Posts by Mark Howell
Thinking Thursday: Why Veterans Miss War
Civilians don’t miss war. But soldiers often do. Journalist Sebastian Junger shares his experience embedded with American soldiers at Restrepo, an outpost in Afghanistan’s Korengal Valley that saw heavy combat. Giving a look at the “altered state of mind” that comes with war, he shows how combat gives soldiers an intense experience of connection. In…
Read MoreInvesting in Your Own Personal Growth
I am convinced that whatever we want to happen in the lives of the members of our groups must happen first in the lives of our leaders. If you’ve been along for much of this conversation, you’ve already heard this. I suppose you might even be sick of hearing about it (hopefully not). I’m also…
Read MoreCrowd-to-Core: An Essential Understanding at the Heart of My Strategy
I’ve written previously about ten ideas that have shaped my philosophy of ministry. One of those ten ideas can be summed up in the phrase crowd-to-core. What does crowd-to-core mean? Essentially, it means that instead of pouring everything into the most committed members with the expectation (or hope) that they will then go out and…
Read More4 Bogeys* That Might Not Be on Your Radar…Yet
Have you ever said, “I’m not sure how I missed that!” Or maybe, “That caught all of us by surprise!” If you’ve said anything like that, you’re in good company. Life has a way of encouraging preoccupation with that which is urgent, often at the expense of those things that are truly important. And sometimes…
Read MoreHebrews: Don’t Miss This Timely Bible Book Study
Spent some time this week with a new study from LifeWay’s Explore the Bible series. Hebrews is a 13 week study, divided into two study guides: Chapters 1-7 “introduces the Book of Hebrews and gives encouragement and hope to believers.” Chapters 8-13 “helps believers understand how Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament promise of a…
Read MoreThinking Thursday: The Power of Time Off
Every seven years, designer Stefan Sagmeister closes his New York studio for a yearlong sabbatical to rejuvenate and refresh their creative outlook. He explains the often overlooked value of time off and shows the innovative projects inspired by his time in Bali. Can’t see the video? You can watch it right here. Image by Bret…
Read More4 Steps that Build an Effective Small Group Coaching Structure
Who are you looking for when you are trying to find another coach? How do you recruit small group coaches? Do you have a tried and true system for building an effective small group coaching structure? I was talking with one of the members of my small group ministry coaching network and I realized that…
Read MoreFAQ: When Should We Begin Promoting a Church-Wide Campaign?
I get a lot of questions. This is a good one and one you need to be thinking about as you plan for your next church-wide campaign. When should we begin promoting a church-wide campaign? That is a good question; don’t you think? And the answer might be a little different than you’ve assumed. My…
Read More5 Best Church-Wide Campaigns for Fall 2015
I don’t know about your church, but right about now is when many churches pull the trigger on a fall church-wide campaign. And although there are two other windows when the impact of a campaign can be optimized, in many ways the fall is still the best of the three. See also, When Is the Best…
Read MoreA Must Read: Finding Your Way Back to God
Finally had the time to finish my review of a new book by Dave and Jon Ferguson. Finding Your Way Back to God: Five Awakenings to Your New Life has tremendous outreach potential and if you’ve not had a chance to spend some time with this book, you need to make time! This book is a…
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