and motivational toward opening my heart for prayer. The Necessity of Prayer, The Essentials of Prayer, The Possibilities of Prayer, The Reality of Prayer, Purpose in Prayer, The Weapon of Prayer, Power Through Prayer, and Prayer and Praying Men.

Leonard Ravenhill on Prayer—Ravenhill’s material is becoming increasingly rarer to find in bookstores these days. He was a staple for many of the preachers who attended the Deeper Life conferences scattered around the nation in the 1970’s. There have been times that I have read just a page or so of Ravenhill’s material and found it incredibly rich in preparing my heart and mind for prayer. Particularly helpful a [ read more...]

The Path to Freedom

Despise not the day of small things.

How do you build a church?

First you build a man. – Thou are Peter and upon this rock will I build my church. If Peter did not mature, the church would not grow.

· God has chosen to build his church upon people.

· He has chosen to use your life to build His church in the village you are from.

· If you do not grow, your church will not grow.

· This is why it’s important for you to study God’s Word.

· If you do not pray your church will not pray.

· If you do not have a genuine love for God, then your church will not have a genuine love for God.

· If you do not have compassion on the lost, your church will not have compassion on the lost.

· Your church will become a reflection of you.

Don’t be so quick to blame your people if they are not bringing someone to church with them.

· Don’t be so hard on them if they are not reaching out to their neighbors.

· Realize that a church most often, does what they see their pastor do.

· If you want your church to grow, be a soul winner yourself.

· If you want your church to reach out to others, be someone who reaches out to others.

· By your example, teach them to reach others.

· By your example teach them to win the lost.

Then you begin laying a foundation.

· You invest in some people to stand beside you.

· This time of building is not glorious.

· This time of laying a foundation is not one that gets the attention from everyone around you.

· Other Pastors are not going to stand up and take notice when you are building the Church’s foundation.

· But understand a building can be no larger than the foundation,

· And you cannot build upon something that is not there.

You will not have a strong stable church that is growing if you do not have a strong stable foundation to support it.

· So you begin to invest yourself in some good people whose love for God us unquestionable.

· Some people who will stand beside you, no matter what comes against the church.

· Some people who know your vision for the church and are willing to allow their lives to be built upon.

· You build that foundation. You build that foundation strong.

[ read more...]

The Path to Freedom

Despise not the day of small things.

How do you build a church?

First you build a man. – Thou are Peter and upon this rock will I build my church. If Peter did not mature, the church would not grow.

· God has chosen to build his church upon people.

· He has chosen to use your life to build His church in the village you are from.

· If you do not grow, your church will not grow.

· This is why it’s important for you to study God’s Word.

· If you do not pray your church will not pray.

· If you do not have a genuine love for God, then your church will not have a genuine love for God.

· If you do not have compassion on the lost, your church will not have compassion on the lost.

· Your church will become a reflection of you.

Don’t be so quick to blame your people if they are not bringing someone to church with them.

· Don’t be so hard on them if they are not reaching out to their neighbors.

· Realize that a church most often, does what they see their pastor do.

· If you want your church to grow, be a soul winner yourself.

· If you want your church to reach out to others, be someone who reaches out to others.

· By your example, teach them to reach others.

· By your example teach them to win the lost.

Then you begin laying a foundation.

· You invest in some people to stand beside you.

· This time of building is not glorious.

· This time of laying a foundation is not one that gets the attention from everyone around you.

· Other Pastors are not going to stand up and take notice when you are building the Church’s foundation.

· But understand a building can be no larger than the foundation,

· And you cannot build upon something that is not there.

You will not have a strong stable church that is growing if you do not have a strong stable foundation to support it.

· So you begin to invest yourself in some good people whose love for God us unquestionable.

· Some people who will stand beside you, no matter what comes against the church.

· Some people who know your vision for the church and are willing to allow their lives to be built upon.

· You build that foundation. You build that foundation strong.

[ read more...]

Some things to consider when planning church activities.

People are very busy, don’t burden them with mere activities.

Many full time church leaders do not understand the time constraints of the working saint and their family.
Many homes are two income homes where families seldom have time for one another.
God and church should be at the center of our lives, however church leadership needs to realize that people need a break once in a while as well.
We live in a different world than we did 30 years ago and the family unit is suffering as a result.
It would be a good exercise for church leadership to see how they can cut the church calendar 20% by removing unproductive activities.
Often a meeting can be held shortly after church rather than have people set aside another evening of the week to attend.

Church activities should have a purpose.

Just because you did it last year is not a good reason to do it this year.
Kill the sacred cow!
Does the event promote evangelism?
Will souls be won as a result of it?
Will the body be strengthened because of this event?
If not, consider something that will or give them a break by deleting that event and moving on to the next one.

Don’t have a meeting just to have a meeting.

