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...
Mark BriansOn 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...
Logos StaffFathers play a critical role in the lives of their children. They are called to be teachers, providers, disciplinarians, and living examples of God. It’s a tall order from the greatest Father of them all. Though Father’s Day is a great day to teach...
To reconcile means to bring back together. But unless we approach it on the Bible's terms, we will fail to account for it in the life of the church. The following provides twelve important truths from the Bible to keep in mind as we engage in the...
Guy WatersGovernment is a word that we often associate with matters that concern the life of the nation—taxes, infrastructure, defense, and elections. But government is also a critical part of the life of the church. Jesus had many disciples, but he named...
Karen EngleFinding appropriate Mother’s Day sermon ideas isn’t always easy. Let’s face it—Mother’s Day can be a tricky day to preach on. The pastor-preacher has to stand in front of a congregation and find something special to say to connect with the hearts of...
Daniel ViezbickeA succulent sits on my desk at church. I bought it years ago because I wanted something to break up the monotony of my office, as well as something to symbolize my ambitions in pastoral ministry. Crassula ovata—so my horticulturalist wife told...
Phillip CaryGod says to put God first. He also tells us to love our neighbor. But why does God command us to love him? And why does Jesus identify it as the greatest commandment?
It is often assumed that Christianity grew and maturated in the ancient world because the gospel fit its sense of enchantment. So many have proposed that we need to re-enchant that which has been disenchanted. One aspect of enchantment evidently...
Jeannine BrownJesus's parable about servants investing money wisely, more popularly known as the parable of the talents, has generated many interpretations.
Ray Van NesteWhen I teach my pastoral ministry class, I assign Pastoral Care by Gregory the Great. The first time I taught the class, one of the students said, this guy sounds like a Catholic. Yes, indeed. Not only was he a Catholic—he was a pope! Why would I, a...
Pam GillaspieIt’s one thing to lead a Bible study; it’s another to lead a Bible study that people love! What’s the difference between a study that people endure and one they can’t wait to attend? Effective Bible study leaders invite people to engage with the...
Gerald BrayIn the ancient world—as for most time since—the gospel of Christ was primarily spread by verbal proclamation, i.e., preaching, and in those days there was no shortage of gifted preachers. Among the pre-modern sermons of which we have record, John...
Layton TalbertPrayer by itself has no power whatsoever. It wields no inherent supernatural sway; nor does it involve a formula or ritual which, if done right, guarantees any desired result. Christian prayer is not magic. The measure of prayer’s power, then, is...
Jason StoneFor more than a decade now, I have trained pastors and students to leverage Logos for their study of the Bible, including sermon preparation and planning. Over the years, I have heard the same concern time and again: many professionals study the...
Kelley MathewsWhy limit theological training to just pastors? Theology (theo, God; logia, study of) is the study of who God is and what he is like. With a subject that vast, those who plan to lead churches often spend large amounts of time and money pursuing...
Daniel R. HydeThe author of Hebrews presents us with vivid imagery of Old Covenant worship in the tabernacle and temple, its priests, and the sacrifices they offered. But what, if anything, does this have to do with my worship as a Christian? Do we still worship...
Kyle BeutlerFrom Thanksgiving to Christmas Day, you won’t need to look—or listen?—far to run into a Christmas song or two. They’re playing in the background of grocery stores and coffee shops aplenty. But when we let Christmas songs sit in the background they...