Category: Church Life

What We Learn from William Borden (Borden of Yale)

“Lord Jesus, I take hands off as far as my life is concerned. I put Thee on the throne in my heart. Change, cleanse, use me as Thou shalt choose. […]

Masculinity Is Not Inherently Toxic…and Neither Is Empathy

We don’t do nuance very well these days… We tend to take complex realities, find their absolute worst expressions, and then decide the whole thing must be the problem. If […]

Church Leaders: Focus on Disciple Making

If you are a church leader, you need a clear focus for your ministry. There are so many things to do—sermons, pastoral visits, planning meetings, and more—and, if we’re honest, […]

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 […]

Where Christian Leadership Begins: Q&A with Jaron Scott

*Editor’s Note: Jaron Scott pastors Christ’s Church of Joplin and works on the faculty of Ozark Christian College as a professor of organizational leadership. Here, Jaron explains how Christian leadership […]

Costly Obedience and the Restoration Movement

The Restoration Movement emerged from a collective belief that Jesus’ prayer in John 17 called for obedience rather than admiration. Barton W. Stone and Alexander Campbell thought that Christian division […]

What Does “God Fearing” Mean?

What comes to mind when you hear the phrase “God fearing”? One of the first things I picture is an old movie. Maybe it’s even black and white. And one […]

Seven Churches of Revelation: The Church in Pergamum

Going on the road north from Smyrna you would travel along the coast for 40 miles, then you’d go northeast up the valley. Ten miles east from the shore was […]

What Does the Bible Say about Deacons?

The word “deacon” (diakonos in Greek) is a broad word which means “servant” or “minister” or “administrator.” Deacons typically are appointed by the church to be in charge of programs […]

What Does the Bible Say about Elders? 10 Clarifying Questions

One of the many distinctives of churches in the RENEW.org Network is that our congregations are elder-guided (along with holding high views of Scripture, baptism, weekly communion, etc.). Being elder-guided […]

The Last Will Be First, and the First Will Be Last

The week of Jesus’ crucifixion, beginning with his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, his parables and teaching grew increasingly sharp in his condemnation of the religious leaders. He also continued to […]

Reflecting on the St. Paul Church Protesters

January 21, 2026 Minnesota’s Twin Cities have erupted again. A large deployment of President Trump’s ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents in the area met with icy resistance. Protests […]

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Churches

All of us have habits. Some good; some bad. In The Patient Ferment of the Early Church, Alan Kreider calls habits our embodied behaviors—our reflexes. Habits are not strategies; they are […]

Amazing Baptism Numbers Seminar – Watch the Recordings

Dear RENEW.org Network Leaders, If you are a church leader or everyday Christian and you want to learn how to be more effective at leading people to Jesus through baptism, […]

Learning to Fight Like David

One of the best examples of fight comes from the famous story of David and Goliath. Even if you’ve never picked up a Bible in your life, you probably know […]

A Merry Christmas in a Divided World

Kids start learning long division in 4th-5th grade. This is also around the same time many of them will learn about even longer divisions that apply to our world. Maybe […]

The Birth of Our King and Our Country’s Political Focus

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.” —Isaiah 9:6a (NIV) Jesus was born into a politically […]

Why I’m Excited About the Future of the Restoration Movement

Full disclosure: I’ve been a part of a “Restoration Movement” church since preschool. If I sound like a “Campbellite,” it could be due to being dyed in the wool as […]

Seven Churches of Revelation: The Church in Smyrna

The city of Smyrna is actually the only one of the cities of the Seven Churches of Revelation still around. It is modern-day Izmir, Turkey. Traveling from Ephesus, the first […]

Pastors and Workplace Leaders: A Two-Way Street to Kingdom Impact

In today’s cultural seismic shifts, the boundary between sacred and secular continues to blur—and that’s a positive development. As pastors, we have a unique opportunity to extend our influence beyond […]

Pray for India’s Persecuted Church

The early church “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42, NIV). Prayer was their lifeline, their strength, and […]

Why Isn’t the Book of Enoch in the Bible?

What do we know about 1 Enoch and the Bible? The first thing to say is that 1 Enoch is pseudepigraphal, that is, it was not written by Enoch. The […]

Summary of the Book of Enoch: Five Sections

1 Enoch naturally divides into five sections: The Book of Watchers (1-36), The Book of Parables (37-71), The Astronomical Book (72-82), the Book of Dream Visions (83-90), and the Letter […]

Have You Developed a Theology of Leadership?

Everybody who leads has a philosophy of leadership. Every leader from Michael Scott to Genghis Khan has absorbed principles and values that guide them. If you are a Christian leader, […]

5 Things to Expect from a Missionary

People sometimes place unfair expectations on missionaries that they support. They might expect the missionary to convert an entire nation to Christ before their first furlough. They might expect the […]

Leadership Without Vision?

When we talk about leadership we talk about vision. But is vision what truly makes leaders successful? The answer might surprise us. I recently did a deep dive into three […]

Seven Churches in Revelation: The Church in Ephesus

The book of Revelation is addressed to seven churches in Asia Minor, the first of which is the church in Ephesus. In this article, we’re going to take a look […]

Summary of the Book of Enoch: Background and Purpose

A recent ad on X (formerly Twitter) promoted a tweet by the “Apostle John Welty” (if you doubt his apostleship, know his account is verified with a blue check). He […]

Values and Practices of High-Functioning Elder Teams

The model for plural church leadership finds its origin in our holy, triune God, who exists in perfect relationship. From the beginning, He has invited us into that divine relationship—calling […]

Leadership Alignment Training for Disciple Making

Dear RENEW.org Network Leaders, Join me by wrapping your mind around an important truth: fewer than 5% of churches in North America have a disciple making culture (see here). That […]

What’s Halloween Supposed to Be About?

What’s Halloween supposed to be about? It is difficult for 21st century Americans to comprehend why people persecute their neighbors for religious reasons. Nonetheless, people have persecuted others for religious […]

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 […]

Will the Real Saul of Tarsus Please Stand Up?

Updated October 24, 2025. One of the most important figures in the New Testament is the apostle Paul. Once a zealous persecutor of Christians, Jesus came to him in a […]

Why Record-Breaking Moments Won’t Build Your Church—And What Will

Somewhere right now, a man is running across a desert without stopping. A teenager is holding his breath longer than most of us could survive. And a chef is stacking […]

Saying ‘No’ Can Sometimes Be the Right ‘Yes’

It’s amazing how often Jesus stopped to respond to the needs of others. He made time for a blind beggar calling out from the roadside, welcomed mothers who wanted Him […]

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 […]

Make Your Small Groups Like A.A.

Instead of church small groups looking and feeling like a classroom, small groups should look and feel more like A.A. That’s right…Alcoholics Anonymous. To truly make disciples of Jesus, people […]

Facing Cultural Hostility with Cultural Apologetics

October 6, 2025 @NeilShenvi – I understand the desire to “not mix Christianity and politics.” But open, vigorous debate about which policies *actually* align with biblical values seems vastly preferable […]

When a Famous Christian Dies

One of the sadder facets of building a personal library is pausing every few years to realize how many of your favorite authors are now dead. I recall the first […]

What’s Sunday Really For?

Back in the 1950s, the Austrian zoologist Konrad Lorenz discovered a fact of nature everyone should know: ducklings, it turns out, are gullible. Arriving in the world without any innate […]

Worship Leaders and Identity

For those of us that are musicians and worship leaders, where does our identity come from? Is it in our musical talents? Our artistic spirit? Our ability to lead a […]

The Apocrypha and the Old Testament Canon

When the Hasmonian king Jonathan sent a letter to the Spartans seeking an alliance, he made a fascinating remark worth repeating. According to 1 Maccabees, King Jonathan says, “We have […]

Making Room: Reflections on a Ministry Internship

I had the opportunity to intern at a church for the first time this summer. With two years of college under my belt, I knew that I was prepared to […]

When Sports Conflict with Sunday Worship: Some Questions to Ask

*Editor’s Note: In this article’s final paragraph, the author rightly calls this sports-church conflict an “elephant in the room.” As such, it’s an elephant that has plunked down in the […]

What Books Are in the Apocrypha? A Summary of Each Book

In an earlier article, we defined the Old Testament Apocrypha as a collection of Jewish books written from the fourth to the first centuries B.C., included in and apparently canonized […]

When to Teach Your Kids About Sexuality and Gender?

When is the right time to teach kid(s) about sex, sexuality, gender, and LGBTQ+ topics? I wish it were as easy as offering a specific point in childhood development; unfortunately, […]

Conference on Discipling Men

Dear RENEW.org Network Friends, RENEW.org and Discipleship.org are partnering with BetterMan for a one-day conference in Dallas on September 11, 2025, called “Discipling Men.” Let me tell you why we […]

Wild at Heart After 25 Years

*Editor’s Note: How should Christians view masculinity? As something godly to be cultivated? As something toxic to be suppressed? John Eldredge’s 2001 New York Times bestseller Wild at Heart: Discovering […]

Who Is the Beast in Revelation?

Editor’s Note: There seem to be as many interpretations of the book of Revelation as there are readers. It’s true that we find core Christian truths in Revelation— truths which […]

The Life and Work of Gregory Palamas, Eastern Orthodox Theologian

Gregory Palamas is a name that frequently appears in the study and reading of the history and doctrine of the Eastern Orthodox Church.* Multiple authors quote his writings, and others […]

The Story of the Old Testament Apocrypha

The Apocrypha. Even the word is mysterious, perhaps conjuring up some Amazon.com-only work on the “lost books of the Bible.” For evangelicals, the Apocrypha can be intimidating, as its presence […]

What Is Biblical Manhood? (Part 2)

Editor’s Note: We live in an era of confusion and hurt when it comes to the question of what it means to be a real man. Should we see manhood […]

Abiding Prayer: a Posture of Simply Being with God

Author’s note: This is my fifth article dealing with pastoral burnout. Recent Barna research revealed that 33% of ministers had given serious thought to quitting.[1] My own research for a […]

Sola Scriptura: Are the Scriptures Our Final Authority?

Understanding Sola Scriptura and Its Role in Church Authority Today Is Scripture the church’s ultimate authority? This article explores the Protestant view of Sola Scriptura, which upholds the Bible as […]

Church Planting Resident? It’s Easier Than You Think

Article Summary: A turnkey distance residency program can help your church play a part in equipping church planters. Distance-based residencies let the emerging planter stay rooted in the local church […]

Act Like Men?

