Take a Class…
Christian Education through video courses. Taught by experts, on important topics, that any church can afford.
ChurchNext Master Classes are $25. You download them to your computer. Share them with your church.
They include:
- The video course – downloadable in several formats
- An Mp3 of the course – for listening on any mobile device
- An eBook containing a complete written transcript of the Master Class
- Our exclusive Keep Following Worksheet for note taking AND it includes discussion questions
Categories
Congregational Growth / Ministry Training / Outreach and Hospitality / Stewardship and Church Management / Spiritual Growth / Try a Free Sample Course
Master Class 030: How to Forgive with Virginia Holeman
It’s been said that refusing to forgive someone is like drinking rat poison and expecting the other person to die. Unforgiveness can be debilitating, even deadly. But how do we begin the work of forgiving someone when we have been deeply wronged? Dr. Virginia Todd Holeman has an idea. She is an author (Reconcilable Differences), [Continue Reading]
_____________________________________
Master Class 029: Creating a Vibrant Church for ALL Ages with Holly Allen
Intergenerationality. It’s a huge buzz word right now – as we ponder the notion that our faith is supposed to bring people together of all ages. However many times our churches split them up, intentionally and unintentionally – and risk many pitfalls. Maybe that’s why intergenerational Christian formation is gaining traction in so many of [...] Continue Reading
_____________________________________
Master Class 028: Identifying and Addressing Sex Addiction with Mark Laaser
Some of the most popular places on the Internet are pornography websites – and some of the most frequent visitors are Christians, many of whom are sex addicts. Sex addicts are often stifled by guilt and shame and are looking for a way out. Counselor, author, and sexual addiction expert Dr. Mark Lasser ought to know [...] Continue Reading
____________________________________
Master Class 027: Handling Strong Willed Children with Jerome A. Price
Jesus famously said ‘They will know we are Christians by our love,’ but if you’ve ever had to deal with a strong willed child you know how difficult it can be to live that out. The behaviors of strong willed children test, frustrate, and can deeply harm both parents and children – many of whom [...] Continue Reading
_________________________________
Master Class 026: How to Prepare a Crisis Communications Plan for Your Church with Meredith Gould
Abuse, adultery, fire, flooding, murder, and theft – churches are not exempt from common crises. Nor are churches protected from scrutiny by local, regional, and even national media. How do churches handle crises that put them at risk? How should church leadership communicate with its members, authorities, and secular media? Is there a plan in [...] Continue Reading
___________________________________
Master Class 025: How to Chair a Committee with Hugh Ballou
Sooner or later it happens to us all – we get recruited to sit on – or even chair – a committee. And too often, we get stuck following an antiquated and unproductive meeting system that breeds frustration and burnout. No wonder churches are simply not as productive as they could be. Leadership guru Hugh [...] Continue Reading
________________________________________
Master Class 024: How to Share Your Christian Faith with John Bowen
It’s been said of one mainline denomination that its average member brings a friend to church once every 27 years. Think of the impact that denomination would have if that number was doubled, or tripled! Sharing our faith can be so uncomfortable that we avoid it – yet we know that there are people in [...] Continue Reading
________________________________________
Master Class 023: How to Market Your Church with Jake Dell
In an age of advertising, hype, and publicity overload – faith communities are often wary of jumping into the fray – and are rightfully apprehensive about ‘marketing’ their churches. However, as we all know, we swim in a water that is ‘the market’ – and our failure to speak up and ‘get the good news [...] Continue Reading
________________________________________
Master Class 022: Preparing Church Newsletters and Bulletins that Work with Fred Gonnerman
Monthly newsletters and Sunday bulletins (printed and electronic) are a staple of congregational life – and it’s important that they be informative, substantive and eye-catching if we are going to effectively communicate. But the truth is, says Frederick Gonnerman, most of them are sub-par. However, there is hope. Consultant, speaker, and author Frederick Gonnerman, who [...] Continue Reading
