Thursday, November 30, 2017

Want To Pastor A Church You Love? Love The Church You’re Pastoring


What if every pastor saw their church, not as a stepping-stone to something bigger, but as an investment to make with all their heart and soul?

Have you ever had a chat with someone who was constantly looking over your shoulder to see if there’s someone better to talk to?

A lot of us may be doing that to the church we’re pastoring.

One of the main reasons many churches stay unhealthy is that too many pastors aren’t putting their heart into the ministry they have.

Instead, they’re looking for something bigger.

This makes the church they are supposed to be pastoring feel overlooked and neglected. That’s not a great recipe for a healthy ministry or a healthy church.

What would happen if every pastor of every small church saw their ministry, not as a stepping-stone to something bigger, but as an investment to make with all their heart and soul? Read More

Four Benefits of Partnering with Other Local Churches


I used to believe that the most effective way I could impact my city and region was to help grow a strong and healthy local church. I still affirm the importance of the local church but God has also shown me how He is honored and His mission promoted when local churches partner together well.

Here are four benefits of partnering with others locally.... Read More

Thursday's Catch: "10 Surprising Things Church Members Said to Guests" and More


10 Surprising Things Church Members Said to Guests

Over the years that I’ve done church consulting, I’ve heard about (and heard personally) some surprising things that church members have said to guests. Here are a few of them.... Read More
Chuck Lawless's article is a reminder of the great harm that the unbridled tongue can do. It also reminds us that the creation of a friendly, welcoming environment in our churches is a responsibility that all church members share.
Ed Stetzer: Why Leadership Matters

Here are three reasons we should not reject the culture of leadership development. Read More

Why I Don't Want You to Attend Church Anymore

Maybe you can relate; maybe not. But here’s my point: no one should just attend church. Instead, we should be the church. Read More

The Revolutionary Mission

A world that is going through revolutionary changes can’t be reached, convinced or awakened by a church where everything remains the same. I’m not talking about the truth itself; truth never changes. I’m talking about the way the church engages the world with the truth. To wake up a world going through revolutionary changes requires that the church is revolutionary itself. Read More

Getting Past Inertia: Three Simple Tips for Sharing Our Faith

Sailboats and lists. Read More

Salvation by . . . Hospitality?

Hospitality isn’t only central for the Christian life; it’s integral to the nature and work of God. Read More

The Only Bright Spot in American Giving

Research highlights radical giving of poor and unpaid labor of women. Read More

Why #GivingTuesday Donations Could Drop Dramatically Next Year

Evangelical leaders warn of ‘devastating’ impact of GOP tax plan on the charitable deduction. Read More

Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Wednesday's Catch: "10 Mistakes Churches Make at Christmastime" and More


10 Mistakes Churches Make at Christmastime

Christmas is a wonderful time of the year. Some would even say it’s the most wonderful time of the year. While it still has its wonderment, Christmastime has a tendency to be stressful as well—especially in the church. Unfortunately stress can lead churches to plan poorly and make unnecessary mistakes. Here are ten such mistakes to avoid in your church this Christmas.... Read More

3 Tips for Hosting an Outstanding Church Dinner or Potluck

Use the dinner table like Jesus did. Read More

Don’t Dismiss Abuse: People Matter More than Institutions

No more prioritizing institutional protection over individual needs. Read More

Can You Be Reformed and Charismatic? Matt Chandler Thinks So

The possibility is gaining traction of late after messages by many pastors nationwide who admit they identify with the term. Read More

TULIP and The Doctrines of Grace

The central truth of God’s saving grace is succinctly stated in the assertion, “Salvation is of the Lord.” This strong declaration means that every aspect of man’s salvation is from God and is entirely dependent upon God. The only contribution that we make is the sin that was laid upon Jesus Christ at the cross. Read More

What Is Semi-Pelagianism?