Growing up, I thought the Marine Corps had the best recruiting commercials out of all the armed services. Maybe that’s why I spent so much time in the Marine recruiting office […]

What Is Biblical Manhood? (Part 1)

Editor’s Note: We live in an era of confusion and hurt when it comes to the question of what it means to be a real man. Should we see manhood […]

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 […]

Teen Counseling Insights from the Book of Job: The Need for Listening & Encouragement

AUTHOR’S NOTE: One of the best ways we can learn what people in crisis need is by examining case studies of people who have successfully survived a crisis. The biblical […]

The Music of Worship: What Jacob Collier Reminds Us About the Heart of Discipleship

If you have not yet stumbled upon the musical phenomenon that is Jacob Collier, it is worth pausing for a moment to witness it. Collier, a young British musician whose […]

10 Reasons I Go To Church

I’ve heard it said, “We aren’t called to go to church. We are called to be the church.” Halfway true. Here’s the problem with that statement. Being and going strengthen each other. I can’t imagine how the being part […]

Teen Counseling Insights from the Book of Job: The Need for Dignity & Presence

AUTHOR’S NOTE: One of the best ways we can learn what people in crisis need is by examining case studies of people who have successfully survived a crisis. The biblical […]

Disciple Making, Matthew Bates, and 5-Point Calvinism: Q&A with Bill Hull

*Editor’s Note: Our mission at RENEW.org is to “renew the teachings of Jesus to Fuel Disciple Making,” so we want to take note of an important debate that is currently […]

Does Something Feel Off with Modern Church Leadership?

In this article, I’d like to share a journey for me and why it has been so necessary to my own health to walk away from a modern church mentality […]

Discomfort, a Missing Ingredient in Discipleship

“If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.” (John 14:15-16, NLT) As dean […]

What Are You Measuring? A Call to Better Metrics.

Over the past four to five years, I’ve had numerous conversations with church leaders who have embraced the challenge of shifting from primarily attractional strategies to a culture that prioritizes […]

It Goes Without Saying? A Reflection on Pope Francis

April 25, 2025 “If necessary, use words.” The original (Saint) Francis purportedly said this. Preach the gospel all the time, and—if necessary—use words. To this, we talkers want our chance […]

Four Disciple Making Essentials

You want to make disciples because it was Jesus’ last command and one of the most important expressions of love you could show to another human being. I cannot think […]

Grandparenting Advantages for Discipling Kids

It’s true that the Bible talks about parents way more than it talks about grandparents. The most foundational family discipleship passages in Scripture are written with the parent-child relationship in […]

Pastoral Burnout: Why Community Matters and How to Find It

Author’s note: This is my fourth article dealing with pastoral burnout. Recent Barna research revealed that 33% of ministers had given serious thought to quitting.[1] My own research for a […]

Renew University Now Enrolling!

The wait is over, and Renew University’s Certificate in Theology program is now enrolling! The program is designed with you in mind, featuring great courses taught with excellence by teachers […]

Leading from the Subway: The Importance of Knowing Whom You Lead

Faced with one of the most daunting decisions to make, Winston Churchill found himself in a dilemma. One decision would plunge the United Kingdom into world war. The other choice […]

6 Tips from a Passionate Educator on Discipling Youth

*Editor’s Note: Dr. Tamara Turner is the Chief Executive Officer of Quality Education Academy, a premier public charter school in North Carolina. She is also a Christian who teaches Bible […]

Roots and Renewal: Why History Matters

Over the greater part of a decade, I served as a missionary in Central Europe, where the currents of history run deep. If you have ever traveled through that part […]

A Lesson from the Church in Croatia

“Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” (John 13:35, NLT) In the years since Croatia’s break from the Socialist Federal Republic of […]

The Importance of Reading Scripture Out Loud

It is a fascinating fact of intellectual history that, in antiquity, reading was not the silent, solitary endeavor we assume today, but rather an event of the spoken word—aural, communal, […]

Remembering Saint Patrick and Hope for Today

“Kiss me. I’m Irish!” That was the phrase on my friend‘s coffee mug. When I saw it, I thought, “I have no idea what that means, but I sure could […]

The Scoop on Happiness in Church

I believe summer nights should end with ice cream. And I don’t just mean frozen desserts; I mean ice cream. Frozen custard counts. Same for gelato. In a tight spot, […]

Who Was Miriam in the Bible?

Miriam was one of the three siblings whom God appointed to rescue the Israelite nation from bondage in Egypt. A little background will help us understand Miriam’s place in time […]

What Is the Book of Enoch?

The Book of Enoch is perhaps one of the most widely known pieces of literature from the corpus known as the Old Testament Pseudepigrapha. It purports to be the work […]

God Does Not Give Us a Spirit of Fear

A meaningful conversation is like lightning. You never know when it is going to strike. On the way back from Dairy Queen, I had a conversation that changed the course […]

Ten Common Characteristics of a Healthy Church Regardless of Size or Location

Over the past 20 years, I’ve had the privilege of visiting hundreds of churches across the country. Recently, I’ve highlighted several exceptional examples on my website. While there are many […]

What We Must Learn from Andrew Tate Even If We Don’t Want To

What do you do with a man of arrogance and rebellion who inspires the hearts of countless young men and boys in a world deliberately set against them? What do […]

What I Said to the Preteens About Marriage, Sexuality, and Boundaries

Once a month, I teach at the preteen youth group at church. My assigned topic a few weeks ago was what the Bible teaches about marriage, romance, and godly boundaries. […]

Internships 101: Tips from a Veteran Intern

It is no secret that fewer people are going into local church ministry now than they were twenty or thirty years ago, and there is a whole slew of reasons […]

Renew Review: ‘The Anxious Generation’ by Jonathan Haidt

In The Anxious Generation, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt describes how GenZ is overprotected in the real world—and underprotected in the virtual world. Professor Chad Ragsdale explores Haidt’s thesis and describes […]

A Place To Belong: Church as the Catalyst for True Religion

“God sets the lonely in families.” —Psalm 68:6a, NIV In 2013, The New York Times ran an article about a former Methodist minister looking for a fulfilling life after giving […]

Rejoice in Suffering for Your Faith

“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as […]

Learning from Lausanne: Reflections on an Evangelical Movement of World Missions

As many of us in America turned our eyes to the recent political election, you might’ve missed what happened a couple months ago when 5,000 believers from 200 countries gathered […]

Letter to the Struggling Man in our Day

Hey brother, I heard you’ve been knocked around a bit lately, and I just wanted to stop by and see how things are going. Don’t worry, I won’t tell you […]

Sabbaticals: An Exploration on the What, Why, and How of Pastoral Sabbaticals

When I mentioned the idea of taking an extended sabbatical to our elder chairman, a man of proven character and wisdom, he hesitantly said, “Huh, okay . . . I […]

Is It Possible to Vent without Gossiping?

We all need someone to talk to. And if we don’t talk about the things that bother us, we often internalize our angst in ways that can become debilitating and […]

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 […]

Church History Debates: The Filioque & From Whom the Holy Spirit Proceeds

From whom does the Holy Spirit proceed—just God the Father or the Father and the Son? And does it matter? This debate would go on to play a pivotal role in fracturing […]

What If This Election Is About Discipleship?

“The basic problem of the Christians in this country in the last eighty years or so, in regard to society and in regard to government, is that they have seen […]

What It Means to Be Protestant: A Review

Gavin Ortlund in his outstanding new book What It Means to be Protestant: The Case for an Always-Reforming Church points to three aspects of renewal. These three aspects comprise what […]

Help! I’m Lonely: Good News for Lonely Leaders

I once heard Tim Keller say, “Wise leaders know that leaders are lonely, and they escape the trap of self-pity about it.” True, but Keller’s talk provided no answer to […]

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 […]

The Family You Know You Need

Serenity often overruns the clock (and everything else) during my morning coffee. My deck provides the perfect spectator seat to the herd of deer that frequently visit the back field. […]

Church History Debates: Should We Venerate Icons?

A hallmark of Old Testament Judaism was its strict opposition to idolatry, and hence to religious images that could lead to image worship. The earliest Christians seemed to follow their […]

What Is Unity in the Bible? (It’s Far More Important Than I Thought.)

And the first prize for most unifying religion goes to… Easy answer, right? Obviously, the answer is supposed to be Christianity, isn’t it? And yet the church isn’t always very […]

Feeling Alone in Ministry?

“Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that […]

Review of Justin Brierley’s ‘The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God’

Is Christian faith dying in the Western world? Have the “new atheists” succeeded in souring Christianity for thinking people? There are actually some fascinating signs of a resurgence of interest […]

Summary of Psalms: Understanding the Basics of Psalms in the Bible

The Hebrew title for the book of Psalms is tehilim, roughly translated as “praises.” In some ways, this is an unusual title, as the largest single category of Psalms are […]

The Unintended Consequences of the Modern Church

It’s a good season to reexamine the effectiveness of the modern church. Our commitment, as RENEW.org leaders, is to continually go back to Scripture, to restore and prioritize what it […]

Review of ‘The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God’ by Justin Brierley

The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God: Why New Atheism Grew Old and Secular Thinkers Are Considering Christianity Again is the culmination of years of conversations with numerous leading thinkers […]

Accountability and the Bible: Are Christians Supposed to Hold Each Other Accountable?

Not too long ago, I attended church where I had been the senior minister/pastor many years earlier. After church, I had a conversation with a man about a Bible professor […]

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 […]

Church Is Boring? 3 Times It Actually Is

When someone says or thinks that church is boring, what is it exactly that they are bored by? Here are three times a church gathering actually is boring—to us and, […]

Beatitudes: The Path of the Kingdom

Jesus’ original audience often misunderstood him because they filtered his teachings through their preconceived worldview and the skewed questions that flowed from it. We have a different worldview with different […]

Singing the Song of the Lamb: A Review of Jonathan Young’s Commentary on Revelation

Sitting on the back deck of my home one afternoon, my young teenage son, Jonathan, told me that he no longer believed in God. I cannot say I was surprised. […]

Doctrinal Misalignment: A Relational Approach

*Editor’s Note: This article is a helpful illustration of how two people can confront doctrinal misalignment in a relational way. The specific scenario deals with the miraculous gifts of the […]

Pastoral Burnout: Beating Burnout Before it Begins

Being a minister is hard. Being a lead minister in 2024, post-COVID in the United States, is harder than ever. Barna Research Group’s 2022 research revealed that 41% of lead ministers […]

Renewing a Focus on Unreached Peoples

Very few laborers are going to the unreached and unharvested parts of the world. This means we must rethink why, how, and where are we sending our people. If we […]

Beyond the Headlines: Recognizing the Faithful Shepherds

The recent news that Robert Morris, pastor of Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, was involved in a serious offense against a twelve-year-old girl over thirty years ago is exceptionally troubling. […]

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 […]

What Prevents Us from Life Transformation?

At a ministry conference recently, I commented that, when measured against the heart of God in the Sermon on the Mount, large segments of American Christianity seem to be going […]

What Does Our Faith Teach That Our Society Needs?

Christianity emerged in a world vastly different from the values espoused by followers of Christ. Slavery was assumed to be a necessary part of a functioning society, and slaves could […]

Perspectives in Leadership: Leadership Is Stewardship

I prayed that God would give me wisdom to lead. In return, I was led down a path toward a special kind of slavery. I was initially intrigued when I […]

Summary of 1 Timothy: Understanding the Basics of 1 Timothy in the Bible

Here is a short summary of 1 Timothy: First Timothy is a personal letter from the apostle Paul to his friend and colleague in ministry, Timothy. Paul had traveled to […]

What Every Man Needs

*Editor’s Note: First Samuel 13 narrates the sad account of how Israel’s first king, Saul, lost the opportunity for his kingdom to endure. God’s prophet Samuel had told Saul to […]

Women as Lead Preachers and the Meaning of ‘Authentein’ in 1 Timothy 2:12

Recently Mike Winger, a pastor and featured teacher on Biblical Thinker online, posted a very long series of videos exploring the subject of women in Christian ministry.[1] In part twelve […]

Church History Debates: What Is Monophysitism?

