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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
The Ministry of Shutting Up
It was excruciating, frustrating, even cringe-worthy. I was in a place of business, as a customer, talking with an employee about their services. Except… I wasn’t really talking at all. […]
Theology in the Wild: Why Theology Matters in the Messiness of Ministry
(What follows is the manuscript of a talk that I gave at the 2023 Spire Conference for church leaders in Nashville, TN.) Those who put together this conference asked me […]
Your Ministry Will End Someday. Have You Thought Much About How?
You should really consider leaving ministry. Before you change the date and turn in your pre-written resignation letter to the board of your church, let me clarify. Wherever you are […]
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 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 […]