Pelagius was a monk who lived in the late 300s and early 400s AD. His unbiblical doctrine of Pelagianism was condemned by several church councils, and he himself was excommunicated in 418. Pelagianism and the more moderate semi-Pelagianism are still making their rounds today as people, to varying degrees, attempt to take credit for their own salvation and thus mitigate the role of God’s grace. Read More

The Blessings of a Long Pastorate

How long should a pastor serve the same church? The Bible doesn’t answer that question. Read More

The Congregation and the Pulpit

How can a congregation help their pastors to preach God’s Word more effectively? We sometimes have the idea that the seminary—as helpful as it may be—is the end-all for getting preachers ready to preach. Yet it takes more than a seminary to make a preacher. It takes a faithful, partnering congregation to enable a pastor to preach well. Read More

Episode 29: On Sermon Preparation [Podcast]

How long should a preacher prep for his sermons? When and how should he consult commentaries? What’s the best way to involve others in the process? Listen Now

How I Get More Out of the Bible by Reading Less of It

I want to carefully challenge some common assumptions with these three questions. Read More

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

6 Dirty Secrets about Multisite Churches That (Almost) No-one is Talking About


Is your church considering going multisite? It would seem like every church leader I talk with is wrestling with this approach on reaching new communities. Studies have shown that basically every growing church is either already multisite or actively looking into it.

I’ve been a practitioner of this approach to church since the early 2000s. I can still remember having conversations with Greg Ligon from the Leadership Network many years ago and him telling me about nearly a dozen other churches that were doing something like what we were doing at The Meeting House – launching this dispersed approach to church. At that time, it seemed crazy to me that there were that many other churches trying out this approach; little did I know that in just over a decade, the multisite revolution would jump to 1,000 churches and impact the lives of millions of people.

As an unabashed fan of this approach to reaching more people, I do have a confession to make. There are aspects of being a multisite church that aren’t as great on the inside as they look on the outside. There are some dirty secrets within this movement that I want you to be fully aware of if you are considering launching a new campus. Or maybe you already have a few campuses and something just doesn’t feel right. Read More

The Outside Jesus


When we compare the 1st century lifestyle and mission of Jesus with the 21st century lifestyle and mission of church culture, one thing becomes clear: We have a penchant for the inside Jesus.

There are two aspects of Jesus’ life and mission: His inside ministry and his outside ministry. His inside ministry was focused on his life with the disciples, those close to him, and his work within the religious structures of his day—inside the synagogue and the Temple. His outside ministry was comprised of his connection with the everyday people, often those on the margins, those forbidden entry into the righteous circles, the heavy drinkers, the sexually immoral and the tax collectors. Most of this facet of Jesus’ life was also literally outside, in the marketplaces, on the hillsides, by pools, in porticos and at parties.

Reading through the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ life it’s evident that the outside ministry of Jesus takes precedent. When we collate the outside versus the inside Jesus, the outside wins in every Gospel. And for good reason. In Jesus’ own words his mission was not to come for the inside, but for the out, “I have come, not for the healthy, but for the sick.” Read More

William Chalmers Burns


On June 9, 1847, Islay Burns waved farewell to the S.S. Mary Bannatyne as it sailed out of Portsmouth harbor on its five-month voyage to China. He never expected to see again one of its passengers—his older brother, William Chalmers Burns. William would return only once to the United Kingdom, in 1854–55. For the next two decades, he served Christ as a missionary to the Chinese peoples. One of the most remarkable servants of Christ in the modern era, William died at age 53 in Nieu-Chwang, China, on April 4, 1868. Read More

Christianity Today: The Gift of Cash


Cover Story: Blessed Are the Handouts

Why some Christian poverty experts believe we should give cash to the poor, no strings attached. Read More

Secrets of Effective Giving

Here's when and how you can best help the poor. Read More

Our December Issue: Being Shrewd Samaritans

We’re learning more than ever about good giving. Read More

Confronting the Leadership Lie


... I want to confront a Satanic lie that has left too many good leaders paralyzed. I’ve heard this lie for the same amount of time I’ve been studying leadership. I’ve heard this lie at denominational gatherings, repeated by well-meaning men and women. And if I think hard enough, I can probably recall a time in the distant past when I have repeated this lie myself. That’s because—like most lies—it just sounds so good. Believing it simplifies the diagnoses of problems in any church or organization. That lie sounds like this:

“Everything rises and falls on leadership.” Read More

Pastor, Aim to Preach Simple Sermons


Not long ago, a fellow pastor recommended Simplicity in Preaching by J.C. Ryle. The practical benefit of Ryle’s essay on my preaching and congregation cannot be exaggerated. In fact, a quote from Ryle even serves as the screen saver for my desktop monitor: “Unless you are simple in your sermons, you will never be understood, and unless you are understood you cannot do good to those who hear you.”