If you have no clear direction for the meeting or there is not immediate need for one, don’t have it.
Wait until you have the agenda thoroughly thought and planned out and then announce a meeting.
Accomplish something at every meeting and your people will feel like coming to the meeting was worth their sacrifice of time.

[ read more...]

Some things to consider when planning church activities.

People are very busy, don’t burden them with mere activities.

Many full time church leaders do not understand the time constraints of the working saint and their family.
Many homes are two income homes where families seldom have time for one another.
God and church should be at the center of our lives, however church leadership needs to realize that people need a break once in a while as well.
We live in a different world than we did 30 years ago and the family unit is suffering as a result.
It would be a good exercise for church leadership to see how they can cut the church calendar 20% by removing unproductive activities.
Often a meeting can be held shortly after church rather than have people set aside another evening of the week to attend.

Church activities should have a purpose.

Just because you did it last year is not a good reason to do it this year.
Kill the sacred cow!
Does the event promote evangelism?
Will souls be won as a result of it?
Will the body be strengthened because of this event?
If not, consider something that will or give them a break by deleting that event and moving on to the next one.

Don’t have a meeting just to have a meeting.

If you have no clear direction for the meeting or there is not immediate need for one, don’t have it.
Wait until you have the agenda thoroughly thought and planned out and then announce a meeting.
Accomplish something at every meeting and your people will feel like coming to the meeting was worth their sacrifice of time.

[ read more...]

Can You Turn a Loser into a Leader? Part 2

The Power of Mentoring

Mentor was the name of the advisor to Odysseus, King of Ithaca and victorious leader of the Greeks in the Trojan War. So respected was he and so valuable was his guidance that his name has been borrowed to mean any wise and trusted counselor.

Most of you have had a mentor in your life at one point or another. Most successful people have benefited from a relationship with an individual who served as a counselor. It is a process that we have all gone through, but what gives a mentor success? What is it that makes him or her someone you should or would listen to?

Lou Tice lists three things that gives a mentor their credibility:

1. Our mentor is like us in some significant way.

2. He or she has achieved a measure of personal success in a relevant field.

3. He or she has mentored or coached others to success in that field.

A mentor is somebody who sees more in you than you can see in yourself. Jesus was a mentor to the twelve in the truest sense of the word. Jesus saw greatness in each of them, but he didn't stop there, He began to lead, mold and shape them into the potential that He saw in them.

Jesus saw them as they could be. Jesus didn't focus on their mistakes and shortcomings. Jesus focused on their strength, their power, and their potential. Jesus told them things that reaffirmed their potential. He showed His confidence in them by building them up and reinforcing His belief that they would go on to do great things.

To Peter Jesus said;

Matt 16:18-19

18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

[ read more...]

Can You Turn a Loser into a Leader? Part 2

The Power of Mentoring

Mentor was the name of the advisor to Odysseus, King of Ithaca and victorious leader of the Greeks in the Trojan War. So respected was he and so valuable was his guidance that his name has been borrowed to mean any wise and trusted counselor.

Most of you have had a mentor in your life at one point or another. Most successful people have benefited from a relationship with an individual who served as a counselor. It is a process that we have all gone through, but what gives a mentor success? What is it that makes him or her someone you should or would listen to?

Lou Tice lists three things that gives a mentor their credibility:

1. Our mentor is like us in some significant way.

2. He or she has achieved a measure of personal success in a relevant field.

3. He or she has mentored or coached others to success in that field.

A mentor is somebody who sees more in you than you can see in yourself. Jesus was a mentor to the twelve in the truest sense of the word. Jesus saw greatness in each of them, but he didn't stop there, He began to lead, mold and shape them into the potential that He saw in them.

Jesus saw them as they could be. Jesus didn't focus on their mistakes and shortcomings. Jesus focused on their strength, their power, and their potential. Jesus told them things that reaffirmed their potential. He showed His confidence in them by building them up and reinforcing His belief that they would go on to do great things.

To Peter Jesus said;

Matt 16:18-19

18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

[ read more...]

Bi-Vocational Ministry - Your Family

If you are in bi-vocational ministry and have a family then your family is also in bi-vocational ministry. The pressures you feel they feel also. They are on the same journey you are on. Never isolate them as though they do not understand or not a vital part of the ministry family. They do or at least want to understand, even if it is from their individual and unique perspectives. Include them in the ministry as much as possible even while granting them the flexibility to have their own lives as well. Every attempt should be made to not give anyone in your immediate family a sense of abandonment. It is of vital importance that bi-vocational ministers include their family as equal partners in the many decisions of life that affect them.

