What do Christians in the U.S. need to know about mission work? Missions in the world is changing, and that means that Christians in the U.S. need to prepare to support those changes. There has been a wonderful shift of understanding of the Great Commission in Matthew 28 and the differences between making disciples and planting churches. This should be … Read More
Planning Your Day Before You Start It: Do’s and Don’ts
To be effective as a leader you must adopt the practice of scheduling your day before it begins. It’s just that simple–and this is one of the best approaches to managing your time well. Planning each day will take just a few minutes but will make you exponentially more productive. How do renegade pastors plan ahead (whether they do so … Read More
The Four Spaces of Spiritual Growth
Well-meaning church leaders have long been trying to force a high level of familiarity within groups, even though the environment is just not conducive to it. Understanding that there are four primary spaces where we grow spiritually can help stop this tendency. Here is a quick overview of the four spaces of spiritual growth. 1. Public Space Public space is … Read More
Shepherd Your Flock: How to Grow Disciples Through Stewardship
A giving challenge is an ideal way to get hesitant members to commit to giving for a specified period of time and to re-engage those who may have fallen off. The best way to introduce a giving challenge is to tie it in with one of your messages or testimonies on stewardship. Turn your people’s attention to the idea of … Read More
Thinking About Thinking
Since the quality of your life is so directly tied to the quality of your internal dialogue, you must do all you can to shape that dialogue for your own good. Understanding the power of your thoughts or knowing you need to change is not enough. You have to take specific action. Here are some practical steps you can take … Read More
Leaders Care For Their Flock
“He cared for them with a true heart and led them with skillful hands.” –Psalm 78:82 (NLT)
Calvin on God’s Infinite Goodness
“However many blessings we expect from God, His infinite liberality will always exceed all our wishes and our thoughts.” — John Calvin (10 July 1509 – 27 May 1564) was a French theologian, pastor and reformer in Geneva during the Protestant Reformation. He was a principal figure in the development of the system of Christian theology later called Calvinism, aspects … Read More
6 Keys to Reproducing Normal-Size Churches, by Christianity Today
Language of sending is common in evangelical vernacular in recent years. Church planting initiatives rank at the top of the agenda of denominations and networks throughout North America. It’s exceedingly clear that lasting change in the evangelization of North America requires far more healthy, faithful churches than we currently have. But what part does the normal church play in getting … Read More
Love Your Family: Putting in the Hard Work
Providing well for your family is a major component of loving them–and hard work is key to being able to provide well. For some reason, however, too many pastors have gotten it into their heads that ministry is a soft profession–that it can be done with less effort and intentionality than other jobs. In a surprising number of ministerial circles, … Read More
Filling Your Small Groups: All About Testimonies
We all relate to story. Shared human experience connects with us on a deep level and has the ability to spur us to action. That’s why testimonies can be powerful tools to encourage group sign-ups. They can be used to supplement a message on small groups, or they can stand alone. Testimonies are particularly effective. When someone stands up to … Read More