Relative to the amount of time preachers spend in critical study of a text, how much attention is given to attaining simplicity in preaching? I’ve come to believe that faithful preaching is marked by simplicity. And simple preaching best serves others by communicating the point of the passage in a clear and Christ-centered way. Read More

Does Prayer Actually Change God's Mind [Video]


Scriptures teaches that God knows all things and plans all things and that our prayer changes things. Watch Now

Gender-Neutral God? Church of Sweden’s New Guidelines for Clergy


The Church of Sweden is in damage control mode after reports that it is instructing its clergy to stop calling God ‘He’ or ‘the Lord’ in an effort to crack down on gendered language. One church spokesman called the reports “fake news” saying the language change in the denomination’s 31-year-old handbook was only a suggestion. Read More

Monday, November 27, 2017

Monday's Catch: "Ask These Four Questions to Make Your Christmas Outreach More Effective" and More


Ask These Four Questions to Make Your Christmas Outreach More Effective

For us, outreach during the holidays is critical to reach people before the long Maine winter sets in. Here are the questions that have helped us understand and serve our community in a more effective way. Read More

Five Key Steps to Reach and Retain Guests

These...are five key steps to reach and retain guests. Most of these can be implemented in your church right away. Read More

Rural Stories: Books to Challenge, Inspire, and Encourage the Small Town Pastor

Here are a few of the recent books that I’ve found to be helpful. The books in this list are certainly not the last word. There are more stories to tell. Perhaps yours is one of them. Read More

4 Truths About Christian Giving

This article is adapted from Weakness is the Way: Life With Christ Our Strength by J. I. Packer. Read More

The One Genuine Cure for Legalism and Antinomianism

...just as there is more to legalism than first meets the eye, the same is true of antinomianism. Read More

Effective Church Leaders Do Not Treat Everyone Equally

If you don't decide whose opinions carry the greatest weight, the loudest voices will win and your ministry will be reactive, not proactive. Read More

Elements of a Great Worship Service

God does what He does when He wants to. There’s no special formula to create a worship atmosphere. But with a humble heart, consider these ideas that will encourage an attitude of worship in the hearts of your people.... Read More
While Don Chapman is writing for the supposedly "contemporary" church, he makes a number of suggestions that might also work in more traditional churches. For example, rather having the usual organ prelude before the service, an instrumental prelude might be played on the cello; a medieval hymn tune might be played on the tin whistle, fiddle, lute, and oboe; a hymn or gospel song might be sung by a soloist; or a metrical psalm or anthem might sung by the choir. Other instruments beside the organ might be used to accompany hymns or special music during the service. And so on.
Why Do I Do Stupid and Sinful Things? 

Why do I do stupid things? Where do those desires come from? How did that idea pop into my head? Read More

Saturday, November 25, 2017

Yes Christian, You Need the Church


It happens to be one of the more popular traps along the journey of faith—the idea that somewhere along the path of righteousness we somehow outgrow our need for the church. Perhaps you’ve met someone who was too busy for the church. Maybe you’ve encouraged someone who thought they were too important for the church. What was once the central aspect of their life has now turned into an occasional hobby. We all need a healthy reminder from time-to-time that we need the church in all seasons and successes of life. Read More

10 Things Some of Us - But Not All of Us - Get to Do This Weekend


I’m mindful on this Thanksgiving weekend of so many things that most of us are privileged to do – even while some of our brothers and sisters around the world don’t get to do them.... Read More
Christians in North America, in Canada and the United States, indeed have a lot to be thankful for. Christians in Mexico, which is also a part of North America, however, may not be able to do a number of these things. Evangelical Christians experience various forms of persecution for their faith in many communities in Mexico. Those persecuting them are not atheists, Buddhists, Hindus, or Muslims but syncretists who, while they maintain that they are Christians, practice a blend of Catholicism and native American religions.

5 Ways to Leverage Your Holiday Church Services for Growth


Christmas Eve services along with the weekends before and after are often some of the most highly-attended church events. While some churches have just one special candlelight Christmas Eve service, others have multiple services held on one day or even multiple services over the course of a week or more.

