by Tracee Swank | Sep 17, 2026 | Discipleship, Leadership, Mission, Tracee J. Swank
When a declining church decides it is time to turn things around, the conversation usually starts in a predictable place: How do we get people back? Leaders look for the program, the worship style, the staff hire, or the building update that will reverse the trend and...
by Tracee Swank | Sep 14, 2026 | Leadership, Mission, Prayer, Tracee J. Swank
Scripture “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.’” (Luke 15:31 NIV) The older brother served faithfully for years. He stayed when the younger son left. And he almost missed the celebration his own father was throwing. The...
by Tracee Swank | Sep 10, 2026 | Leadership, Mission, Outreach, Tracee J. Swank
When a missionary moves to a foreign country, they do not arrive on Monday and launch programs on Tuesday. They know better. The first task is to learn the place. They study the language, observe the customs, build relationships, listen for months, and pay careful...
by Tracee Swank | Sep 3, 2026 | Discipleship, Leadership, Mission, Tracee J. Swank
In most communities, churches operate as quiet competitors. They would never say so out loud, and most leaders would be offended by the suggestion. But the behavior tells the truth. Congregations watch each other’s numbers, guard their best ideas, feel a flicker of...
by Tracee Swank | Aug 31, 2026 | Challenges, Leadership, Prayer, Tracee J. Swank
Scripture “No one tears a piece out of a new garment to patch an old one. Otherwise, they will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old.” (Luke 5:36 NIV) Jesus warned His followers about surface fixes that hurt the very thing they...
by Tracee Swank | Aug 27, 2026 | Discipleship, Leadership, Mission, Tracee J. Swank
Ask the average churchgoer where ministry happens, and they will point to the church building. Ask them where their job fits into God’s mission, and many will go quiet. We have absorbed a quiet but corrosive assumption that real spiritual work happens at church and...
