Hey, I'm Todd Thornton, and I am so glad you're here. Ministry looks different for everyone. Whether you're on staff, volunteering, or just trying to make a difference, AI can help you do it better. Two things I want you to know right up front. 1) Don't just lurk. Post (1) one word in the comments. An AI tool you use, something you want to accomplish, a hidden talent. Anything. I will personally respond to every single one with my best idea for how I can help. If I'm wrong, the egg is on my face and some responses might be hilarious. 2) This is a "public" community. Everything here is visible, searchable, and shareable, even to non-members. That's on purpose. We want people to find this content. But if that's not for you, no hard feelings at all. If you are not a member you won't be able to comment or track completion in courses, but if you find something you like, just grab the link and share it freely. Posts, course pages, anything. We believe in full transparency. This is just who we are. If you're still in, let's take it one step at a time. Step one is simple. Drop only (1) one word in the comments below and let's see how creative Todd can get with his response.

Have a question about anything covered in this course? This is the place to ask it. Drop your question in the comments below. Others in the community have likely run into the same thing, so take a scroll through before posting. You might find exactly what you are looking for. No question is too basic. Building a ministry membership from scratch comes with a learning curve, and that is exactly what this space is for. This forum is part of the free "How to Build a Ministry Membership From Scratch" course. Every lesson is publicly available and indexed online, so if you landed here from a search, welcome. You are in the right place. To post a question or comment you will need a FREE account, which also lets you track your progress through the course. Look for the yellow Join Group button to create an account or use the link above to start viewing content.

I keep hearing complaints about AI generated content and people calling to ban AI writing altogether. Here's the thing, there is no way to detect AI content with any real accuracy, unless the person behind it has no idea how to use it. I came up with the following quote, or maybe my AI did, 😉and I think it nails it. "AI is a tool. What you get out of it says everything about the person behind it. Always has, always will." Todd Thornton

As you know, I test everything in this public community in real time so you can see exactly how it's done. Google has now indexed all three of our existing courses plus several additional posts, which is a big milestone. Google rankings depend on a lot of factors, so I'd love your help with a quick experiment. If you have five minutes, search for the keyword terms below and let me know in the comments whether we show up on Google search in the first 3 pages. We'll most likely be the only Skool link you see. Search for: church visitor checklist Today is day 22 of building this community, and I honestly expected it to take 90 to 120 days before we started ranking for any term. If you're seeing us in the results, we are well ahead of schedule.👏 Drop your results in the comments and include the ranking page/position if you can spot it.

Easter Church Traditions Around the World: How 15 Cultures Celebrate the Resurrection Easter sits at the center of the Christian calendar. For pastors and church leaders looking beyond their own tradition, the ways other cultures mark the resurrection can open up fresh angles for worship planning, sermon series, and Easter programming. Here are fifteen of the most distinctive Easter church traditions from around the world. Salubong — Philippines In many Filipino Catholic communities, Easter begins before sunrise with the Salubong. Two processions move through the streets. One carries the image of the risen Christ, the other carries Mary veiled in black. When they meet, the veil is lifted. It is a simple ritual, but the image of grief giving way to joy lands with real weight. Holy Week Processions — Spain Cities like Seville and Malaga hold long, elaborate processions throughout Holy Week. Participants carry large religious statues through the streets, often for hours at a time. These events are deeply public and communal. Worship moves beyond the church building and into the city itself, which is part of the point. Święconka — Poland On Holy Saturday, many Polish families bring baskets of food to church to be blessed in a tradition known as Święconka. The baskets typically include eggs, bread, and salt. The blessed food is later shared during the Easter meal, which creates a direct and tangible link between the church service and the family table. Paschal Vigil — Greece For many Greek Orthodox believers, Easter centers on the midnight service. Just before midnight, the church darkens before a single flame is shared from the altar outward, one candle to the next, until the whole space is lit. The priest announces "Christ is risen" and families gather afterward to break the fast and greet one another with "Christos Anesti." The movement from darkness to candlelight is one of the more striking moments in Christian worship anywhere in the world. Sunrise Services — United States