Last week, we featured Don Whitney’s article, “Ten Ways to Improve Your Worship Service.” Today, we are publishing the sequel, “Ten More Way to Improve Your Church’s Worship Service.” We pray that Whitney’s suggestions and directives will help you to think biblically regarding your church’s worship service. The goal of a worship service is not to have a slicker presentation or a more emotionally uplifting time. The whole point of worship is to glorify God. Don Whitney addresses some potentially controversial topics in today’s post—the position of unbelievers in a worship service, the “dazzling presentation of drivel” PowerPoints, and even the topic of new music in worship.
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church service · church worship service · donald whitney · improving worship · new worship music · prayer · worship god · worship music

The most significant event in the life of a local church is the weekly worship service. Since it’s so important, don’t you think it’s worth giving it some attention? Improving it somehow? Donald Whitney, professor at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, has contributed a guest article to the blog.

Continue reading “Guest Post from Don Whitney: Ten Ways to Improve Your Church’s Worship Service” »

church service · church worship service · donald whitney · prayer · worship god · worship music

“Son, you need to carry a real Bible.”

It might have been funny if the eldery gentleman was joking. But he wasn’t. The man was serious, even forceful. The person listening to the rebuke was the church’s guest speaker for that Sunday. But the guest speaker was not holding a 900 page, gilt edge, leather bound book. He was holding a svelte, aluminum clad, glass front, 0.5 inch iPad. So, in genuine concern, the elderly saint took it upon himself to correct this oversight: “Son, you need to carry a real Bible.”

Continue reading “Is the Bible Old School?” »

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It seemed to be a great church. The staff was friendly. The facilities were well kept. However, I wasn’t so sure about the church’s policy regarding children. As the daddy of two little girls, I am all about worshipping with my family. However, I was told that children under the seventh grade are not allowed in the auditorium during worship. Since I wasn’t there for an official Sunday service, I decided to check out the kids facilities. Woah. It looked like an ecclesial Disney World, complete with inflatable jump toys. My two-year old daughter loves inflatable jump toys. But still, the no-kids-allowed policy irked me, because I kind of like being with my kids, believe it or not…even in church.
Continue reading “Children Are Not Welcome in the Church Service!” »

children in church · family · family ministry · no children in church · nursery · youth ministry

If you went to every conference you heard about, you’d have to resign your current job, win a lot of money, and say goodbye to your family for a very long time. If you don’t go to any conferences, though, you’re missing out on a potential source of encouragement, edification, education, and ministry enhancement. Since conference registration season is in full swing, we’d like to let you know about three great conferences next year.

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“Church Split.” To a pastor, those may just be the worst sound in the world. It’s the last thing that the pastor wants. It’s no surprise then, that one pastor has given some serious thought to the issue…and how to prevent it. Hear what veteran pastor Thabiti Anyawile has to say about preventing church splits.

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church splits · church unity · life of a pastor · preventing church split · pure church · role of the pastor · thabiti anyabwile

I looked at each one of the men on the stage. All but one of them had rips in their jeans. These were not oh-whoops-I-tore-my-jeans kind of rips. These were style rips, man. One of the guys even had ripped skinny jeans. One of the speakers sported a cutting edge u-neck t-shirt (v-necks are so old school). We’re talking trendy. Another speaker had a shirt with Ed Hardy insignias emblazoned across it. Another guy had indecipherable Chinese characters on his vest. (I’m sure it was a Bible verse.) These guys were rockin’ some serious uberstyle. Oh, and the facial hair. Now we’re talking. From the three-day scruff to the soul patch perfection, these guys had it together. Hairstyles ranged from the just-woke-up look (held in place with spiking glue), the faux-hawk, the Bieber-wannabe, and the bald guy. This was not a team of musicians. This was not a Guess Jeans fashion show. This was an evangelical pastor’s conference, with some of the best-known and most sought-after speakers in the country. They were dressed cool. Very cool.

Now, for the kicker question:  were they right or wrong?

Continue reading “Fashion Model or Pastor – Which One Are You?” »

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Today’s article is from Jim Hamilton, a professor at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Hamilton has studied and written extensively on the subject of biblical theology. At first glance, “biblical theology” may seem like a topic that is so lofty and abstruse that it’s probably not all that important for the average pastor. Think again. Hamilton’s aim in the article that follows is to show how massively important the topic really is. At the end of the article, Sharefaith has provided Hamilton’s free chapter from a new book, Text-Driven Preaching, thanks to Dr. Hamilton and the book’s publisher, Broadman & Holman. You may also wish to consider purchasing the book God’s Glory in Salvation through Judgment: A Biblical Theology, for a complete discussion of this crucial topic.

Continue reading “Does the Center of Biblical Theology Matter? Guest Article from Jim Hamilton” »

biblical theology · expository preaching · jim hamilton · preachers · preaching · southern baptist theological seminary

Today’s post is provided by Dustin Neeley, a church planter and lead pastor. He ministers in Louisville, Kentucky at Crossing Church, part of the Acts 29 Church network. Dustin also has a ministry with his family–wife and four kids under the age of six. He maintains a blog, Church Planting for the Rest of Us, and is a frequent contributor to the Resurgence blog. Anyone who knows Dustin Neeley probably recognizes his iconic plaid shirts and insightful interviews with church leaders. Dustin knows what it’s like to be a lead pastor, to oversee four church plants, to host conferences, to work with major networks, to travel widely, to keep up with correspondence, and at the same time to love his family like they’re really important (because they are). Dustin Neely talks about the importance of family in this article.

Continue reading “The Pastor’s Family – Nourishing the Ministry of Family in the Ministry of Everything Else” »

acts 29 · church planting · dustin neeley · family · family ministry · ministry family · ministry of family · resurgence

Pastors get stuck in the preaching rut. Even when they’re not preaching, they’re preaching. Personal conversations, counseling sessions, and even family devotions can easily morph into Sunday-style sermonizing, even if it’s by sheer habit. Preaching, as necessary and life-changing as it is, can actually be the pastor’s weakness, especially if it’s done to the neglect of active, intentional, and careful listening. Listening is a lost Christian trait, and sadly, it’s pastors and church leaders who have been some of the first people to lose it. Leadership, counseling, and preaching must include loving listening to other people.

Continue reading “Leadership Skills Are Listening Skills: How Learning to Listen Improves Your Pastoral Counseling” »

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