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 "...a leader without integrated character will never see the results personally and professionally they desire... To become whole we need to be open for growth, own our current reality, invite others to speak truth in our lives, and connect often and intimately with God."

A recent post on the blog for the WCA Global Leadership Summit underscores our need to develop ourselves as leaders - not just in what we do, but also in who we are.

The Willow Creek Association Global Leadership Summit is a must-attend for all leaders... in the church and the marketplace... who seek to go deeper to go further.

Register now - Early Bird rates fly away after June 26th.

We simply wish to say Thank You to all of the men and women who have paid the ultimate price for freedom. 

On this Memorial Day, take the time to honor the Veterans and Active Duty Service members in your local communities. Enjoy time with your families and give thanks to God for every blessing!

min·is·try [min-uh-stree] noun - no longer just a function, profession, or service; effectively reaching people for Christ (with the help of your friends at Wired Churches)

Ministry is BEING the church, even inside your four walls. 

[Some of you might have more than four walls... in that case, this still applies to you.]

The bottom line is this: Your ministry matters. Your staff and volunteers matter. The people you are reaching matter. 

We want to help you communicate that these people matter to you, and of course, that they matter to God. In fact, we want to help you communicate that better than ever! 

With the guidance of folks like Mark Waltz on First Impressions, Kem Meyer on Communication that actually communicates, and Tim Stevens on recruiting and keeping solid Volunteers, we've put together an amazing one-day workshop program.

One day. Three sessions. Major Kingdom impact. 

Click here to learn more.

"I like your Jesus, but not your Christians...your Christians are so unlike your Jesus." -- Mahatma Gandhi

"If Christ were here there is one thing he would not be - a Christian." -- Mark Twain

As church leaders, we may scratch our heads at statements such as these. 

But, are we doing things (even if unintentional) that lead to this sort of response from an unbelieving world?

We think there are some things the Church has become, some things that the Church has fostered that are unhealthy, detrimental and downright dangerous to God's plan for the Church to build community and restore lives. 

Helping others know Christ is hard enough. In this 5 week series, Granger tackled some of the yucky things that make the Church less desirable.

How audacious is your vision?

Is it bold? Is it calculated? Is it uncomfortable? Does it challenge the status-quo? Will it force you to make a lot of changes?

Most importantly - is it God-sized?

Change is hard. Change is not popular. But, change often yields much needed renewal and growth.

At Granger, we are in the second year of our 5 year New Normal vision.Part of that vision includes BEING the church in our community, Activating our campus beyond just a place to gather for church services, and Reproducing at every level through missional communities. 

Another part of this vision is to expand our multi-site reach to include a couple more campuses. A few years ago, we expanded to Elkhart, IN - a smaller manufacturing town about 15 minutes East of our Granger campus. We started in a movie theater with a broadcast of an earlier service, then rented space where we could have live worship with video message.

Now the Elkhart campus is in a fully-functional space belonging to the church. It's a great story, and the community at the Elkhart campus is rich. Attendance has grown to more than 400 average each week across multiple services.

Now, we have another opportunity to lean into God and dive deeper into our 2016 vision.

As Pastor Beeson explains, we're asking God if this is a change God is inviting us to make. And, we're trusting he will provide the direction and resources needed to take our next steps.

So, challenge yourself for a minute - how big is your vision? What is changes could God be asking you to make?

 Let's face it... everyone likes new stuff. You know, the old stuff is great, but the new stuff is where it's at.

So, because we aim to please,  there is a new category on the Wired Churches site that highlights new product.

In fact, we added a bunch of new video, series graphics, and even audio in the last week or so. 

Go ahead and check it out! You'll find something you can use in your services. Like, for example:

 What could happen if we looked at this box we meet in the same way we did when we were kids? What if 'the box' was more than just the place we 'do' church? Ever dream it could be more? 

Outside the Box from WiredChurches.com on Vimeo.

 Click here to download this video and unleash the 'out of the box' imagination for your church.