It seems clear from Scripture that Jesus was both human and divine. Could it be that both natures combined to form a single, hybrid nature? That’s the logic behind a […]

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 […]

Review of Eric Metaxas’s ‘Letter to the American Church’ (the movie)

John Whittaker reviews Eric Metaxas’s Letter to the American Church (the movie). John gives an overview of the documentary and discusses its strengths and weaknesses.

Don’t Underestimate the Younger Generation

“How can a good God let bad things happen?” . . . “What even is blasphemy of the Spirit?” . . . “Is that technically a sin, even if my […]

Perspectives on Leadership: Leadership is Participation

The best things in life are often those we didn’t know we needed. The same is true in leadership. I have heard it said that vision is the leader’s greatest […]

Household Gods: On Our Tendency to Worship Family

Have you noticed that parents have been acting a bit crazy? The parents getting ejected at youth baseball games for harassing the umpires; The parents losing their minds at school […]

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 […]

Church History Debates: Why Believe the Trinity?

The word “Trinity” takes the prefix “tri” (three) and connects it with the word “unity.” The doctrine teaches that God is a unity of three persons. The word itself isn’t […]

Formation of the Old Testament Canon

How did we get our Old Testament? Who decided which books made the cut (and became “canon”)? Why are there differences between the list of books in Catholic and Protestant […]

The Revival Will Not Be Televised: Some Reflections on Collegiate Revival

Recently, on March 27, 2024, over 250 students from the University of Alabama were baptized in a downtown fountain following a worship event hosted by UniteUS. To be honest, I […]

If I Could Go Back to the Beginning: 10 Lessons Learned from Church Planting

If I could go back to the beginning of our church plant journey—spring of 2014 when Matt and I first publicly committed to answer God’s call to plant a church—knowing […]

Why Isn’t My Church Growing?

When pastors hear about our work in India and that we saw over 56,000 people come to Jesus just last year, they always ask the same question: “Why isn’t my […]

Church History Debates: Is Pelagianism a Heresy?

It’s clear from Scripture and our own experience that humans, though created in God’s image, are sinners. We have a decided inner propensity toward sin. But is it at least possible […]

Spoiler Alert: Are Churches Going the Way of Hollywood Predictability?

Did movies get worse? Over the holiday I saw Wonka at my childhood movie theater. That cinema features one screen, no online reservations, and seats reminiscent of jury duty. However, I walked […]

Why Do Christians Gather on Sunday?

It is important to note that in Scripture there is a regularity by which Christians came together to be an assembly or gathering. The book of Acts tells us that […]

4 Ways I Was Impacted by ‘Fool of God: A Novel Based on the Life of Alexander Campbell’

I became a disciple of Jesus at the University of Calgary (Canada) and was baptized on my 20th birthday. I was discipled to closely read and obey Scripture. It was […]

Church History Debates: Was Jesus One or Two Persons?

In its early centuries, the church wrestled with how exactly to describe Jesus. When Arius taught that Jesus wasn’t fully God, the church consensus clarified that Jesus was, in fact, […]

What Is the Lord’s Supper? Exploring Unity, Renewal, and Remembrance

What is the Lord’s Supper? On a Thursday night, Jesus was celebrating a Passover meal with his disciples when he shocked them by explaining how the wine and unleavened bread […]

Church History Debates: Is Jesus Fully Human?

At the Council of Nicea in A.D. 325, the vast majority of the church’s leaders affirmed that Jesus was fully God (contrary to the teaching of Arius). Yet, if Jesus […]

Don’t Be a Preacher Running a 1994 Play in a 2024 World…

January 22, 2024 Dear Renew.org Network, The subtitle of this post could be: Don’t require teenagers in your church to have more courage than their preacher . . . . […]

Church History Debates: Is Jesus Fully God?

After the Roman emperor Constantine used Christianity to unify his empire, his son Constantius went one step further: He attempted to unify the Roman empire under an even more unifying […]

3 Shifts to Make Fundraising Joyful

What if we put the “fun” back in “fundraising”? Too corny? Probably, but the word is there—all three letters. So, seriously, just imagine for a moment if fundraising were an […]

Church History Debates: What Books Make It in the Canon?

The New Testament wasn’t delivered to the church in a leather-bound booklet. When it came time for the early churches to determine which books made the “canon,” there were multiple […]

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 […]

What Are Your 20s For?

Every fall when I give my “welcome to college” talk to our incoming class of first-year students, I tell them that they will likely experience more changes over the next […]

Youth Leader, You Don’t Have to Work Alone. Join a Learning Community.

“No one can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play it.” —H.E. Luccock Each of us in our own way is on God’s stage and playing our […]

Church History Debates: What About Lapsed Christians?

Imagine that your church is being persecuted in ways that drastically separate those who follow Jesus from those who cave to the pressure. Let’s say that at some point the […]

Church History Debates: What Should We Think About Gnosticism?

Early Christians, especially in the 2nd Century AD, had to respond to a philosophical-religious system that had begun synchronizing with Christianity. Was it okay to blend the “best” of both […]

Church History Debates: What About Gentile Converts?

Although the first Christians were Jews, the first century began to see an influx of Gentiles into the church. How would church leaders respond to this ethnic shakeup? Background and […]

Disciple Making in the Megachurch: Q&A with Bart Shaw of Trader’s Point Christian Church

Can large, long-established churches move to a disciple-making core focus? What steps need to be taken? I recently caught up with Bart Shaw, Campus Pastor and Lead Discipleship Pastor at […]

Sunday Best: What Might Our Best Actually Look Like?

Remember that expression Sunday Best? It usually referred to church clothes: a dressy wardrobe that was reserved for the first day of the week. It wasn’t just about threads, though. Sunday Best signified […]

Why Care About the Rural Church? A Q&A with Tyler VanWey

Editor’s Note: Why care about the rural church? While it’s easy to focus on growing urban and suburban churches because of their population density, it also becomes easier to forget […]

3 Ways to Shepherd Well

One of the foremost elders of the church, the Apostle Peter, gives us a clear picture of our role as elders. In 1 Peter 5:1-4, he states: Therefore, I exhort […]

3 Healthy Ways to Handle Ministry Pressure

Serving in ministry full-time, part-time, or even as a volunteer can be a daunting task. Constantly developing sermon series, teaching materials, leading or participating in staff meetings, board meetings, small […]

Who Are the Anabaptists and What Can We Learn from Them?

Who are the Anabaptists, and what can we learn from them? To understand the Anabaptists, it is helpful to see their story in the larger context of church history. When […]

Does Your Church Have the Right Endgame?

Right before His ascension into Heaven, Jesus shared His vision for His Church—His heart for Gospel impact and saturation: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; […]

Discipling Girls and Women: A Q&A with Anessa Westbrook

When it comes to discipling girls and women to trust and follow Jesus, are there any observations or tips that help make it more effective? Anessa Westbrook, DMin, professor of […]

3 Ways to Check Your Organization’s Culture

Organizational culture seems like a simple concept at first glance. Putting words on paper, talking about concepts, and pronouncing to the world that this is who we are and what […]

Comparing New Testament Interpretations with the Church Fathers

I (Bobby) recall being part of a meeting where national church leaders discussed/debated the essential definition of church (the subject of “minimum ecclesiology”). After all, if we are going to […]

Women and Men in the Church: A RENEW.org Guide to 10 Key Resources

Many church leadership teams are exploring what the Bible teaches about men and women in the church. And it’s a good time to do so. For many, it feels that […]

Preaching: Knowing the People We Live Among

In The 21st Century Pastor, David Fisher discusses when he moved from rural Goldendale, Washington, to historic Park Street Church in downtown Boston. The move forced him to acknowledge the […]

In Search of Simpler Times?

Amish romance novels are a thing. No, I haven’t read one. But this intentionally lackluster genre is apparently a hot seller. Another interesting phenomena (for being so uninteresting) is Hallmark […]

6 Ways to Teach Your Church Through Altar Calls

Close to a century ago, C.H. Dodd in his since-controversial The Apostolic Preaching and Its Developments argued for a distinction in the New Testament between the kerygma, the preaching of […]

How Should Men Lead in the Church?

In the 4th part of Male & Female: A Biblical Look at Gender, Bobby and Renée tackle key passages that point to qualified men leading in the local church. They […]

Challenges for Multicultural Churches

One of the challenges of leading a church that desires to be multicultural is very simple: many of us have never seen one. We’ve graduated from multicultural universities and passed […]

What Is a Church? The Who.

So, who makes up a church? Interestingly, the use of the Greek word for church (ekklesia) as an intentional assembly is not the only way the word was used in […]

The Use of Programs in a Women’s Ministry

The use of programs in a women’s ministry can make up a large portion of the work a women’s ministry does. A particular program could be held once a year, […]

Can Women Serve as Elders in the Church? 5 Questions for Egalitarians

Updated January 26, 2026 Disciples of Jesus face intense cultural challenges today, including frequent accusations of misogyny and patriarchy leveled against the local church. Under this pressure, it is tempting […]

What Is a Church? The What.

As I have studied Scripture, I have found that one of the core elements of church comes from the word itself. We can understand this crucial element by noting that […]

What Is Expository Preaching? What It Isn’t, What It Is, and Why It Matters

What is expository preaching? Rather than a particular method or style, expository preaching is a theological/philosophical approach to preaching which makes a text of Scripture central. Expository preaching builds from […]

What Does It Mean to Be a Man?

The conversation around gender in North America is chaotic, confusing, and caustic. When asked to define the word “woman” during her Supreme Court confirmation hearings last year, Ketanji Jackson Brown […]

Reflecting on the Word ‘Revival’

At the outset, let me make this point clear: I don’t ever want to undermine what the Holy Spirit is up to. But language is important, and I do want […]

A Prayer for Forgiveness

The following is a prayer for forgiveness I composed during my own devotional times. The prayer itself is somewhat formal in nature—more so than my typical daily prayers—because I want […]

Announcing the Public Launch of Renew Movement Church Planting

The Exponential Church Planting Conference in Orlando, FL, starts today. It is the largest gathering of church planting leaders on the planet with a registered attendance of 5,500 church leaders. […]

The Role of Mentoring and Discipleship in a Women’s Ministry

So, what Is mentoring? The word “mentor” originally came from the name of a friend of King Odysseus in Homer’s Odyssey. Mentor was entrusted with Telemachus, the king’s only son, […]

Thoughts on Giving a Communion Meditation

Taking the Lord’s Supper is a central component of our spiritual lives and our worship services. Here are some reminders I give to people as they prepare to lead our […]

How to Preach a Sermon Every Week

I remember sitting in church as a kid listening to my dad preach a sermon week after week. Over time, I worried that he would run out of material one […]

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 […]

10 Cultural Trends Impacting the Church

I often think about the future. I have a responsibility as the lead minister/pastor in my local church and as the point leader of Renew.org (and Discipleship.org) to help provide […]

Spiritual Gifts in a Women’s Ministry

When it comes to women’s ministry, the word “intentionality” is incredibly important. In the organic, often unstructured, development of women’s ministries, this has often been one of the missing components. […]

4 Ways to Live the Christmas God Intended

One of my favorite Christmas movies is Elf. In the movie, the female lead character, Jovie, is less than excited about Christmas. One time, while decorating a Christmas tree, she […]

Preparing Your Church for the Lord’s Supper at Christmas

Staff meetings and church services in the month of December are understandably centered on the Christmas holiday. And I for one am grateful we’re taking the time to remember Jesus’ […]

Want to Learn About God? Volunteer to Help Kids.