Your spouse and your children may not share the same calling you have. Hopefully they feel the connection to your calling, but in many cases they may actually resent it. It is imperative that you do not force compliance, conformity, and uniformity upon them. Instead you must lead them with love as you also learn to listen to and relate to them. If you do not, then there may come a day that your children leave the church and harbor bitterness or resentment against you and the church. There may also come a day that your spouse serves you with divorce papers. Why? Because they needed a dad or a husband when all you could give them was a calling they never came to grips with.

[ read more...]

Bi-Vocational Ministry - Your Family

If you are in bi-vocational ministry and have a family then your family is also in bi-vocational ministry. The pressures you feel they feel also. They are on the same journey you are on. Never isolate them as though they do not understand or not a vital part of the ministry family. They do or at least want to understand, even if it is from their individual and unique perspectives. Include them in the ministry as much as possible even while granting them the flexibility to have their own lives as well. Every attempt should be made to not give anyone in your immediate family a sense of abandonment. It is of vital importance that bi-vocational ministers include their family as equal partners in the many decisions of life that affect them.

Your spouse and your children may not share the same calling you have. Hopefully they feel the connection to your calling, but in many cases they may actually resent it. It is imperative that you do not force compliance, conformity, and uniformity upon them. Instead you must lead them with love as you also learn to listen to and relate to them. If you do not, then there may come a day that your children leave the church and harbor bitterness or resentment against you and the church. There may also come a day that your spouse serves you with divorce papers. Why? Because they needed a dad or a husband when all you could give them was a calling they never came to grips with.

[ read more...]

Are You Listening To Me!

I can hear my mother still to this day yelling, "Are you listening to me?" Being the single mother of 5 children left her without much patience. I believe much of her frustration as a single, struggling mom, was she felt that no one heard her.

Mom worked all kinds of jobs to try to provide for us kids, so she was not home much. We pretty much raised ourselves. My 4 brothers and sisters were just about as unruly as children left to their own devices could get.

When Mom finally made a pit stop at the house, she would find it in shambles. Then, with the frustration of a mother trying to do her best, but failing miserably, she would simply lose it. "Are you kids listening to me?" The truth of the matter was, we weren't listening to a word she was saying. We were too busy having a blast doing our own thing.

I once read a story of a pastor who was asked by a woman in his church for a few minutes of his time. The pastor agreed to meet with her and while they talked, she said flatly to the pastor, "My father molested me when I was a little girl". Without missing a beat, the pastor said, "I believe you." The woman was shocked! She couldn't believe that someone had finally believed her.

Through tears she said, "For years I have tried to tell my family members, but no one would listen to me". It was such a relief to finally have someone who listened and believed her. The pastor asked, "What can I do for you?" "Nothing she replied, I just needed someone to listen and believe me."

[ read more...]

Are You Listening To Me!

I can hear my mother still to this day yelling, "Are you listening to me?" Being the single mother of 5 children left her without much patience. I believe much of her frustration as a single, struggling mom, was she felt that no one heard her.

Mom worked all kinds of jobs to try to provide for us kids, so she was not home much. We pretty much raised ourselves. My 4 brothers and sisters were just about as unruly as children left to their own devices could get.

When Mom finally made a pit stop at the house, she would find it in shambles. Then, with the frustration of a mother trying to do her best, but failing miserably, she would simply lose it. "Are you kids listening to me?" The truth of the matter was, we weren't listening to a word she was saying. We were too busy having a blast doing our own thing.

I once read a story of a pastor who was asked by a woman in his church for a few minutes of his time. The pastor agreed to meet with her and while they talked, she said flatly to the pastor, "My father molested me when I was a little girl". Without missing a beat, the pastor said, "I believe you." The woman was shocked! She couldn't believe that someone had finally believed her.

Through tears she said, "For years I have tried to tell my family members, but no one would listen to me". It was such a relief to finally have someone who listened and believed her. The pastor asked, "What can I do for you?" "Nothing she replied, I just needed someone to listen and believe me."

[ read more...]

Reasons For Financial Difficulties

According to the latest statistics, over one-half of all families in America are experiencing financial difficulties. This includes single parent homes. Most people have financial problems, but don’t know why!

In order to be aware of the financial difficulties one has and know what causes them, a person must educate himself to the reasons for the difficulties. The following are a list of reasons that most people find themselves in financial difficulty.

