Where Your Mind Sits Is Where Your Church Goes
Scripture “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” (Colossians 3:2 NIV) Paul was not telling believers to escape from real pressures. He was telling them to anchor their thinking somewhere higher than the pressures. Christ is risen. Christ is reigning....
Some Programs Need a Funeral, Not a Fix
Scripture “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” (Romans 6:4 NIV) In God’s pattern, resurrection always follows burial. There is...
Let’s Meet
Ministry is better with people who get it. You know the feeling. You hit on something that is working, or you wrestle with something that is not, and you wish you had a few people in the room who understand exactly what you are working through. People who lead the way...
If God Can Raise the Dead, He Can Raise This
Scripture “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV) The God who raised Jesus from the dead is the God who lives in the Church. The same power that broke a sealed tomb is the power...
Why the Church Needs More Apostolic Thinkers
Most churches are well-supplied with certain kinds of leaders. They have pastors who care for people, teachers who explain the Scriptures, and shepherds who tend the existing flock. These gifts are essential, and a church without them suffers. But many congregations...
The Pace You Keep Is the Work You’ll Finish
Scripture “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:29-30 NIV) Jesus did not offer rest from work. He offered a different way of...
Church Revitalization Begins With Kingdom Renewal
When a declining church decides it is time to turn things around, the conversation usually starts in a predictable place: How do we get people back? Leaders look for the program, the worship style, the staff hire, or the building update that will reverse the trend and...
Faithful and Frozen Is Still Frozen
Scripture “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.’” (Luke 15:31 NIV) The older brother served faithfully for years. He stayed when the younger son left. And he almost missed the celebration his own father was throwing. The...
How to Read Your Community Like a Missionary
When a missionary moves to a foreign country, they do not arrive on Monday and launch programs on Tuesday. They know better. The first task is to learn the place. They study the language, observe the customs, build relationships, listen for months, and pay careful...