_______________________________________
Master Class 021: Preventing and Handling Church Scandals with Susan Nienaber
The ethical shortcomings we hear about in the news every day are, unfortunately, not absent from the Church. Whether it be financial, sexual, or some other scandal, not only are they common, but there are ways to handle them that can minimize the pain. Susan Nienaber is a Senior Consultant with the Alban Institute and [...] Continue Reading
______________________________________
Master Class 020: How to Take a Sabbath with MaryAnn McKibben Dana
It’s arguably the most violated of all the Ten Commandments. You know, the fourth one that says ‘Keep Holy the Sabbath.’ North Americans are notorious workers (read: workaholics) and many of us forget that the Sabbath was not created to shut us down and squelch our creativity [...] Continue Reading
______________________________________
Master Class 019: How to Start a Planned Giving Program in Your Church with James Murphy
Every week North American churches are the beneficiaries about one-third of all charitable giving, taking in nearly twice as much as the next closest charity. But when people die and donate their estates to charity, churches rank fourth. What gives? Why don’t churches receive more? Doesn’t the Church need it? The plain truth, says church [...] Continue Reading
Master Class 018: Dealing with Difficult People – Systems Theory 101 with Peter Steinke
Cranks, bullies, and nags – does your congregation have one (or more)? Relax, you’re not alone. Churches can be magnets for these kinds of people and behaviors. But acclaimed author and consultant Peter Steinke says there are ways churches can live into health and vitality, especially with a knowledge of Family Systems Theory. Continue Reading
______________________________________
Master Class 017: Reiki for Christians with Alice Mindrum
Few people would argue that a central focus of Jesus’ ministry was (and is) healing. His life clearly illuminates God’s mission to restore wholeness and unity to all people and all creation. This mission is recognized and supported by many Christians today, and Reiki, a spiritual healing method, offers an effective and complementary addition to [...] Continue Reading
Master Class 016: Altar Guild 101 with Hobey Hinchman
Caring for a congregation’s sacred treasures is one of the Church’s most valuable and essential ministries. Yet the work of the Altar Guild is one of the lesser known and more exacting ministries in a church. So what does the Altar Guild do? How does it do it? And would you like to help? In [...] Continue Reading
______________________________________
Master Class 015: Verger 101 with Scott Smith
One of the more obvious places to find modern application of the Pauline admonition that, ‘all things be done decently and in order,’ (1 Cor. 14:39), is certainly in the role of a parish verger. For the uninitiated, these dedicated souls work to make public worship in the Anglican tradition an act of order, beauty, [...]Continue Reading
Master Class 014: How to Visit the Sick and Hurting with Joyce Mercer
It’s one of the most obvious ministries Jesus passed on to us – but one of the most challenging for Christians to undertake: tending to those who are ill or hurting. Whether it’s in the hospital, retirement facility, funeral home, or the house across the street, Christians are called to be Jesus’ healing hands to [...]Continue Reading
Master Class 013: Deepening the Spirituality of Your Church with Graham Standish
When non-church goers defend their behavior by saying they are ‘spiritual and not religious’ they seem to be identifying churches as religious, but not spiritual places – and they’re onto something. Too many churches have evolved into places that no longer ask spiritual questions, intentionally listen to God, and help people figure out who they [...] Continue Reading
Master Class 012: How to Start an Intergenerational Worship Service with Theresa Cho
Celebrating the gifts of young people is one of the best ways to build a healthy congregation. The average age of members of most North American Churches is higher – and sometimes way higher – than the rest of the population. And experts say congregations where a majority of members are age 50 or older [...]Continue Reading
Master Class 011: How Churches Can Reach Out to the Local Community with Judy Paulsen
It may seem like a really easy question – but lots of established congregations really struggle with how to reach out to the local community. That’s what The Rev. Judy Paulsen’s Anglican congregation was like when she arrived nearly a decade ago – but through hard work, great people, and most importantly the Spirit’s leading [...] Continue Reading
_____________________________________
Master Class 010: How to Start a New Monastic Community in Your Church with Elaine Heath
