Tag: Bob Weeks

On September 23, 1857, six people gathered to pray because of what they perceived as a spiritual decline in America.  The prayer meeting was organized by Jeremiah Lanphier, a business owner. Historians say this noon prayer gathering on Fulton Street in New York was the beginning of a movement of Prayer that swept the nation […]

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We all have seen the reports. The American Evangelical Church is in decline. Aubrey Malphurs reports that 80-85% of churches are plateaued or declining. Tom Rainer suggests the number is 84%. Here in Indiana, we did an informal survey of about half of our Associations and they have indicated that 75% of their churches were […]

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If we thought that after the November Elections we would return to normal – we were wrong. If we thought the arrival of a new year was going to miraculously alter our circumstances and return us to normal – we were wrong.

I think it is time we begin to consider that waiting for normal is like waiting for a ship that has already sailed. Perhaps we need to accept, we are living in the “normal” right now.

So if the “Normal” looks like what we have then what do we have?

The church I serve as an Interim Pastor has about 50% of the people attending than they did PC (Pre Covid-19). Giving has remained strong. Does that sound familiar? Most reports I have received from pastors say the same.

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Now that the Covid-19 restrictions have been decreased, most of our SCBI churches have begun to meet in person once again. I heard it put this way, “We’re getting back to normal!” Sure, we can get back to normal – but should we?

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When I became a Christ-follower, at 36 years old, I knew it was because my wife and her church had prayed extensively for my lost soul. Because I was convinced of that fact, I embarked on the rest of my life journey to become a person of prayer. I want to be the guy that […]

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By Bob Weeks As a pastor, I always provide a State of the Church message in January. I would like to do the same regarding the state of our SCBI churches. Our 2019 year-end Cooperative Program Report revealed something alarming: 34% of our churches gave nothing to Southern Baptist efforts through the Cooperative Program. (You […]

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You have had them. Those moments when you recognize something monumental is taking place. It was just such a moment that took place around a table of pastors as they interacted with a question I posed to them. “What are we doing that is stopping our church from growing? If Jesus meant it when he said “I will build my church,” and I think He did, then is it possible we are doing things that are standing in the way of that?”

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Children’s Ministry is indispensable in growing a church. There are several reasons for this: 1) Children’s ministry frees the parent to be exposed to the life-changing message of the Gospel. It is the rare mom and dad that is willing to wrestle their children and then be in the frame of mind to “hear” the message that is proclaimed. If we are going to reach unchurched young parents we must have something for their children.

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Revitalization is a buzzword that has been around for some time. To keep it simple let us look at revitalization as a means to increase the vital nature of a local congregation in relation to God and the community where He has planted them. One indicator for determining church health is focus. Is the church […]

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We are dying and do not know it. It has been a little over three years since God called me out of the pastorate and into denominational work. During those three years, I have traveled around the state of Indiana worshipping with a different congregation almost every week. While my information is anecdotal, my informed […]

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