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The Greatest Sign of a Healthy Church may not be Baptism Numbers
How many baptisms has your church had this year? Pastors hear this question all the time. It is a figure that gets prominent attention when the annual church profiles are released each year. Pastors get bigger churches when this figure is up, they are more respected by peers and can even win denominational awards. Yet, Continue reading
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Why Church Members Resist Change and What Church Leaders Can do About it.
I spoke with a lady on the phone yesterday who just needed to vent. Her new pastor has come with change on his mind and many of those changes have brought anxiety to church members. Her issue wasn’t so much with the changes but with the way they have been “forced” into the life of Continue reading
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Want to be like Jesus today? Do these things…
Being Christ like is the highest calling of a Christian. We are repeatedly reminded of this in Scripture: He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. 1 John 2:6 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you Continue reading
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4 Essentials of Meaningful Church Membership
Healthy and meaningful church membership is no doubt exemplified in Luke’s description of the early church in Acts 2: 42-47. I believe that you can find four glaring characteristics in the early church. They are all pieces of the same pie. They are not to be set aside and treated individually, rather they all go Continue reading
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Is your Youth Ministry failing in the most crucial areas?
A majority of twenty-somethings—61% of today’s young adults—had been churched at one point during their teen years but they are now spiritually disengaged (i.e., not actively tending church, reading the Bible, or praying). -George Barna Over 2/3 of the teens who are active in our youth ministries will completely drop out of church after their Continue reading
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5 Signs your Church may be in Trouble
“Write this letter to the angel of the church at Sardis. This is the message from the one who has the sevenfold Spirit of God and the seven stars: ‘I know all the things you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what little remains, Continue reading
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The Simplicity of the Gospel
I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 1 Corinthians 15: 3-4 Paul reminds the Corinthians Continue reading
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I want to be like Harry…you should too!
“As for you, son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. When you hear a word from my mouth, give them a warning from me.” Ezekiel 33:7 Around midnight on October 15, 1854 the students of Howard College, now Samford University, lay in their beds asleep. No one Continue reading
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What your pastor wants you to know, but would never tell you.
Fall of 2010 was an awesome and horrible time in my pastorate. Things were going great at church. The previous year we had 110 additions, hitting high marks in worship attendance and Sunday school. Our 11:00 worship service grew so rapidly that we quickly had to find overflow space and it exhibited an amazing spirit Continue reading
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Is there a growing theological chasm between SBC seminary grads and the local church?
For years SBC churches have depended on our 6 seminaries to adequately train pastors and ministers for the work of ministry. For the most part, our seminaries have done (and are doing) an amazing job to this end. Our 6 seminaries are among the finest theological training grounds in the United States. Students often leave Continue reading
About Me
I have been in ministry for 31 years serving in various capacities including senior pastor, youth pastor, education, and associate pastor. I serve at Samford University as Assistant to the President and Executive Director of the Ministry Training Institute. I am co-author of the book, Cultivate Disciple Making and my new book, Repairing the Missional Breach, will be released this summer. I received my Bachelor’s Degree from Samford, a Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and a Master of Theology from the Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. My D.Min project was in the area of church health and revitalization. I earned my Ph.D. from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. My dissertation title, An Analysis and Critique of Disciple Making Within Ecclesial Movements in the United States, 1970-2020, With a View Toward Implementing a Faithful New Testament Missio Ecclesia.
Dr Kevin Blackwell 