Don’t settle for an impact smaller than you’re called to make. It's time to unlock your potential and lead confidently into a future filled with growth — for yourself, your church, and your mission. Get access to some of my best leadership content, only published in my newsletters.
On The Rise: How Many People REALLY Go To Church Sunday + 3 Tells of Great Leaders, and Not Disappointing Your Family
Published 3 days ago • 3 min read
Welcome to the On The Rise newsletter, where I feature fascinating, helpful, and sometimes curious content that caught my attention this week.
Today, a study that uses cell phone data to track where people really spend Sunday mornings, three tells of great leaders (they’re not what you think), making things fun again, and reflecting on the people you really don’t want to disappoint.
How Many People REALLY Go to Church Every Week???
Way less than you think
So, you know when you read that 20ish percent of Americans (or whatever) still attend church, but then you do the math of how many attend your church and other churches, and the math doesn’t math?
Okay, maybe I’m the only one who does that, but there’s usually a huge gap. As in: less people are actually in church than report to be there.
A study out of the University of Chicago hunted down that gap. It tracked people's cell phone movement and revealed that, ahem, people lie about where they are on Sunday mornings.
What they found is that 5% of Americans are actually in a place of worship on Sunday. Not 20%. You can read more here.
That means there’s a lot more mission ahead of us.
20 Minutes for a New Idea, Stronger Plan, and Better Monday
Four of the most practical courses you already have access to.
You’ve got a full library of courses waiting for you inside The Art of Leadership Academy. And a few of the most-loved ones are perfect to jump into this weekend:
20 minutes is all it takes to spark a new idea, build a stronger plan, and have a better Monday.
If you want more clarity, stronger direction, and a healthier pace, don’t wait for “someday.” You already have training that can help you lead with more confidence, communicate with more impact, and build momentum in your church—starting right now.
As I mentioned in a previous Friday On the Rise, I hired Les McKeown to coach me a few years ago. His insights continue to be pivotal, especially when it comes to what great leaders (pastors, CEOs) really do.
His observations are that greatness is not the large and in charge kind of leadership you’d expect, but ‘tells' like these.
Your Sermon Shouldn’t End on Sunday
Use your sermon to shape the entire week.
Every week you prepare your sermon with care, and on Sunday you preach it with conviction. Then…you move on.
But what if that sermon was meant to shape the entire week?
In this guest post, Josh Burnett explores how churches can turn Sunday’s message into social clips, kids ministry resources, and small group conversations without sacrificing theological depth.
Yes, AI can help. But not all AI is built with ministry in mind. Here’s what you can do.
I think of this book regularly, particularly when I have a day I’m not looking forward to, stacked with tasks and meetings, and I ask myself ‘How do I make this enjoyable.” Today I am in beast mode on my Asana tasks so I decided to play some of my fave albums on the studio speakers I installed in my office last year. Yes, you’re a grown up and you have work to do but that doesn’t mean you can’t make it fun, and ‘effortless’. Thanks Greg!
Morgan Housel on Motivation and Avoiding Moral Failure
“The best motivator in life is having a few people you really don’t want to disappoint.”
Indeed. I continue to have more conversations than I can count with people who are struggling because a leader they once trusted crossed a moral line, breached so much trust, and crushed so many people in the process.
We all get tempted as leaders. And in seasons where I find that temptation emerging, I think about having to explain everything to my wife and kids, my parents and siblings, my close friends, to our church, and to you. That’s an exceptional motivator.
Who do you not want to disappoint?
Cheering for you,
Weekend Watching
Carl Lentz
Carl Lentz On Preaching While Having Sex Outside Marriage, How the Pressure of Church Growth Got To Him, And Warning Signs for Other Church Leaders
Leadership Is Better Shared. Invite Your Friends!
Know someone who would benefit from The Art of Leadership Academy? Invite them to join by visiting your Invitation Hub.
Carey Nieuwhof Communications, PO Box 160, Oro Medonte, Ontario L0L 2X0
Carey Nieuwhof
Where 100,000+ leaders get top insights to thrive in life and leadership.
Don’t settle for an impact smaller than you’re called to make. It's time to unlock your potential and lead confidently into a future filled with growth — for yourself, your church, and your mission. Get access to some of my best leadership content, only published in my newsletters.
