A Healthy Church is a Messy Church, As it Should Be
Spend more than a few weeks in the heart of a church and you discover that church is messy. I can see it in the face of first-timers, that look […]
From Cornfield to City: How One Congregation Followed Jesus into the Heart of Middletown
There’s a moment every week that still catches me off guard because it’s so new. Unhoused men and women, some still recovering from addiction, gather alongside longtime believers on a […]
Os Guinness: Our Nation’s Survival and the Necessity of Revival?
Author’s Note: Os Guinness knows the history of revivals. He is an internationally respected author, social critic, and cultural analyst who has written or edited more than thirty books, including […]
7 Reasons to Arrive Early to Church
If church is important enough to come to, it’s important enough to arrive early to. If you’re going to set an alarm, wake everyone out of bed, fix breakfast, get […]
Can A Growing Church Still Feel Like Family?
In 2012, I had back surgery that left me sidelined for months. I secretly looked forward to the rest—books to read, movies to watch, naps to take. But what I […]
Revitalized Churches Pray, Preach, And Persist
I’ve wanted a Jeep Wrangler my entire life. In 2017, the stars seemed to align when I found the perfect Jeep and also stumbled across an argument that convinced my […]
Revitalized Churches Embrace Spiritual Parenting
When my son was young, I hadn’t yet learned to be the father I wanted to be. I was wrapped up in all of “my” things, and my tunnel vision […]
Revitalized Churches Prepare Well
*Editor’s Note: In this series on church revitalization, Adam Jones, senior minister of Connect Christian Church in Carl Junction, MO, walks through important steps a declining church can take. Revitalization […]
Revitalized Churches Start Listening
*Editor’s Note: In this series on church revitalization, Adam Jones, senior minister of Connect Christian Church in Carl Junction, MO, walks through important steps a declining church can take. Revitalization […]
Thinking Clearly About Evangelism
It’s no secret that many American churches are struggling, particularly with a decline in church attendance. Close to home (for me at least), Churches of Christ were bleeding members prior […]
Revitalized Churches Rediscover Family
The church began in 1885. The early years were poorly documented but assumed to have been fruitful. After all, they began with 37 people meeting in a borrowed space before […]
Revitalized Churches Require Renewed Leaders
In July 2004, I simultaneously learned that my wife was pregnant with our first child and chose to move us 12 hours away to pursue a student ministry position. I […]
Inviting Church Leaders into a Transformative Vision
December 11, 2023 This past summer, after a time of prayer, a meeting was initiated by the leadership of RENEW.org. The vision was to bring together 40 senior ministers/pastors who […]
Questioning the Asbury Revival?
For those of us who believe God is really doing something special with the Asbury revival right now, it can be hard to hear criticism and questions of what is […]
Disciple Making Author Q&A – Bobby Harrington & Scott Sager
Disciple Making Q&A Perspectives on the Church’s Mission Bobby and Scott explain that disciple making is the core mission of the church, grounded in Jesus’ model of intentional relational formation. […]
Stop Comparing Your Church: Why Contextualization, Missiology, and Authenticity Matters
Contextualization in Your God Given Church Setting Contextualization counters comparison. When pastors are tempted to measure their ministry against other churches’ highlight reels, remembering their own unique context protects them […]
Top Ten Forward-Thinking Trends for Disciple Makers
Top Ten Forward-Thinking Trends — Priorities for Disciple Makers Clarify definitions and mission, making disciple making the core focus while moving beyond Sunday-only to a seven-day relational approach with phygital […]
Restoring Our City – Q&A with Kelvin Teamer
Restoring — Spirit-Led Renewal in Atlanta Monthly prayer walks through City Hall, campuses, and shuttered business corridors ask God to heal disorder and plant the kingdom’s flag in the city. […]
How Can Churches Cultivate a Disciple Making Culture? Q&A with Brandon Guindon
Q&A with Brandon Guindon: Building a Culture of Disciple Making Q&A with Brandon Guindon emphasizes that true disciple making starts with obedience to Jesus’ Great Commission, not programs or sermons. […]
Lessons from the Church in Eastern Canada: Get Creative
Canada in Post-Christian Ministry—Creative Lessons Healthy churches prioritize disciple making over size, channeling resources so disciples make disciples in any context. Bivocational and covocational models—like funding a coffee shop that […]
Lessons from the Church in Eastern Canada: Success in a Post-Christian World
Post-Christian World — Eastern Canada Field Notes In Metro Halifax where fewer than 5% attend church, success shifts from weekly shows to small missional communities living Acts 2 rhythms together. […]
Church, It’s Time to Bring Back Apprenticeships.