Vibrant churches are places of spiritual depth that take discipleship, prayer, and service very seriously. This has led many congregations to form groups of devout people who undertake certain practices and even pledges to deepen their relationship with Jesus Christ. Many of them are moving out into the ‘abandoned places of the empire’ to live [...] Continue Reading
_____________________________________
Master Class 009: Why Young People Leave Church and How to Get Them Back with Drew Dyck
Yesterday’s theory, that all young adults leave church but come back to get married and have kids, may be a thing of the past. For a variety of reasons, journalist Drew Dyck says ‘Generation Ex-Christian’ (the name of his book) sees church a whole lot differently. Drew spent years seeking out and documenting the stories [...] Continue Reading
Master Class 008: Energize Your Stewardship with Kristine Miller
Sure, things are tight and times are tough but stewardship pro Kristine Miller is optimistic about what you and your church can do for God. That’s why we’ve put together this Master Class on stewardship basics – to refresh the veterans and inspire those new to the subject. In an age of scarcity, we need [...] Continue Reading
Master Class 007: Vestry 101 with Christopher Webber
If it’s true that ‘everything rises and falls on leadership’ (John Maxwell), then one of the best things we can do is help our leaders do the best they can – especially our parish vestries. Every year we welcome our best and brightest to serve on vestries, yet too often they could enjoy some basic [...]Continue Reading
______________________________________
Master Class 006: How Governance Structures Can Harm Churches and How to Restructure for Growth with Dan Hotchkiss (See Special Book Offer)
You can’t cure cancer by putting on a new dress. Yet many of our churches amble along as if all they need to do is dress up in the latest trend to stem decline. Alban Institute Senior Consultant Dan Hotchkiss knows better. He’s consulted with dozens of churches (even written a book called Governance and [...] Continue Reading
_______________________________________
Master Class 005: How to Attract Younger People to Older Churches with Steve Youd
It’s one of the most common problems churches face: how to interest, welcome, and incorporate younger people into their fellowship. Yet there are a lot of older congregations who’ve been able to ‘grow younger.’ American Baptist Pastor Steve Youd’s First Baptist Church of Hansen, MA is one of them. During his 13 year tenure he’s [...] Continue Reading
_______________________________________
Master Class 004: How to Greet and Treat Newcomers with Elizabeth Geitz
We all get ‘em, but how do we keep ‘em? Visitors return for a variety of reasons, but often times it’s because a congregation warmly greeted and conscientiously treated them. However, the sobering truth is that most congregations are far removed from the ‘best practices’ that experts like Elizabeth Geitz recommends. Continue Reading
Master Class 003: Why Your Church May Need Social Media and How to Start with Todd Rhoades
If making it to my website stretches the bounds of your digital expertise, then this class may be for you. You’re probably aware that 98% of 18-35 year olds are active on social media at least once a day. This means that if you have people from this age group in your congregation – or [...] Continue Reading
Master Class 002: Ending Well – Should Your Church Consider Closing and How to Do It with Dignity, Poise, and Grace with Tom Bandy
It’s a decision every church will probably face: When and how do we close the doors? Like our lives, individual congregations seem to have distinct cycles and were never intended to last forever. For example, the churches St. Paul started two millennia ago are all closed and we can hardly fault Paul as a lousy [...] Continue Reading
________________________________________
Master Class 001: How Your Church’s Charity Work Hurts Poor People and How You Can Really Help w/Robert Lupton
Believe it or not, an incredible amount of church charity work actually hurts poor people. Well-meaning Christians, who are generous, dedicated, and selfless end up doing more harm than good simply because they have not thought through their outreach activities! Every one of your church’s outreach leaders and workers needs to take this class not [...] Continue Reading
__________________________________________
ChurchNext Master Classes are $25. They include:
- The video course – downloadable in several formats
- An Mp3 of the course – for listening on any mobile device
- An eBook containing a complete written transcript of the Master Class
- Our exclusive Keep Following Worksheet for note taking AND it includes discussion questions
