Chris BrunoClarity is charity. Without clear expectations in our jobs, our marriages, and in the life of a church, we or others will find ourselves frustrated. This is particularly true when it comes to a church’s theology and philosophy of ministry...
Curt LeonardPastoral counseling can be tough. Premarital counseling is no exception, offering its own unique set of challenges and opportunities. Your job is to help a couple prepare for a lifetime of covenant faithfulness. These conversations can shape how a...
Christy ChermakI have the immense privilege of leading Watermark Health, an evangelism outreach ministry in Dallas. In any given year, we have the opportunity to share the gospel and provide acute, prenatal, and dental care to the uninsured in our city. We often...
Kyle GrantI am not the least bit artistic. I can write. I can express ideas with a pen, but not images with a paintbrush. So too, for the longest time I resigned myself to this limitation homiletically. My preaching had carefully chosen words of explanation...
Jim WilsonTrue pastoral effectiveness goes beyond preaching—it’s about presence. The most impactful pastors don’t confine their ministry to the pulpit; they live out their message among their people. Drawing inspiration from the management principle of...
James SewardThere are no shortcuts in the path that is sermon preparation. It takes sweat, soul-level investment, and often a bit of anguish. However, after twenty years of preaching, I have collected a handful of insider hacks that can improve your sermon...
Phil ThompsonA pastor once told me he would spend between twenty and thirty hours a week on sermon preparation. This left little time in his schedule for counseling his parishioners, leading his team, praying for his church, or planning for the future. Few...
Derek FekkesGood discussion questions are a key ingredient to fruitful, enjoyable small groups. They challenge people to think, they elicit varied responses, and they facilitate healthy and respectful group discussion. They serve to create an environment for...
Mark BriansIs catechesis simply a variation of Sunday school programming? Where does it fit within the matrix of Bible study, Christian education, and discipleship? This article will cover these questions and provide the keys to a fruitful catechism class.
Jonathan AkinPreaching the book of Proverbs presents unique opportunities and challenges. Some scholars can find it difficult to connect its seemingly random wisdom or practical tips to the metanarrative of the Bible and to the gospel of Christ. However, the...
Sean DemarsSmall groups and the idea of being gospel-centered are not new, but without clarity we risk creating gatherings that are active and fun yet lack true spiritual depth. This article will touch 5 essential traits to look for in small groups.
Michael F. BirdOur son M was formally diagnosed in 2015 with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and sensory processing disorder (SPD). We already had two daughters and noticed that our bouncing baby boy was very...
Karen EngleLeading your church or small group through a Bible study can be a beautiful and fulfilling experience—when it’s the right study. But choosing which Bible study curriculum to use is sometimes more challenging than it seems! There are hundreds of...
Mark WardWhat’s the key to effectively teaching the Bible to others, whether in a Bible study, a sermon, or a Facebook conversation? Loving God is most important, of course, but it’s possible to love God supremely and yet fail in your efforts at...
Ryan HigginbottomLeading a group Bible study is deeply rewarding, but let’s be honest: It’s also a little terrifying. Once you begin a conversation, you give up a sense of control. You might travel from Exodus to the politics of Disney faster than you can say...
Mark StraussThe earliest manuscripts do not contain John 7:53–8:11 or the end of Mark. So what is a pastor to do when preaching passage-by-passage through either Mark or John? Do you preach these passages? Do you ignore them? This article will help answer these...
Jeffrey WiesnerHow can a church effectively launch its small groups? What specific details need to be considered to get a small group ministry off the ground and running? Such nuts and bolts details are the burden of this particular article.
Wendy WidderWhat should we think when we find disagreement between English versions? Which translations are right? Why would translators change the biblical text? How can readers make good decisions about these discrepancies between versions? These questions...
Adriel SanchezSocial media is full of 280-character gems and landmines. Like the covenant God made with Israel through Moses, this world comes with blessings and curses. It can be vitally rewarding or pastorally disqualifying. Life in the land of X (formerly...
Casey BedellIf you are someone who is currently planting a church or interested in church planting, the work, as you know, is daunting. According to Pinetops Foundation church planting is near an all-time low in American history. Based on their research there...
James RaymentJames Rayment, who runs The Al-Ma’idah Initiative, an organization that trains Christians to communicate truth to Muslims in ways that resonate, shares seven common evangelism mistakes and how to covercome them.
Kelly CrossNever have enough volunteers? Ready to grow your church's volunteer team? Kelly Cross shares four practical, proven strategies to recruit and retain your volunteers. Learn how clear expectations, a small yes, and fun feasts can lead to big impact.
It is said that good leaders make more leaders. Jesus trained up his disciples to be apostles, his apostles trained pastors to be shepherds, and those pastors trained up more pastors who also went and taught others. So how can churches train up such...
Michelle KeenerThe book of Job asks many questions and gives very few answers. It is a passionately and beautifully written testament to suffering, confusion, and pain. In the end, Job does not get the answers he has been seeking, but he receives something else...
On the night of His betrayal, Jesus knew that the Father had given him all things into his hands. This biblical phrase signifies dominion and power, yet Jesus chose to use this authority not for revenge or domination, but for acts of...
Brian CollinsCommentaries are tools in the toolbox of Bible teachers and preachers. But just as a woodworker will use a table saw, miter saw, and band saw for different purposes, Bible teachers will turn to different types of commentaries for different purposes...
Harold L. SenkbeilI am going to make a few assumptions about you, the reader of this article: First, you know what spiritual authority is. Second, you presently hold some sort of leadership position in a church in which you regularly exercise this sort of authority...
Jennifer GrishamWe were in the middle of a care group gathering at church. People would share some of their deepest struggles, and then, inevitably, a leader in training would derail the conversation with unhelpful questions. It’s not uncommon. We often tap people...
Ryan NelsonSeveral years ago, the New York Times observed that members of the clergy now suffer from obesity, hypertension and depression at rates higher than most Americans. In the last decade, their use of antidepressants has risen, while their life...
Recent studies on pastoral resiliency have brought to the forefront the impact that loneliness has on pastors and pastoral burnout. Many pastors admit to having few friends whom they can truly open up to. Should pastors seek out friendships among...