I am convinced that, to grow up, every young adult needs to spend some time volunteering with, tutoring, or coaching young kids. I recommend this whether the young adult is […]

3 Habits That Shrink Churches

It is no secret that many rural communities are slowly shrinking. Young professionals move away, and an older generation begins to pass away. As the town shrinks, often, so does […]

Lessons from Restoration Movement History: Q&A with Historian Rick Cherok, PhD

The Restoration Movement spread throughout the American frontier in the early nineteenth century out of the Second Great Awakening. Its leaders emphasized Christian unity based in the Scriptures, although it has […]

The Earliest Creeds in Christianity & What Conclusion They Point To

What are the earliest creeds in Christianity? There are church creeds such as the Nicene Creed (A.D. 325) and the Chalcedonian Creed (A.D. 451), but the earliest creeds go back […]

Discipling Children: Protecting the Future (Part 3)

This is the final installment in a three-part series on parenting, outlining three phases of discipleship in our children. Plant the Seeds: Discipleship by Planting Seeds of Stability Provide for […]

Designing and Proposing a Women’s Ministry

Figuring out how to define women’s ministry can be tricky. As a term, most people have heard “women’s ministry” used but may not have given it much thought. Is women’s […]

Structuring Churches for a Better Kind of Growth

A while back a friend of mine, a pastor of a growing church, asked me for some advice about what next hires he should make in order to help his […]

Renew Church Planting: You Can Join the Movement! (Part 1 – Interview with Brett Andrews)

We are excited to announce Renew Movement—a church planting movement that is being birthed in partnership with Renew Network. Brett Andrews and Todd Wilson are two key catalysts for this […]

Infant Baptism: Does the New Testament Teach Paedobaptism?

Does the Bible teach infant baptism (also called paedobaptism)? Many denominations of Christianity practice infant baptism, but an exploration of the Scriptures describing baptism and its purpose challenges the practice. […]

10 Reasons to Send a Student to Christian College for a Year

I have met innumerable donors, volunteers, lifelong ministers, and other Christian leaders who have this in common: They attended a Christian college planning to stay only for a year, and the […]

Who Was Joshua in the Bible? 10 Leadership Habits from the Life of Joshua

Who was Joshua in the Bible? Joshua was a national leader and military commander in ancient Israel. As Moses’ aide and successor, Joshua finished what God started through Moses: leading […]

Discipling Children: Providing for the Plant (Part 2)

This is the second in a three-part series on parenting, outlining three phases of discipleship in our children. Plant the Seeds: Discipleship by Planting Seeds of Stability Provide for the […]

3 Decisions when Starting at a New Church

Walking into a new job can be exhilarating and exhausting. You have so many hopes and dreams as you are expectant of what God is going to do. With fresh […]

Why Women’s Ministry Matters

Why does women’s ministry matter? Not everyone’s faith develops in the same ways, and there are distinctive ways women’s faith tends to develop. Scriptures such as Titus 2:3-5 and Luke […]

5 Reasons Why Church Is Important

Why Church is important: Church was God’s idea, and as such, it helps us pursue godliness and prioritize him. It’s because of the Church that we learn the truth about […]

The Trap of “What Was” and Leading Your Church Out

Imagine if you woke up one day and everyone you saw was walking backward, and every car was driving backward. The insane ridiculousness of this thought is hard to imagine. […]

Discipling Children: Planting the Seeds (Part 1)

My husband and I teach a class of 100 adults on Sunday mornings. Earlier this year we were walking through J.D. Greear’s book on the Holy Spirit, Jesus Continued: Why the […]

Meeting Uncertain Times by Trusting God and Facing Reality

There is a lot of speculation about the survival of the church, coming from both internal and external sources. People talk. And hypothesize. While others lament (and rightly so). The numbers […]

Stuck in the Urgent, Sacrificing the Future

As an avid sports fan, I always enjoy it when each sport approaches draft season. Draft season is a time when professional teams assess which young players they can add […]

Why Do We Study History? A Christian’s Perspective

Why do we study history? When we are ignorant of the past, we tend to treat past beliefs as outdated and irrelevant, no matter how wise, and to uncritically accept […]

Good Pastor, Bad Parent

Katy Perry. Alice Cooper. Jessica Simpson. The Jonas Brothers. What do all these have in common? They are all pastor’s kids. Why do so many pastor’s kids turn out weird […]

Belonging to the Way: Exploring an Ancient Name for the Church

*Editor’s Note: The following is an excerpt from Paul’s new book, The Way Back: Repentance, the Presence of God, and the Revival the Church So Desperately Needs (Westbrow Press, 2022). […]

Why People Leave the Church: 3 Reasons from the Book of Revelation

Why do people leave the church? The Bible gives 3 basic reasons: People leave the church because they want to, or they feel they have to, or they have been […]

Spiritual Abuse: 4 Twisted Values That Enable Churches to Hurt People

Spiritual abuse happens when a person with spiritual authority or power uses it as  leverage to exploit another person’s trust and vulnerability to get what they want. Spiritual abuse is […]

6 Reasons Why You Need to Attend Church in Person

Since the Covid lockdown, many churchgoers no longer attend worship services regularly, alleging it is easier and less time-consuming to stay home and watch an online service. When confronted, some […]

3 Suggestions for Church Leaders Who Are Wearing Too Many Hats

In ministry, there is the constant pressure to wear every hat of every role that people expect you to fulfill. In smaller and rural churches, this can be especially true […]

Jesus Loves the Little Children—and the Church Must Too.

Jesus loves the little children, and he taught his followers to do the same. This is why churches have historically helped care for children in vulnerable situations, whether facing poverty, […]

The Trampled Mind of a Rural Pastor

In a rural church where the pastor feels he should shoulder the needs of so many, it becomes crucial to guard the mind. Ignorance, in many ways, is bliss when […]

What Young Leaders Want from Older Leaders

What do young leaders want from older leaders? Here is a list of eight visions that young leaders need older leaders to be able to see. When the leaders we’re […]

Who’s Constantine the Great? The Story of the Emperor and the Church

Who’s Constantine and what should we think of the relationship between him and the church? Constantine the Great is remembered as the first Christian emperor of Rome. His conversion to […]

Is Christian Nationalism Faithfulness? 4 Lessons from the Constantine Years

What is Christian nationalism, and is it a current problem? A healthy patriotism becomes American Christian nationalism when it draws an essential connection between the US and Christianity and then […]

Two Dangerous People in Your Church: Heresy Hunters & Tower Topplers

These are two of the most dangerous people in your church because they help create what they claim to stand against. My favorite Andy Griffith episode growing up was “Mountain […]

Trusting God When Church Life Changes

When church life changes because of situations out of our control, how can we use the season as an opportunity to pursue God?  Our church was regaining her rhythm, as […]

Who Was David Lipscomb? A Review of ‘Crying in the Wilderness’

David Lipscomb (1831–1917) cofounded David Lipscomb University, served as publisher and editor for the Gospel Advocate, and made a wide-reaching influence on the Restoration Movement’s churches of Christ in the […]

Feeling Attacked? A Fight or Flight Response Is Too Weak.

When we as Christians feel our faith being attacked, it’s easy to get tense and slip into the natural “fight-or-flight” response. Doing this can narrow our focus to where we […]

3 Encouraging Reminders for Leaders in Small Towns

As a leader in a small-town church, you ever wonder if what you’re doing matters? You need these 3 reminders.  You Matter! In a day when everyone is connected, the […]

3 Ways to Make a Difference in Your City

How can Christians make a difference in a bleak time? We go to where people are, find ways to be good neighbors, and use our churches as spiritual hospitals.  As […]

Letting Jesus Define Our Terms

Letting Jesus Define Our Terms for Powerful Discipleship and Kingdom Living Definitions matter because even small tweaks can drain words like disciple and kingdom of their biblical power. Jesus defines […]

John Kotter on Leading Change: How Kotter’s 8 Steps Connect with the Mission of Jesus

Kotter on Leading Change and the Biblical Path to Church Transformation Kotter on Leading Change highlights eight strategic steps that mirror how Jesus formed disciples and launched a kingdom movement. […]

Lessons from Christians in Egypt

Christians in Egypt and the Hope-Filled Courage to Endure Christians in Egypt reveal how persecution and family pressure can refine faith and deepen dependence on Jesus. Their testimonies call the […]

The Plague of Control in the Rural Church

What is the plague that haunts the rural church? It’s the obsession to control it.  Control is the kryptonite that destroys rural churches. I know this is true in every […]

Thank God We Took Our Youth Seriously

The majority of churches in the United States have more gray hair, walkers, and oxygen tanks than young people. Churches are dying and closing their doors daily. Many churches are […]

7 Preaching Trends Needed in 2022 More Than Ever

7 Preaching Trends Needed for Bold, Authentic Preaching in 2022 Unity-centered preaching strengthens the church by calling people back to Jesus’ mission over cultural division. Kingdom-sized perspective fuels hope when […]

The Barbell Strategy and the Church in the New Covid World

Barbell Strategy: How Churches Can Thrive After Covid Churches can move beyond the lukewarm middle by structuring ministry for high-commitment discipleship instead of mediocre programs. Deep spiritual formation happens through […]

When the Burden Feels too Heavy: Maintaining Spiritual Health and Emotional Empathy amidst the Challenges of Full-Time Ministry

Spiritual Health: Avoiding Burnout in Full-Time Ministry Some days in ministry feel nonstop, and spiritual health means refusing the trap of carrying every crisis alone while still staying present with […]

Persecuted Christians Are Lights in the Darkness

Persecuted Christians: Lights in the Darkness Persecution and Christianity go hand in hand, so Scripture calls believers to be ready to suffer and to live in a way the enemy […]

Book Review: On the Road with Saint Augustine, by James K.A. Smith

On the Road with Saint Augustine: Why Our Stories Reveal Our Deepest Desire Smith weaves Augustine’s journey with modern voices to show how shared stories help us recognize ourselves in […]

Why Storytelling is Important to the Life of a Christian

Christian Storytelling: Why It Matters for Faith Chime argues that storytelling is a constant part of human life, building connection, unlocking memory, and helping people make meaning. Scripture models God’s […]

When a Story Is Cut Tragically Short

Lives Cut Short: Trusting God With Unfinished Stories Stories that end too soon remind us how deeply loss disrupts our sense of meaning and leaves grief without easy resolution. Faith […]

A Few Keys to Reconciling Broken Relationships

How to Reconcile: 3 Keys to Restoring Broken Relationships Begin by acknowledging the brokenness, because healing can’t start while the damage—or your part in it—is minimized or denied. Humility replaces […]

What’s the Point of Teaching the Bible?