Apprenticeships that Shape Ministry Readiness Rooted in Scripture, Apprenticeships mirror Jesus with the Twelve, Moses and Joshua, and Paul with Timothy to form leaders through life-on-life mentoring. Beyond classrooms, they […]
Discouragement & Dropout: Why Ministers Leave the Ministry
Why Ministers Leave the Ministry — Causes and Care Unrealistic ideals collide with reality, so mentoring that names failures and models growth helps ministers navigate weekly crises. Unhealthy leadership cultures […]
Church Leader, We Are So Thankful for You
Church Leader — Encouragement for Uncertain Times Through conflict, elections, and a pandemic, you pursued unity, protected the vulnerable, and kept people connected while trusting God. Scripture-shaped leadership preached truth, […]
The Authentic Experience Church Model with Corey Trimble
Corey Trimble — Authentic Church Culture & Disciple Making Expository teaching anchors culture, welcoming seekers while holding firm to Scripture. Leaders practice incarnational outreach, building real bridges with grace and […]
Can a Pastor of 5,000 Understand a Church of 150?
Can a Pastor of 5,000 Understand a Church of 150—Practical Path Culture beats trend: growth flows from a church culture that is 100% faithful to the Bible while welcoming outsiders […]
On Gender and the Bible: One Church’s Real-World Fight (Part 8)
One Church Real-World Fight and Biblical Transformation Building a culture rooted in Scripture, One Church’s Real-World Fight recounts how obedience reshaped leadership and deepened faith. Through consistent discipleship and prayerful […]
A Leadership Training Manual on Avoiding the Ditches
Leadership – Disciple Making Without Ditches Corey Trimble’s An Authentic Experience equips churches to build an inviting culture with biblical integrity for sustainable disciple making. Avoiding the two ditches—ineffective traditionalism […]
Reasons for Church Decline in the West
Church Decline in the West – Causes, Culture, Renewal Prosperity can breed forgetfulness of God, dulling urgency about death, judgment, and obedience. Secularism disciples people to live as if God […]
Changing Times: Part 3 of a Conversation with Bob Russell
Part 3 of a Conversation with Bob Russell on Faithful Leadership Facing shifting cultural views, Russell urges thick skin with soft hearts, resisting the drift to “shout grace and whisper […]
Ditches to Avoid – Part 2 of a Conversation with Bob Russell
Ditches to Avoid and Guardrails for Leadership Preaching through Scripture steadies congregations as elders shield ministers from political flashpoints and help keep Jesus central. Differentiating principles from methods frees churches […]
Why Plant New Churches?
Plant New Churches for Gospel Multiplication Rooted in Genesis, God calls His people to be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth—church planting embodies that mandate. In Acts, the church stalled […]
O.P.E.N.: 4 Things Elders Must Do
4 Things Elders Must Do for Safe Reopening Oversee policy and timing as shepherds, owning responsibility for when and how the church gathers again. Plan the big calls—distancing, touch-free communion, […]
4 Creative Ways Churches are Serving Their Communities
4 Creative Ways Churches are Serving Their Communities in Action Churches launched initiatives like the “Dollar Club” to meet local needs, showing that 4 Creative Ways Churches are Serving Their […]
Can Your Church Thrive in Exile? A Conversation with Randy Gariss
Can Your Church Thrive in Exile with Hope and Renewal Exile shapes the church’s strength. Randy Gariss explains that moving from the cultural center to the margins gives believers clarity […]
Are You Creating Consumers or Disciples? Interview with Kelvin Teamer
Are You Creating Consumers or Disciples: Church Reboot Interview with Kelvin Teamer contrasts consumer Christianity with true discipleship and urges prayer-and-fasting as the spark for Holy Spirit revival. Indicators of […]
When Church Comes to a Crossroads
When Church Comes to a Crossroads in Christian Living When Church Comes to a Crossroads contrasts consumer-driven decision-making with the biblical call to exalt Christ. The article shows that When […]
Astros: A Cautionary Tale
Astros Reveal Pitfalls of Cutting Corners in Faith Astros serves as a warning that even impressive success can unravel when integrity is compromised. Cutting corners might bring results, but at […]
A Bible-Believing Person of Science? – Interview with Richard Knopp
Interview with Richard Knopp: Exploring the Role of Reason in Faith Apologetics offers a thoughtful framework for explaining belief, combining logic and humility, as discussed by Dr. Knopp. The relationship […]
Your Church May Have a Board, But Does It Have True Elders?
Does It Have True Elders? Signs of Essential Church Leadership Not all church boards are biblical elder teams. Jared Johnson explains how spiritually mature elders provide crucial oversight for the […]
Why Do So Many Ministers Drop Out of Ministry? How We Can Help
Why Do So Many Ministers Drop Out of Ministry — Action the Church Can Take Parents are urged to give their best to God by encouraging gifted sons and daughters […]