FAILURE TO FOLLOW SCRIPTURAL PRINCIPLES. The Bible is full of guidelines regarding financial principles. In fact, one-half of all parables and one out of six verses in the New Testament deal with stewardship. Get your Bible out and start studying. Ask your pastor for more information. See a Christian Financial Counselor for assistance. You will find great guidelines and principles in the Word of God.
FAILURE TO IDENTIFY YOUR PRIORITIES. Just exactly what do you want? More things or better financial stability? Prioritize your desires and needs and stick to it.
NO DISCIPLINE! That one horrible word causes us more problems than anything else in the world. We need to exercise discipline in every phase of our life, especially when it comes to discipline! Discipline yourself to limit unnecessary purchases and wasting money. Discipline yourself to set down once per month to analyze your finances. Discipline will be the greatest thing you can establish in your life. Work diligently with disciplining yourself.
FAILURE TO ESTABLISH GOALS. A person who has no goal is a person without direction. A person without direction is going…nowhere! To solve your financial difficulties, you have to establish a clear goal. Where do you want to be one year from now; five years from now, etc.? Write your goal down and work toward it.
NO CONTROLS. This compares to discipline, however, it means to have written controls over your spending. Write down what your limits are. Review them frequently.
FAILURE TO ESTABLISH A BUDGET. A budget is not a nervous breakdown on paper. It is a clear cut guideline of where your money comes from and how it is to be spent. It only takes about 1 hour per month to maintain a budget so that you can control the process of knowing where your money is and how it is spent. Don’t negate the importance of a written budget…it will be the greatest factor in helping you get your finances under control.
UNABLE TO CONTROL IMPLUSIVE SPENDING. If you don’t follow the direction of your budget and discipline yourself, you will be unable to stop spending when you see that item that you just must have. Don’t spend any unnecessary money until you discuss it with someone. You must control your spending if you ever hope to get ahead financially.

[ read more...]

Reasons For Financial Difficulties

According to the latest statistics, over one-half of all families in America are experiencing financial difficulties. This includes single parent homes. Most people have financial problems, but don’t know why!

In order to be aware of the financial difficulties one has and know what causes them, a person must educate himself to the reasons for the difficulties. The following are a list of reasons that most people find themselves in financial difficulty.

FAILURE TO FOLLOW SCRIPTURAL PRINCIPLES. The Bible is full of guidelines regarding financial principles. In fact, one-half of all parables and one out of six verses in the New Testament deal with stewardship. Get your Bible out and start studying. Ask your pastor for more information. See a Christian Financial Counselor for assistance. You will find great guidelines and principles in the Word of God.
FAILURE TO IDENTIFY YOUR PRIORITIES. Just exactly what do you want? More things or better financial stability? Prioritize your desires and needs and stick to it.
NO DISCIPLINE! That one horrible word causes us more problems than anything else in the world. We need to exercise discipline in every phase of our life, especially when it comes to discipline! Discipline yourself to limit unnecessary purchases and wasting money. Discipline yourself to set down once per month to analyze your finances. Discipline will be the greatest thing you can establish in your life. Work diligently with disciplining yourself.
FAILURE TO ESTABLISH GOALS. A person who has no goal is a person without direction. A person without direction is going…nowhere! To solve your financial difficulties, you have to establish a clear goal. Where do you want to be one year from now; five years from now, etc.? Write your goal down and work toward it.
NO CONTROLS. This compares to discipline, however, it means to have written controls over your spending. Write down what your limits are. Review them frequently.
FAILURE TO ESTABLISH A BUDGET. A budget is not a nervous breakdown on paper. It is a clear cut guideline of where your money comes from and how it is to be spent. It only takes about 1 hour per month to maintain a budget so that you can control the process of knowing where your money is and how it is spent. Don’t negate the importance of a written budget…it will be the greatest factor in helping you get your finances under control.
UNABLE TO CONTROL IMPLUSIVE SPENDING. If you don’t follow the direction of your budget and discipline yourself, you will be unable to stop spending when you see that item that you just must have. Don’t spend any unnecessary money until you discuss it with someone. You must control your spending if you ever hope to get ahead financially.

[ read more...]

Ideas For A Spirit Led Worship Service

Creative idea's to enhance your worship service

Worship is a large and important part of being a Christian, and worshiping as part of the congregation can be a powerful experience.

A worship service should guide people back towards God, and help the congregation feel God's presence, power, and anointing. As pastors, we should prepare our people to be sensitive to God's presence with a heart that is open to the love of Christ, and sensitive to the moving of the Holy Spirit.

Our call to worship should cause hearts to burn with desire and a passion for God. Every visitor should leave our services knowing without a doubt that God was in the house.

For those of you who would like to have a powerful and anointed worship service, I have compiled a list of ideas (some essential, some creative) for your consideration.

[ read more...]

Ideas For A Spirit Led Worship Service

Creative idea's to enhance your worship service

Worship is a large and important part of being a Christian, and worshiping as part of the congregation can be a powerful experience.

A worship service should guide people back towards God, and help the congregation feel God's presence, power, and anointing. As pastors, we should prepare our people to be sensitive to God's presence with a heart that is open to the love of Christ, and sensitive to the moving of the Holy Spirit.

Our call to worship should cause hearts to burn with desire and a passion for God. Every visitor should leave our services knowing without a doubt that God was in the house.

For those of you who would like to have a powerful and anointed worship service, I have compiled a list of ideas (some essential, some creative) for your consideration.

[ read more...]