Obedience-Based Discipleship: Unshakable Hope Teaching the Bible must lead to obedience, because the Great Commission calls us to teach disciples to obey everything Jesus commanded. Part-time learning can become on-the-job […]

How Does the Church Express Love to the World?

Churches Express Love to the World by Living Out God’s Reign Love grows visible when believers practice holiness and reflect God’s character through their daily actions. Serving others becomes a […]

5 Insights Jason Whitlock Has Given Me About Being a Disciple of Jesus

Jason Whitlock Christian Insights for Fearless Discipleship Today Fearless conviction is needed to call out deception and resist cultural pressure with biblical clarity. Ruthless honesty builds credibility when confronting sin […]

How to Tell the Story of the Bible in 7 Kingdoms

7 Kingdoms in the Bible That Reveal the Kingdom We’ve Longed For Biblical history moves through Egypt, Israel, Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome, showing how human kingdoms repeatedly bring tragedy […]

Is Your Church Healthy? Let’s Be Careful…

Church Health and Returning to Your First Love Jesus’ evaluation in Revelation warns that a church can look strong in service and doctrine while still abandoning its first love. Even […]

What Does the Kingdom of God Look Like Through the Church?

Church and Kingdom Through the Authority of the Ekklesia Jesus builds his church as an assembly of kingdom people who display what God’s reign looks like under King Jesus. *Through […]

What Is the Kingdom of God?

Kingdom of God and the Reign of King Jesus The Kingdom of God is the realm where God’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven through the […]

Introduction to Kingdom Life: Experience God’s Reign Through Love and Holiness

Kingdom Life and the Questions That Guide God’s Reign Kelvin Teamer introduces Kingdom Life as living under the majestic rule of King Jesus. This series walks through five key questions […]

Kingdom Life Author Q&A – Kelvin Teamer with Bobby Harrington

‘Kingdom Life’ Author Q&A and Insights on God’s Reign Bobby Harrington interviews Kelvin Teamer about Kingdom Life and why the kingdom of God is central to Jesus’ message. Through their […]

How Does Faith Respond to the Enthronement of King Jesus?

King Jesus and Faithful Responses to His Enthronement Faith responds to the enthroned King Jesus by living faithfully and pursuing the Great Commission with compassion, hope, and worship despite hardship. […]

Learning Faithful Faith from the Church in Niger

Church in Niger and Faith That Serves Through Persecution After riots destroyed Christian buildings and homes, believers responded by caring for hospitals, prisons, and the very communities that harmed them. […]

5 Bible Verses on My Mind as I Watch Afghanistan Crumble

Afghanistan Christian: Bible Verses for Hope in Upheaval Scripture speaks to collapse and fear, echoing Jerusalem’s devastation and validating lament without denying God’s reign. Job exposes fragile trust, urging sober […]

Grieving, Praying, and Hoping for Afghanistan – Q&A with Chris Dewelt

Pray for Afghanistan: Grieving and Hoping with Afghan Believers Persecution is likely to intensify, so pray for Afghan Christians to be protected, strengthened, and faithful under pressure. Real stories make […]

Sermon on the Mount: Contempt

Contempt: Jesus’ Heart-Level Call to Reconciliation Jesus links contempt to the whole spectrum, from anger and “Raca/Fool” name-calling all the way to murder as its ultimate expression. Rather than policing […]

This Person Has Enormous Power Over You

Not Ashamed and the King Who Rules Your Life Recognize that shame reveals your ruler—whoever can make you most ashamed when you disobey them has enormous power over you. See […]

Introduction to The Gospel Precisely: Surprisingly Good News about Jesus Christ the King

The Gospel Precisely: Why the Gospel Must Be Clear The Gospel Precisely equips believers to participate more fully in God’s saving mission by learning the gospel with greater nuance and […]

Ted Lasso, Cancel Culture, and the New Persecution

Ted Lasso and the New Persecution Ted Lasso links cancel culture with a modern form of “death,” showing how reputation loss and exclusion can damage lives in a digital age. […]

The Gospel Precisely Author Q&A – Matthew Bates with Bobby Harrington

Definition of the Gospel: Clear & Urgent Q&A Definition of the Gospel is clarified as the story of Jesus the saving King—sent by the Father, incarnate in David’s line, crucified, […]

A Weird Way We Win

Meek: The Weird Way Christians Win Battles Instead of mirroring the world’s aggression, meekness wins by keeping strength under control and responding with humility. Scripture shows Jesus conquering through gentleness—riding […]

What Does It Mean to Confess Jesus as Lord?

Confess Jesus: What It Means to Boldly Declare Him as Lord Declaring Jesus as Lord means pledging loyalty to Him as King and rejecting every rival claim to rule your […]

What Does It Mean to Place One’s Faith in Jesus?

Faith in Jesus: What It Means to Truly Believe and Follow In John’s Gospel, belief is an action word, showing that real faith includes an outward response. Trusting Jesus means […]

Book Review: When Doctrine Divides the People of God by Rhyne Putman

‘When Doctrine Divides the People of God’ by Rhyne Putman: Book Review Jonathan Ciecka reviews Rhyne Putman’s core premise that imperfect people interpret a perfect Bible, urging author-intent reading and […]

How People Make the Commitment to Jesus in Baptism

Baptism Commitment and the Covenant Promise to Follow Jesus Baptism commitment is the formal covenant pledge where a believer repents, trusts in Jesus, and receives God’s promises of forgiveness and […]

How to Botch a Baptism

Baptism Fail and the Discipleship That Must Follow Baptism fail occurs when churches baptize someone and then abandon them without the training and relationships needed to grow as a disciple. […]

Which Is a Better Way to Grow Disciples: Vine-Ripened or Mass-Produced?

Better Way to Grow Disciples and the Vine-Ripened Path to Fruit Better Way to Grow Disciples is illustrated through vine-ripened tomatoes—slow, nurtured growth that produces lasting, flavorful fruit. Modern efficiency […]

Theological Differences, Respectful Debate: A Concluding Conversation with John Mark Hicks on Gender and the Bible

Gender and the Bible Debate: A Model for Respectful Theological Disagreement Explore where Renew.org and John Mark Hicks agree and differ on women’s participation, teaching, and authority in the gathered […]

How Should We Treat Those Who Disagree with Us?

Disagreements in the Church and the Balance of Grace and Truth Discern the difference between essential beliefs, important issues, and personal convictions before responding to conflict. Follow Jesus’ example of […]

How Should We Treat Elements of Our Faith That Are Not Essential?

Essential Elements And Important Faith Truths Recognize that beliefs not classified as essential are still important and deserve study, time, and devotion. Learn from Jesus, Apollos, and humble instruction how […]

Permission to Say No to a Fight

Say No To A Fight And Pick Battles Like Jesus Notice how Jesus repeatedly refused to be pulled into distractions and redirected people toward God’s deeper priorities. Discern which conflicts […]

When You Face Criticism in Ministry

Criticism In Ministry and Wise Leadership Responses Identify the difference between helpful critique and a critical attitude using Jethro’s counsel and the spies’ negativity. Evaluate negative feedback through biblical wisdom […]

Christian Convictions Author Q&A – Chad Ragsdale and Bobby Harrington

Christian Convictions Q&A on Essential, Important, and Personal Beliefs Chad shares how his apologetics teaching led to a framework for distinguishing essential Christian beliefs from important doctrines and personal opinions. […]

The Life and Legacy of One Kingdom Worker

One Kingdom Worker and the Legacy of Quiet Faithfulness Vince’s story begins with simple confusion about entering church, but Scripture and a welcoming community led him to Jesus and ministry. […]

How Does the Holy Spirit Make Us like Jesus?

Holy Spirit Filled and Becoming Like Jesus The Holy Spirit unites believers in one shared life with God, building deep community and strengthening the church. Romans 8 highlights how the […]

Make Your Choice: Learning from the Chinese Church

Chinese Church Lessons for Faith Under Pressure Persecution in China reveals how believers endure surveillance and intimidation by standing firm in Jesus without compromise. Conviction grows when Christians count the […]

Book Review: Deep Discipleship by J.T. English

‘Deep Discipleship’ Review for Building Whole Disciples English argues that biblical and doctrinal illiteracy is a major cause of dysfunction in today’s church and calls for deeper teaching. This book […]

A Personal Culture That Leads to Discipling Relationships

Discipling Relationships: Shaping an Inviting Everyday Culture Ordinary routines become mission fields. Regularly visiting the same cafés, stores, and neighborhoods builds trust so natural friendships can grow into discipling relationships. […]

Warmth in Worship

Warmth in Worship: Creating Authentic Church Moments Relational warmth changes the atmosphere as churches prioritize welcome, hospitality, and genuine care over flashy programming, especially for youth and young adults. Thoughtful […]

The Rise of Christian Cancel Culture: Scandals, Heresy Hunters, and What We’re Known For

Christian Cancel Culture: What We’re Really Known For Christians often mirror the world’s outrage in Christian cancel culture by publicly shaming, dissecting, and permanently “canceling” pastors and ministries. Instead, Christian […]

Some Uncommon Thoughts About the Book of Ruth

Book of Ruth: Insights for Holiness and Hospitality Drawing from two Old Testament streams, the Book of Ruth highlights how God honors both the call to holiness and the welcome […]

3 Steps to Passing Along the Faith: Repeat (Part 3)

Shema and Forming the Next Generation in Faith Shema highlights a timeless pattern of hearing, obeying, and repeating, showing parents and leaders how continual remembrance shapes a child’s view of […]

The Holy Spirit Is on the Move

Holy Spirit Is on the Move Across the Globe Holy Spirit Is on the Move as explosive growth in Africa, Latin America, and Asia shows millions turning to Jesus through […]

On Gender and the Bible: A Summary (Part 12)

On Gender and the Bible Part 12: Seven Scripture-Based Points On Gender and the Bible Part 12 outlines seven biblical convictions about gender roles in marriage and church leadership rooted […]

This Pastor Doesn’t Know the Sky Is Falling. Is He Right?

Sky is Falling? Choosing Faith Instead of Fear Sky Is Falling anxiety fades when believers stop bracing for darkness and start battling it with gospel confidence. Instead of doom scrolling, […]

What Is the Result of Disciple Making?

