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.

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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

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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.

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christian celebrities · christian famous people · famous christians

Have you ever really disliked your church? If you’re in ministry, you probably have.

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church conflict · church issues · church life · church splits · church struggles · purpose of the church · what is the church

It’s the first month of the New Year, and a whole lot of Christians have made resolutions of some sort. That’s all fine and good, provided the resolutions are formed in reliance on grace and dependence upon God, not self. One of the biggies in Christian-resolution making is Bible reading. This—yes-oh-yes—is the year you plan to read through the whole Bible. Unfortunately, just like that dieting resolution, the Bible reading resolution is one that easily gets broken.

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bible reading · bible reading 2012 · bible reading plan · christian new year's resolutions · read the bible 2012

Steve Jobs wasn’t known as a Christian leader, but he sure made an impact on Christianity. Now, we live in a morass of of iPhones, mobile devices, and every iteration of on-the-go computing. Christians have embraced the digital culture for all its worth, trying to redeem every byte, bit, and buzz for Jesus. And now, realizing the ubiquity of mobile devices, churches are making apps.

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church app · church marketing · church technology · iphone · mobile apps

It’s right about this time of year—after the holidays, in middle of the winter, and into the New Year—that people begin to get discouraged. The post-holiday blues are a reality. It’s easy to feel beat-down and tired out. When this happens, you may be tempted to quit your church ministry position or volunteer role.

Continue reading “So, You’re Going to Quit? Five Things to Think About Before You Do” »

christian depression · discouragement · ministry discouragement · post-holiday blues · quitting ministry

Whether a congregation gathers in a large urban church or a small neighborhood chapel, visual communications materials can help attendees find their destinations, aid the facility in operating efficiently, and provide greater visibility within the community. Signs and graphics are some of the most affordable and influential ways to promote a church’s services and programs.

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church marketing · church signage · church signs · visual communication for churches

Most pastors want to protect their flock. But for some pastors, this doesn’t mean protecting them from outside attack or spiritual harm. It means protecting them from leaving, and going to the church on the other side of town. But aren’t there some times when it’s okay, even necessary and right, to leave a church? How do you know?
Continue reading “When To Leave Your Church: Seven Things Your Pastor Won’t Tell You” »

changing churches · how to leave a church · leaving church · leaving the faith · when to leave a church

Sometimes, it seems that life is dominated by the “wait.” It seems like we’re always waiting for something. Waiting to get married. Waiting to finish school. Waiting to head into ministry. Waiting for the building project to begin. Waiting for something. Life has a lot of waiting. And sometimes, waiting is hard.

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christian growth · enouragement · how to wait · waiting