by Tracee Swank | Jul 7, 2026 | Discipleship, Mission, Movement, Tracee J. Swank
After all the walking, listening, and honest reflection, the temptation is to do something big. Do not. Not yet. The history of established churches trying to pivot is littered with well-intentioned big launches that exhausted the congregation, fizzled within a year,...
by Tracee Swank | Jul 2, 2026 | Discipleship, Leadership, Mission, Tracee J. Swank
The phrase seminary partnership sounds official, expensive, and slightly intimidating. For most mission-focused churches, the mental picture is a formal affiliation agreement, a financial commitment the church cannot afford, and a relationship that benefits the...
by Tracee Swank | Jun 30, 2026 | Discipleship, Mission, Outreach, Tracee J. Swank
After a few months of walking, listening, and looking at your community honestly, a quiet realization usually begins to settle in. The things your church offers and the things your community actually needs are not quite the same things. The mismatch is not dramatic....
by Tracee Swank | Jun 25, 2026 | Discipleship, Leadership, Mission, Tracee J. Swank
St. John’s is a real church. The name has been changed, but the story is current. St. John’s is a healthy rural congregation. Faithful for decades. Strong lay leadership. A building paid off, a budget in the black. Last year, their senior pastor announced his...
by Tracee Swank | Jun 23, 2026 | Discipleship, Mission, Movement, Tracee J. Swank
Walks and conversations are the heart of knowing your community. The data is the frame around them. In ministry, we often want to know all about the demographics and statistics and rely on those to shape ministry. Public data will never tell you why the young mother...
by Tracee Swank | Jun 18, 2026 | Discipleship, Leadership, Mission, Tracee J. Swank
Your next pastor is probably already sitting in your sanctuary. She is 47, teaches a Bible study on Wednesdays, has raised her children, and has been quietly wondering for two years whether the nudge she keeps feeling is a calling or just restlessness. Or he is 22,...