What Is the Result of Disciple Making: Fruitful Growth and Generous Love What Is the Result of Disciple Making is a church that grows fruitfully as God brings the increase […]

Gardening and Spiritual Growth

Spiritual Growth: Cultivating Faith Through Gardening Lessons Spiritual Growth may start small like a seed, but God can multiply simple obedience into lasting impact. Gardening shows that what we sow […]

A Spiritual Slaughter We Aren’t Talking About

Spiritual Slaughter and the Hidden War for Souls Spiritual Slaughter reveals how Satan’s most devastating persecution is often subtle, targeting souls through deception rather than physical suffering. Churches in the […]

My Favorite Paragraph of Disciple Making: The Core Mission of the Church

Mission of the Church: Intentional Relational Transformation Mission of the Church is portrayed as helping people toward the next life through intentional, relationship-based disciple making that treats people as true […]

Can a Christian Lose Salvation? (Part 2)

Christian Lose Salvation Perspectives on Eternal Security The article confronts casual “once saved, always saved” attitudes, arguing that Scripture’s warning passages call believers to ongoing faithfulness. By summarizing the 1610 […]

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. […]

Introduction to Disciple Making: The Core Mission of the Church, by Bobby Harrington & Scott Sager

Core Mission of the Church in Intentional Disciple Making Disciple making defines the church’s purpose. Bobby Harrington and Scott Sager explain that the core mission of the church is to […]

Preparing for Something Far Better than the New Normal

New Normal in Light of Christian Discipleship Jeff Robertson contrasts the culture’s New Normal with the biblical call to fix our minds on unseen, eternal realities rather than temporary comforts. […]

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 […]

Are We Eternally Secure or Must We Have Faithful Faith? (Part 1)

Faithful Faith Part 1: Eternal Security and Obedient Trust Faithful Faith Part 1 contrasts Calvinism and Arminianism, showing how both camps insist that genuine salvation must produce a transformed, persevering […]

The Secret to Telling the World a Better Story

Telling the World with Better Stories Telling the world a better story begins by recognizing that God has already given the church the richest stories in Scripture. By using a […]

The People of God Refuel in the Desert

People of God Strength in Desolate Places Desert encounters with God show that the People of God can become strongest against temptation when they withdraw like Jesus to lonely places […]

Moving Mountains in Myanmar: A Guide to Prayer and Action for Myanmar

Pray for Myanmar Faith That Moves Mountains Amid violent crackdowns and fear, Pray for Myanmar reminds believers that the true enemy is the unseen powers of darkness, not the people […]

Worship Leader Q&A: What Happens When Worship Leaders Doubt?

Worship Leader Q&A: Leading Worship Amid Doubt Biblical models of worship in doubt show how figures like the desperate father, psalmists, and Abraham still turn to God even while wrestling […]

Q&A – How Does Christianity Relate to Other Cultures?

Christianity Relate to Other Cultures in Kingdom Identity Kingdom identity reshapes loyalty as leaders explain that disciples are first citizens of God’s kingdom, which frees them to appreciate and serve […]

Worship Leader Q&A: What Steps Invite the Skeptic Back?

Skeptic Back in the Journey to Wholehearted Worship Honest stories from worship leaders walking through divorce, grief, and doubt help skeptics see that broken people can still sing about God’s […]

Are White Evangelicals Responsible for Corrupting the Faith and Fracturing a Nation? A Review of “Jesus and John Wayne”

Corrupting the Faith in Light of Jesus and John Wayne Layfield appreciates how Jesus and John Wayne exposes real problems in evangelical culture, including militarism, celebrity pastor models, and weak […]

How to Read Hard Bible Passages

Hard Bible Passages and Faithful Interpretation Hard Bible Passages start with context. Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 5 must first be read in light of the original situation in Corinth […]

Q&A – What Habits Can Break Barriers to Building a Multiethnic Church?

Multiethnic Church Habits That Foster Unity Leaders build trust when they intentionally enter the daily spaces of people from different cultures, following Jesus’ example of going into others’ worlds. Christlike […]

What the Exile Can Teach Us about Returning to Church

Returning to Church with Exilic Hope and Joy Drawing from Israel’s exile and Psalm 126, this article pictures returning to Church as a joyful homecoming where God turns seasons of […]

Sermon on the Mount: The Persecuted

Persecuted in the Sermon on the Mount Beatitudes Drawing from Matthew 5, this article shows that being persecuted for righteousness marks believers as visibly different Kingdom people whose lives confront […]

Q&A – What Gets in the Way of Being a Multiethnic Church?

Being a Multiethnic Church with Intentional Courage Intentionality is required, since churches naturally reach people like themselves unless leaders pray, plan, and step beyond their comfort zones. Devotion to the […]

What’s the Difference between Mission and Missions?

Missions and the Church’s Cross-Cultural Calling Defining missions separately from God’s broader mission helps churches avoid calling every activity “missions” and stay focused on cross-cultural outreach. Clarifying missions as evangelism, […]

Q&A – Why Is It Worth It to Pursue a Multiethnic Church?

Pursue a Multiethnic Church as a Visible Witness Pursuing a multiethnic church follows Jesus’ call to make disciples of all nations, proving that His vision embraces people from every culture […]

Can Masculinity Be Non-Toxic?

Masculinity in God’s Good Design for Men Scripture presents masculinity as part of God’s creation of male and female, giving men a unique calling to reflect His character in strength, […]

4 Observations from the Frontlines of Disciple Making

Frontlines of Disciple Making in Today’s Church Frontlines of Disciple Making begins with creating deep belonging, where genuine friendship and shared struggle move people from mere churchgoing to committed disciples […]

Losing My Faith in Progressive Christianity: The Three Unforgivable Sins — Drinking, Smoking, and Cussing (Part 3)

Progressive Christianity Part 3: Lessons in Grace and Drift Progressive Christianity Part 3 traces how childhood taboos about drinking, smoking, and cussing slowly gave way to a “liberated” lifestyle that […]

The Historical Evidence for the Death, Burial and Resurrection of Jesus – Evidence for Easter (Part 3)

Historical Evidence for Easter—Death, Burial, Resurrection Scholars from skeptical to believing affirm Jesus’ crucifixion, with ancient sources and archaeology detailing the practice and its brutality. In Jerusalem, the empty-tomb claim […]

Worship Leader Q&A: How Do You Lead the Skeptic?

Skeptic in Worship: Leader Guidance Expect and welcome seekers. 1 Corinthians 14 frames gathered worship to include people who don’t yet understand, so hospitality and clarity matter. Model honest praise […]

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 […]

Small Beginnings for Discipling a Child

Discipling a Child — Small Beginnings that Last A simple bedtime song becomes parental witness across generations—imperfect, heartfelt, and consistent enough to plant truth. As repetition invites participation, a child […]

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. […]

Crossing the Invisible Fence: An Opportunity for the Church to Lead

Invisible Fence — Leading with Hope As restrictions lift, churches can model confident, responsible in-person worship to show life beyond the fence is safe and meaningful. Testimonies from congregations that […]

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. […]

Do I Love People? Honestly?

Love People with Biblical Integrity Scripture grounds love in Mark 12:31, 1 Corinthians 13, and 1 John 4:19, moving believers from judgment to empathy shaped by God’s character. Through prayer […]

Sharpening Our Focus on the Great Commission

Great Commission and the Church’s Discipling Mission As Jesus frames it, discipling is the main command of the Great Commission, with going, baptizing, and teaching describing how the church carries […]

Want to Do Something Eternal? Do Kids Ministry.

Kids Ministry — Building Lifelong Disciples Before adulthood, many choose to follow Jesus; intentional teaching at church and home plants convictions that endure. Parents who prioritize gathering and partner with […]

A Resilient Church in a Cancel Culture

Cancel Culture — Practicing Church Resilience Grounded in disciple making, the church develops resilient believers who hold to biblical convictions with joy and courage. Facing cultural pressure, Christians reject timidity […]

Thinking about an Extended Fast? Lessons Learned from My Gen Z’er

Extended Fast — Community, Conviction, Direction Participating with church or friends sustains resolve, even from a distance, as shared Scripture and stories strengthen obedience during fasting. As prayer deepens, the […]

What’s So Dangerous about Bible Misinterpretation? – Q&A with Orpheus J. Heyward

Misinterpretation — Context, Clarity, and Accountability Examples like 1 Corinthians 14:40 and Acts 17 show how texts detached from context become tools to police practices God wasn’t addressing. Reader-response approaches […]

The Long March through the Institutions of Society

Long March in Today’s Institutions—A Discipleship Response Decades of university influence spread into media, corporations, and policy, advancing Critical Theory across culture. Marxist-rooted frameworks center power and suppression, conflicting with […]

The Less We Use This, the More Relevant It Will Become.

Relevant in a Post-Christian Culture: Why Scripture Resurges Contrasting the raft with Noah’s ark, the article shows how Scripture can seem cumbersome until crises reveal its saving purpose. As secularism […]

Disciple Making Shift #5 – From Competing Goals to One End Goal

End Goal in Disciple Making—All Nations Discipled Grounded in Matthew 28:18–20, the article defines the end as discipling every people group and completing the Great Commission. Facing reality, 7,414 unreached […]

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 […]

Youth Suicide Prevention: Risk and Response

Youth Suicide Intervention—QPR Actions Direct questions open the door: ask clearly about suicidal thoughts, using wording you can say, to surface real risk. Compassionate listening persuades toward help: avoid judgment, […]

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. […]

Worship Leader Q&A: Can I Worship God in My PJ’s?

Worship and Authentic Connection in a Changing Church During livestream worship, leaders found freedom in rest, preparation, and embracing imperfection as part of authentic praise. Informality helped believers shed pretense, […]

Disciple Making Shift #4 – From Teaching Information to Teaching Obedience

Disciple Making Shift #4: Training for Obedience Obedience over information. Jesus commands us to teach obedience (Matt. 28:20), turning truth into lived practice. Use “I will” statements. Specific, measurable actions […]

Youth Suicide Prevention: Dos and Don’ts

Suicide Prevention in Youth Ministry Detect clusters of clues—behavior changes, withdrawal, prior attempts, and talk of hopelessness—and treat them as urgent. Start compassionate conversations by asking directly about suicidal thoughts, […]

Disciple Making Shift #3 – From Professionals to Everyone Reaching the Lost

Disciple Making Shift #3 — Mobilizing Every Believer Churches that rely only on attractional models see limited fruit; empowering all believers to introduce people to Jesus multiplies impact. Barna findings […]

Disciple Making Shift #2 – From Going to Church to Going to Lost People

Disciple Making Shift #2 Inspires Missional Living Through Disciple Making Shift #2, believers learn to step outside church walls and intentionally reach the lost where they live and work. The […]

Walking: More than Exercise for the Disciple of Jesus

Walking with God in Practice Enoch’s example in Genesis 5:24 shows that Walking with God means living in His presence, where life overcomes death. Amid ordinary neighborhood routes, Walking opens […]

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 […]

On Gender and the Bible: Where Does Egalitarianism Lead? (Part 9)

Egalitarianism and Scriptural Trajectories Authors trace how egalitarianism, when unchecked, can override created differences and biblical hierarchies in church and home. The article contrasts secular lenses with exegesis, arguing that […]

5 Shifts to Return to Jesus-Style Disciple Making

Jesus-Style Disciple Making — Five Shifts in Practice Rooted in Matthew 28:18–20, this approach returns to Jesus as the Master Disciple Maker and His plan to go, baptize, and teach […]

A Tragic Choice for a Hill to Die On

Hill to Die On — Unity, Discernment, and Essentials Grounded in Jesus’ example (John 6; John 12), believers relinquish inferior battles to pursue the cross-shaped mission that bears lasting fruit. […]

Critical Race Theory: Check Box Identity

Critical Race Theory — Intersectionality, Essentialism, and the Church Examines intersectionality’s check-box identity framework and warns that, when detached from empathy and grace, it breeds resentment and entrenches victim/victimizer roles. […]

Worship Leader Q&A: Lessons Learned from Livestreaming Church

Livestreaming Church — Worship Leaders’ Tested Insights From four worship ministers, production quality and reach surged; teams leveled up and online participation broadened across states. Leaders emphasize intentional engagement at […]

