You do it every week. Maybe you do it several times a week. Preaching. You are, by trade, someone who speaks to others. After a while, it can become easy to slip into preaching mode, without doing some self-assessment and taking stock of how you’re doing. For that reason, here are five questions to ask about your preaching. Continue reading “Five Questions to Ask about Your Preaching” »

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There is a danger in being overly sensitive to what people think of your church. The church is to follow the Bible’s teaching, regardless of what people think. At the same time, it is important to understand how people are feeling, thinking, and seeking as they attend a new church. It can help to get inside the head of a visitor and realize what they’re looking for.
Continue reading “Ten Things Church Visitors Are Looking For” »

church newcomers · church visitors · visit church

You’ve probably heard the saying, “the devil is in the details.” The phrase is derived from an earlier idiom, “God is in the details.” Whatever you think of assigning the presence of Satan or Deity to details, it’s an inescapable fact:  details are important.

Continue reading “Seven Church Details You Must Not Neglect” »

church appearance · church details · church hymnals · church ministry · ministry details

If you’re human, you know what selfishness is. If you’re a believer, you have undoubtedly struggled with selfishness in your own heart. It’s important to realize that the gospel is the solution for our selfishness. This motivation for serving puts legs on the practical outworking of how we seek to grow in serving others.
Continue reading “10 Questions to Ask Yourself about Serving Others” »

christian service · ministry · selfishness · servanthood

It was bedtime, and for some reason, my three year-old daughter was afraid. “Daddy, I’m afraid,” she told me honestly.

Continue reading “Daddy, I’m Afraid: How to Face Your Fear” »

christian fear · fear · fear the lord

It is customary in many churches to encourage young people to enter the ministry. Some ministers go so far as to say that being a pastor is God’s “highest calling,” and “there’s no greater job.” While these claims are dubious at best, there is nothing wrong with encouraging people to consider the ministry, as long as you’re not encouraging too hard.

Continue reading “Four Reasons to Encourage the Non-Pastors” »

career advice · christian ministry · encouragement · entering the ministry · full time christian ministry

You may have heard churches talk about growing pains. Kind of makes you feel lousy. You may not know what growing pains feel like, but you sure do know what shrinking pains are. The fact is, more churches are shrinking than growing. The fact is, shrinking pains are probably more painful than growing pains. The fact is, shrinking pains can be more accute, real, and dismal.

Continue reading “How to Manage Your Shrinking Pains” »

church growth · church leadership issues · church marketing · church shrinking

The very question, “What should you wear to church?” can elicit some pretty fired-up reactions. One reaction is expected—who are you to tell me what to wear to church?! Or another:  it’s not clothes; its the heart that matters! In our western culture. for whatever reasons, the subject of clothing (or the lack thereof) is a hot-button topic.

Continue reading “What Should You Wear to Church?” »

christians and clothing · clothing matters · modesty · wear to church

Christianity is not a do-more, a do-better, or a work-hard religion. Christianity is not the faith of a spiritual overachiever. This is our propensity, but it is antithetical to the gospel

Continue reading “It’s Not a Do-Better Religion” »

christian ministry · salvation by grace · salvation by works · sanctification

Christians love to have celebrities that they can call their own. Whether it’s the  Jesus tattoo on Justin Bieber, a prayer moment after a Tebow touchdown, or the soft strains of “In Christ Alone” coming from Owl City, it just feels good to have celebrities who claim the name of Christ. Just like we do.

Continue reading “Do We Need Christian Celebrities?” »

christian celebrities · christian famous people · famous christians