It happens. Life s going well, it seems. You’re comfortable where you are. You’re enjoying what you’re doing. As far as you know, you could spend the rest of your life living where you live and doing the work you’re doing. Then, God unexpectedly changes your plans. Sometimes it happens excitedly, sometimes painfully – but […]
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Does strategy belong in the church? What came to mind when you read that? For many, strategy within the church context evokes a grim image.
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If you want to know whether balance is important, ask a tightrope walker or a technician who installs new tires on your vehicle. If you want to know whether balance is important, ask a nutritionist who encourages her patients to create balanced, healthy diets. But, if you want to know whether balance is important, you might not want to ask group ministry leaders.
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I listened to the burden of a pastor friend of mine who, through their broken heart, shared the story of a child who has strayed from faith. I have many other friends who tell the same story—they’ve devoted their lives to ministry, only to witness a child of their own take steps away from God.
If the first church had a website, the tagline “Together” would have been on brand. The community of faith in its earliest days serves as the standard for every local church going forward. However, pastors today are seeing a deepening apathy toward the value and vitality of biblical community. According to the Greatest Needs of Pastors research, 75% of pastors say people’s apathy or lack of commitment is the most challenging people dynamic they deal with in ministry.
From the beginning of history, God has worked through agents to carry out His mission. Patrick Schreiner, Associate Professor of New Testament and Biblical Theology at Midwestern Seminary, writes, “[God] enacts His mission and furthers His mission specifically through His people.”
Ministry sometimes feels like a slap in the face, often when you least expect it to happen. Sometimes doing God's will still hurts. What do you do when that happens?
In a time when financial fraud and wasteful spending is making headlines, the call for transparency and accountability has never been more urgent. And while most churches don’t struggle with fraud or outright theft, many do suffer from poor financial accountability.
As church leaders, we can confidently tell anyone in the congregation that this is what God wants for them—His will is for their discipleship. But even as we say that, we must recognize that discipleship isn’t something we can manufacture. Despite our efforts, intentions, and programs, the process of a person being conformed to the image of Jesus is not something we can accomplish. That work belongs to the Holy Spirit and Him alone
Sex trafficking is one of the world’s most underreported crimes. Victims rarely disclose their abuse because they have often been threatened or coerced into staying silent. In order to help these victims, understanding the signs and symptoms that might indicate someone is being trafficked is of the utmost importance.
How long does it take to create a culture of prayer in a church? No matter how much your church needs a culture of prayer, it won’t happen after a single sermon on prayer, or an announcement of your vision or one dynamic prayer meeting.
There are a lot of us Baby Boomer pastors and Christian leaders around. And it’s cliché, but we aren’t getting any younger. It’s a quiet question that many are asking, but they are asking it nonetheless: What age should I retire?
I suggest that the pastoral ministry of hospitality has excellent potential for improving the local church’s health. My argument here rests on my analysis of New Testament passages and my personal experience as a pastor and seminary professor.
It happens to most of us. Ministry gets really hard, and we get wounded. Our wounds then become scars, on which other scars later develop. If we’re not alert and self-aware, our heart gets hardened. Be aware of these signs of increasing hardening in your life.