Shepherd

Shepherd — Disgrace Reversed in Christ Rabbinic tradition branded shepherds as dishonest outcasts barred from legal testimony and public respect. Yet Jesus embraced them—announcing His birth to shepherds and declaring […]

Celebrating Christmas in an Assisted Living Facility

Assisted Living Facility — Christmas Resilience and Connection Residents weather lockdowns with decade-tested grit, drawing strength from community among peers who understand their season of life. Creative connections—Facebook Live feasts, […]

Try to Avoid a Star Wars Christmas

Star Wars — Choosing “With” Over Holiday Overload Drawing from the infamous Holiday Special, overstuffed plans turn Christmas into chaos instead of peace. Instead, the word with reframes the season […]

The Stages of Disciple Making: “Come and Follow Me” (Part 2)

Stages of Disciple Making Part 2 — Come and Follow Me in Community After hearing “Follow me,” new disciples step into deeper teaching, witness Jesus’ works, and face real conflicts […]

The Stages of Disciple Making: “Come and See” (Part 1)

Stages of Disciple Making Part 1 — Come and See Foundations In the opening phase, seekers watch Jesus at Cana, the temple, with Nicodemus, and with the Samaritan woman before […]

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 […]

Minister, You Need a Learning Community

Learning Community — Why It Matters Now Ministers under pressure find encouragement, practical counsel, and a trusted band of peers instead of leading in isolation. In bi-monthly cohorts, leaders engage […]

Developing a Prayer and Fasting Culture: A Q&A with David Roadcup and Bobby Harrington

Q&A with David Roadcup and Bobby Harrington — A Churchwide Prayer & Fasting Path Leaders emphasize that sustained prayer and fasting often precede revival and should become steady rhythms in […]

Reasons Why Adolescents Attempt Suicide

Suicide — Understanding Why Teens Consider It Motives range from escaping “intolerable” situations to punishing survivors or seeking attention—each still requiring serious care. Pressures like avoiding punishment or burdening family, […]

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 […]

Discipling Group for a Pandemic?

Discipling Group for a Pandemic Blueprint Phygital rhythm sustains formation. Groups blend monthly in-person connection with weekly one-hour online meetings to deepen relationships and discipleship. Leaders shape small, focused circles. […]

Lessons from the Church in Germany: Tsunami

Lessons from the Church in Germany Tsunami Response From Europe’s aftermath of higher criticism, Brett Seybold calls U.S. churches to pair personal relationships with strong apologetics and unity with other […]

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 […]

Starting a Transparency Group Video Training: What’s Next in Disciple Making with Bobby Harrington

Disciple Making with Bobby Harrington Training Highlights Field-tested model equips churches to start small transparency groups (2–5), in person or on Zoom, for life-on-life growth. Leaders invite believers and seekers, […]

Lessons from the Church in Germany: Post-Christianity

The Church in Germany Insights for Today From classrooms to pulpits, negative higher criticism eroded confidence in Scripture, opening a spiritual vacuum filled by rival worldviews. Mission progress is slow—often […]

Exposing Some Common Myths about Suicide

Common Myths about Suicide and What Really Helps Research shows many who die by suicide do signal intent; learn to catch direct and indirect warnings. Pastors should ask plainly about […]

Learning a Grace-Filled Approach to Ministry: Sacrificial Love

Sacrificial Love in Grace-Filled Ministry Christ’s example in Philippians 2 shows love that surrenders status, modeling how leaders lay down preferences for God’s will. Practically, ministers restrain ego, accept correction, […]

What Are Christians Doing on Social Media?

What Are Christians Doing on Social Media — Practices for Digital Witness Algorithms often inflame division, so disciples pursue humility, self-control, and allegiance to Jesus when posting or debating. Open, […]

Peter, Paul, and Race

Peter, Paul, and Race — Gospel Unity Lived at the Table Grounded in Galatians 2:14, the piece insists racial unity is a core gospel conviction, not an optional add-on. From […]

An Election Day Prayer

Election Day Prayer — Peace, Wisdom, and Hope in Christ Rooted in 1 Timothy 2 and Jeremiah 29, the prayer seeks national peace so believers may live quiet, godly lives. […]

Church, You Can’t Lose on Tuesday

You Can’t Lose on Tuesday — Hope that Outlasts Politics Grounded in Joseph’s foresight, the church prepares in seasons of plenty and provides in famine, trusting God’s mercy in both. […]

Learning a Grace-Filled Approach to Ministry: Understanding

Grace-Filled Approach to Ministry: Leading with Understanding A grace-centered leader seeks to understand people’s lives, trading legalism and pride for humility that blesses worshipers. Volunteer care calls for patience and […]

Saving Christian Education

Christian Education in an Integrated Mission Resist mission drift by anchoring every discipline to Christ’s lordship (Phil. 1:9–11), choosing an integrated model over historical or value-added approaches. Deploy learning for […]

Learning a Grace-Filled Approach to Ministry: Gratitude

Gratitude — Habits for Grace-Filled Ministry Drawing on 2 Peter 1:3, gratitude replaces entitlement and frees worship teams to serve with joy under a grace-filled posture. Leaders practice weekly thank-you […]

Life-Changing Paragraphs: Mere Drift

Mere Drift — Training the Habit of Faith Lewis shows how moods rebel against reason and why training the habit of faith anchors belief amid shifting feelings. Daily practices—prayer, Bible […]

Something You Can Never Be

Something You Can Never Be — Love That Tells the Truth Using the square–circle analogy, Daniel McCoy exposes the contradiction of “caring” by not caring and the cultural pressure to […]

Sermon on the Mount: the Pursuit of Happiness

Pursuit of Happiness — Kingdom Portrait Amid shallow buzzes and self-made idols, Jesus sketches a citizen of the Kingdom whose blessing comes first, not after rule-keeping. Drawing contrasts with Deuteronomy […]

On Gender and the Bible: Practical Advice by Complementarian Women for Local Churches (Part 7)

Practical Advice by Complementarian Women — Implementing in Local Churches Leaders clarify biblical complementarity, communicate it openly, and invite women’s voices in decisions, prayer, Scripture readings, and visible service. Churches […]

The Inspiration of the New Testament

The Inspiration of the New Testament — Why It Matters Jesus claims the Father’s authority, commissions apostles to teach everything He commanded, and promises the Spirit to help them recall […]

How Can I Reach Out to a Lonely Person in a Year of Loss?

Lonely Person — Outreach that Heals Begin with a caring check-in: listen without fixing, acknowledge loss, and show up consistently, as Darius does for Ming. Offer practical help and safe […]

Q: What If My Kid Thinks the Bible Is Boring?

Bible Is Boring — Helping Kids Engage Scripture Love and kindness are current. Show that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever, so his way remains deeply relevant. Relationship […]

Learning a Grace-Filled Approach to Ministry: Hospitality

Hospitality — Grace-Filled Worship Leadership Grace creates a welcome-mat culture in rehearsals, meetings, and conversations so care lingers beyond the gathering. Rather than coercion or cheerleading, invitation guides worship, echoing […]

Pursuing Revival Is Better than Impressing Crowds

Pursuing Revival — Spirit-Led Church Renewal Authenticity beats consumerism. Preferences and performance won’t mature believers; younger generations hunger for substance over show. Like Acts 1, seek God together. Gather in […]

Life-Changing Paragraphs: A Paragraph That Kept Me in Ministry

Paragraph That Kept Me in Ministry — Costly Grace That Reshaped a Calling Bonhoeffer’s costly-vs-cheap grace showed that true discipleship demands surrender yet gives the only true life. At a […]

When the World’s All Wrong…Trust God

Trust God — Lessons from Daniel 1 Daniel sets his mind, resists assimilation, and trusts God with outcomes—God provides health, wisdom, and influence before the king. In hostile settings, disciples […]

When Am I Getting off Social Media?

Getting off Social Media — Discernment for Digital “Third Places” Documentary insights and personal research show platforms hijack attention, fuel mental strain, and deform virtue, making quitting a daily temptation. […]

Good News: You Will Have Trouble

You Will Have Trouble — Peace, Courage, and the Value of Faith Jesus’ promise in John 16:33 frames rising hostility with His peace and victory, calling believers to take heart. […]

Can We Be a Unified Church in a Divided World?

Can We Be a Unified Church in a Divided World — Unity That Acts During polarizing seasons, leaders model humility and keep the pulpit non-partisan so honest dialogue can flourish. […]

America Is in a Spiritual War. Are You All-In or AWOL?

America Is in a Spiritual War — Weapons, Courage, and Hope Scripture exposes the unseen battle and calls us to demolish lies and take every thought captive to Christ (2 […]

Matters of Trust: A Crisis of Crumbling Authority

Crumbling Authority in Our Homes and Hearts From Vietnam and Watergate to social media echo chambers, institutional trust collapsed and “trust me” turned suspect. Young families now prize independence over […]

Revival: God Could Do It Again!

Revival – Pathways to Renewal From the Reformation to six historic “waves,” God has repeatedly revived His church—and He can do it again. Through united prayer, fasting, repentance, and obedient […]

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 […]

In Defense of Christian Missions

Christian Missions – Humility Across Cultures Scripture condemns twisting the gospel and calls missionaries to serve without imposing culture (Romans 16:17–20; 2 Peter 3:16; Matthew 23). Across the New Testament, […]

Good Leaders Don’t Rush God

Good Leaders – Patience in God’s Timing From David’s restraint with Saul and his prayers for guidance, leadership seeks God first and acts only when He directs. In contrast to […]

On Gender and the Bible: Can Women Be Elders? (Part 5)

Can Women Be Elders – Biblical Foundations for Eldership From Genesis through 1 Timothy and Titus, Scripture portrays elders/overseers as qualified men who exercise humble, servant leadership. Hermeneutics matter; rather […]

Letter to a Parent of a College Student

Letter to a Parent – College-Year Guidance Early weeks shape worldview; encourage wise friends, discerning mentors, and a strong campus ministry. Rather than rescuing, equip your student to handle conflicts […]

Shane Wood – Enneagram Micro Course – Introduction

Shane Wood – Enneagram Insights Shane Wood explains the Enneagram through Genesis and theology, showing how it connects with creation, brokenness, and God’s pursuit. He highlights how self-awareness and loving […]

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 […]

Is a Late Canon Bad News for Bible-Believers?

Is a Late Canon Bad News for Bible-Believers – Historical Confidence Athanasius’s AD 367 list and the Councils of Carthage (397, 419) reflect recognition of all 27 books rather than […]

On Gender and the Bible: Does God Allow Women Preachers in 1 Timothy 2? (Part 4)

Does God Allow Women Preachers in 1 Timothy 2 – Context & Teaching Drawing from 1 Timothy 2:11–15, the article argues that Paul grounds instructions in creation order and aims […]

Promise Keepers: Stand in the Gap

Stand in the Gap – Sacred Assembly Impact Over two years of planning, fasting, and prayer culminated in a Washington DC gathering where more than a million men sought God […]

Exile: The Perfect Word for Our Situation

Exile – Living Jeremiah 29 Exile calls believers to seek peace and pray for their city, following Jeremiah 29:7 while resisting deceptive voices that divide. Amid dislocation and loss, trust […]

We Can Now Go Post-Christian

Post-Christian Cultural Shift From 60s counterculture to intersectional activism, power is reassigned and “The Man” gets blown down. Ethics remain while faith and authority are displaced, forming a new orthodoxy […]

Great Leaders Are Led by Convictions

Great Leaders in Conviction-Fueled Courage Caleb demonstrates that convictions—God will lead, be with us, help us, and overcome—ignite courageous action. When excitement fades or obstacles loom, conviction redirects ministries to […]

Progressivism and Church Decline

Progressivism in Church Trajectory Surveyed trends show practicing Christians shrinking as culture-first reinterpretations of Scripture take root. Denominational drift toward progressive theology trades core doctrines—Jesus’ exclusivity and biblical sexual ethics—for […]

Making Sense of the Gap between the Writing of the NT and Its Compilation

NT and Its Compilation — Early Authority Explained Early churches received authoritative apostolic teaching orally long before a bound New Testament existed. Writers within the NT acknowledge each other as […]

On Gender and the Bible: Why Do Women Stay Silent in 1 Corinthians 14? (Part 3)

Why Do Women Stay Silent in 1 Corinthians 14 — Context, Order, and Headship Drawing from 1 Corinthians 11–14, the article shows Paul correcting disorder in worship—telling tongue speakers, prophets, […]

When Advice Isn’t Helpful

Advice — Listening Before Speaking When mistakes happen, people often need care more than lectures; be present like Job’s friends were—before they started talking. Social posts and quick opinions can […]

6 Ways to Emerge from COVID Ready for Hospitality

COVID — Hospitality in Practice From solicitors at the door to neighbors in need, respond with empathy—offer a drink, a seat, a ride, or a shared meal. Scripture frames welcome […]

On Gender and the Bible: What’s Up with Head Coverings in 1 Corinthians 11? (Part 2)

Gender and the Bible — Head Coverings in 1 Corinthians 11 Drawing on Roman-era evidence, the article explains why head coverings signified reverence during praying and prophesying—not sexual propriety. It […]

Emerging from COVID with a Commitment to Hospitality

Emerging from COVID — Hospitality in Practice Scripture urges welcoming strangers; Hebrews 13:1–2 and 1 Peter 4:9 present hospitality as love in action. Everything comes from God; use your home […]

Great Worship during a Terrible Time

Great Worship — Joy in Hard Seasons Great Worship treats praise as the overflow of treasuring God, so joy remains even when life hurts. When COVID-era plans collapse, choose to […]

In Seasons of Suffering, You Need a Pile of Stones.

Suffering — Stones of Remembrance Keep a “pile of stones” journal that records God’s help, so present pain is met with remembered grace. Testify to what you’ve seen God do, […]

Promise Keepers: The Night We Encouraged Our Pastors

Pastors — Honoring Our Shepherds From the 1994 Promise Keepers ovation, public appreciation lifted weary hearts and affirmed the weight pastors carry. Many ministers rarely hear thanks, revealing the need […]

On Gender and the Bible: What John Mark Hicks and Scot McKnight Get Right and Wrong (Part 1)

John Mark Hicks and Scot McKnight — Methods and Message Part 1 contrasts blueprint and trajectory readings, arguing New Testament commands embody theology and still guide the church. The article […]

A Reckoning for the Church

Reckoning for the Church — Repent and Reconcile Names the harm: judgmentalism and political coercion left many as casualties who need healing, not campaigns. Demands repentance: the church must own […]

Preparing Students for College: Intergenerational Relationships

Intergenerational Relationships for College Resilience Research shows that church belonging and adult encouragement anchor students’ faith during the transition to campus. Shared experiences—worship, service, trips, and small groups—build authentic bonds […]

How Do I Build Peace into a Stressful Day?

How Do I Build Peace into a Stressful Day — Everyday Practices Deep breaths, worship “timeouts,” and coloring prayers create quick “rock-a-chair” moments that quiet anxiety. Writing laments and honest […]

It’s Time for a Second Wind

Second Wind in Seasons of Refining Amid bleak headlines and fatigue, the author shifts from discouragement to God’s power, seeking the lesson He is teaching in this season. 1 Peter […]

Intersectionality, Christianity, & Why Reconciliation > Reversal

Reconciliation in a Divided Age Jesus reframes suffering by confronting it with compassion, turning “just the way things are” into restored life and calling disciples to serve the least of […]

Lessons from the Church in Pakistan: Boldness

Church in Pakistan and Courageous Discipleship Small groups study Scripture verse by verse and tackle core Muslim questions—Jesus as Son of God, who God is, and why the Bible is […]

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 […]

I’ve Got Peace like a Rocking Chair

Rocking Chair and Rest in God From a child’s “rock-a-chair” refrain, readers learn to seek quiet pauses with the Father amid chaos at home and overseas. Drawing on Nehemiah 8:9–10 […]

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 […]

Lessons from the Church in Pakistan: Persecution and Progress

Persecution and Progress: Lessons from Pakistan’s Church Persecution and Progress highlights harsh blasphemy laws and sporadic mob violence while noting recent moves toward greater religious freedom. Amid threats and required […]

Preparing Students for College: Cultural Discernment

Cultural Discernment for College Faithfulness Filtering every lecture, message, and lifestyle cue through Scripture equips freshmen to choose communities and habits that honor Jesus. Teaching the Bible’s meta-narrative forms a […]

When Should You Confront a Fellow Christian’s Sin? Part 2

Christian’s Sin — Spirit-Led Intervention Wise, Spirit-led believers restore gently, often with others, balancing truth and love to help a brother or sister return to faithfulness. Because situations are messy […]

Are You Feeling Alone?

Are You Feeling Alone: Communion at the Table Amid isolation and online church, the author hears “Come to the table” and recognizes Jesus’ invitation to fellowship. Remembering the Lord’s Supper, […]

Stay Curious in Relationships

Stay Curious in Disciple-Making Conversations Quiet presence and thoughtful questions helped a grieving father feel heard without advice. Curiosity over personal agendas keeps the focus on the other’s story, building […]

Racial Reconciliation & Church Unity – Part 1 of a Conversation with Bob Russell

Racial Reconciliation in Church Leadership Bob Russell recounts bridge-building efforts—joint services, grants to inner-city churches, and partnerships—while admitting greater intentionality was needed. Pastors are encouraged to seek elder unity, state […]

When Should You Confront a Fellow Christian’s Sin? Part 1

Fellow Christian’s Sin in Church Discipline Scripture separates fuzzy conscience matters from blatant disobedience that calls for loving intervention. Paul’s guidance urges humble judgment “inside” the church to rescue the […]

A Discipling Model You Can Use Tomorrow: Virtual and Face-to-Face

Virtual and Face-to-Face in Disciple Making From a simple Transformation Group design, anyone can start same-gender groups using three tools and meet effectively despite busy schedules. Leaders pray and recruit […]

A Four-Word Solution to Reach a Divided Nation

Divided Nation in Missionary Engagement Adopting a missionary posture reframes culture wars by affirming the good, naming the broken, and pointing to Jesus over partisanship. Centering on King Jesus moves […]

Lessons from the Church in Pakistan: Dependence on God

Dependence on God in Times of Trial Dependence on God gives Pakistani Christians fearless resilience, even when facing persecution and loss. Their trust is not built on deep theology but […]

Some of your Best Ministry Is Just Being There

Best Ministry in Faithful Presence Through a preacher’s steady presence, life moments—baptism, ballgames, camp, and funerals—became genuine pastoral care. Remembering years later, people cherish leaders who show up, listen, and […]

Letter to a Christian Going through Trauma

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Discover It: Cultivating a Disciple-Making Culture (Part 1)

Disciple Making Culture Part 1: Rediscovering the Way of Jesus Today’s churches often miss the mark when it comes to forming disciples. This article challenges the assumption that Gospel preaching […]

Is it a virtue to be fragile? (Reflections on Lukianoff & Haidt’s The Coddling of the American Mind – Part 1 of 3)

Is It a Virtue to Be Fragile? Understanding Safetyism Through a Christian Lens Is it a virtue to be fragile? Explore how “safetyism” promotes emotional fragility, shielding people from growth […]

Meals of Jesus

Meals of Jesus Reveals God’s Kingdom Through Table Fellowship Meals of Jesus highlights how Christ used shared meals to connect with outcasts, offering grace and belonging. Transformations unfolded as people […]

Loneliness in Ministry

Loneliness in Ministry Is Real—But You Don’t Have to Endure It Alone Loneliness in Ministry is more common than most realize. Even Paul the Apostle felt abandoned and isolated during […]

They’re Different…That’s Church

Even if a church doesn’t look good or sound good it can penetrate if the Word is preached with power; acknowledging and responding to the Holy Spirit. When its membership […]

There’s No GPS for Leadership

No GPS for Leadership: How Godly Values Keep You on the Right Course No GPS for Leadership means godly leaders must navigate with prayerful intention. There’s no automated route to […]

Discipleship

Discipleship: Why It’s the Greatest Mission on Earth Discipleship is relational, not just instructional. The article emphasizes that disciple-making often happens in everyday moments—like car rides or campfires—rather than only […]

How to Model Passionate Politeness

Model Passionate Politeness Model Passionate Politeness by Cultivating Christlike Civility: To model passionate politeness, we begin by embodying Christ’s kindness and gentleness. Reflecting God’s character in our conversations makes our […]

How Do I Make My Teenager Love Jesus?

Can I Really Make My Teenager Love Jesus? Here’s What Faithful Parenting Looks Like: Can I really make my teenager love Jesus? While genuine faith is ultimately a gift from […]

I Led a Growing Megachurch, and We Were Losing

We Were Losing, Even as I Led a Growing Megachurch What happens when church growth outpaces leadership? Jim Putman recounts how explosive attendance at Real Life Ministries exposed critical gaps […]

Serving God Doesn’t Mean Living Life in Fifth Gear

Why Living Life in Fifth Gear Leads to Burnout and Spiritual Depletion? Living Life in Fifth Gear isn’t sustainable. Ministry burnout often stems from constant overcommitment and the pressure to […]

Renewing and the Spirit with Shodankeh Johnson

How Renewing and the Spirit Fuel Global Disciple-Making Movements Renewing and the Spirit empower lasting disciple-making. Shodankeh Johnson shares how Spirit-led renewal through prayer and fasting becomes the catalyst for […]

The Illusion of Progressive Christianity

Understanding The Illusion of Progressive Christianity Progressive Christianity redefines biblical truth. Modern ideologies often reshape Scripture to mirror cultural norms, raising essential questions for faithful believers. Foundational doctrines are being […]

Leadership Matters

Why Leadership Matters More Than Ever in the Church? Leadership training is often overlooked in ministry preparation, even though leadership matters deeply. Paul Huyghebaert reflects on the lack of leadership […]

Inviting the Invisible: Why the Church’s View of Prisoners Matters

How the Church’s View of Prisoners Shapes Redemption and Restoration? Why the Church View of Prisoners Matters? The Bible calls believers to see the incarcerated as made in God’s image, […]