Churches often welcome visitors to these services and see an increase in attendance. Guests may be friends and family of current members, and often these ‘extras’ only attend church a few times a year on these special occasions. These guests might also be looking for a new church home. ‘Tis the season to make a good first impression.

These special services offer a once-a-year opportunity to share the love of Christ. It’s also the time to focus outward as your church serves those looking for comfort, fellowship, and compassion during what is typically a tough season for many people. While many people love Christmas, there are others who find it difficult for a myriad of different reasons.

Churches can seize the time to serve the larger community around them and reach well beyond their usual crowd. With this in mind, we wanted to share five ways churches can leverage holiday church services for growth.... Read More

6 Best and Worst Phrases To Engage Your Guests


Every new guest is a sign that you are doing something right, and an opportunity to change a life.

Each new guest represents an opportunity to influence their life toward Jesus, and by His power, they can be transformed. But they need to come back for greater opportunity to impact their life.

The return rate of your guests is more important than the actual number of your guests. Of course, it’s always better to have more guests, but let me explain what I mean. Read More

Saturday Lagniappe: You Too: A Call to End Violence Against Women


You Too: A Call to End Violence Against Women

The United Nations (UN) International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women seeks to raise public awareness about the violence that occurs against women in all geographic regions and socioeconomic strata of the world. This day is observed each year on November 25

Violence against women is a pervasive issue, and the women in our churches are not immune. Read More
What can we do as individual Christians and churches to prevent violence against women? How can we minister to the victims of such violence?
9 Things You Should Know About Sexual Misconduct

For the past several weeks, reports and allegations of sexual assault and harassment by celebrities and politicians have been in the news every day. Here are nine things you should know about these forms of sexual misconduct.... Read More

The Real 12 Days of Christmas

Celebrating Christ's birth with saints of the faith during the actual Christmas season. Read More
If you scroll down the page, you will find a number of other articles on topics related to Christmas.
8 New Resources for Advent

Advent always comes at just the right time. Read More

Two Scripture passages every pastor needs today (and every day)

Pastor, meditate on these texts to nourish your faithfulness and to silence your anxiety. Read More
A must read for those of us who are, whether as a member of the clergy or a layperson, involved in pastoral ministry of any kind.
A Revival Of The Public Reading of Scripture

I risk sounding old-fashioned, uninventive, or the promoter of something that “just won’t work these days,” but here’s my conviction: We should read even large sections of Scripture when the church meets. Read More
I would add that we should take our cue from the apostle Paul and read the Scriptures in an a language that the guests who attend our church, not just ourselves, are able to understand.
Systemic Issues in Discipleship

While most pastors and church leaders would agree that discipleship is directional by quoting passages like Hebrews 12:1-2 or Philippians 3:13-14; unfortunately, when you take a look at how discipleship happens in a typical church, we’re not practicing what we preach. Read More
Quite thought provoking. A must read.
The Gospel Is the Only Stable Source of Identity and Value

In a post-Christian culture, it’s really important Christian ambassadors are good translators. People steeped in our modern culture have a very different worldview than Christianity. It’s easy for those we’re talking with about the Gospel to misunderstand what we’re saying. Read More
This article offers insight into the reason there is a great deal of hostility toward the Christian message in our culture.

Friday, November 24, 2017

The Friday after Thanksgiving Edition: Christmas Is Coming!!


3 Tips for Sharing Jesus with Others this Christmas

Even while our culture continues its acceleration away from Christendom, Christmas still remains one of the most likely time of the year for non-Christians to consider matters of faith. Here are a few tips to help you step out of your comfort zone and talk to non-Christians in your world about Jesus. Read More

Be Careful Not to Spoil the Christmas Season

On occasion, my wife says that my Christmas personality is a little bit like the Grinch. While she does not venture into Clark Griswold territory regarding her Christmas spirit, she does love the decorations, the season and all the trappings more than I do. Maybe you love the season, but not all the busyness that comes along with it. Following are several ways you can spoil the wonder of the Christmas season if you aren’t careful. Read More

We Are All Eleventh-Hour Laborers

The parable of the laborers in the vineyard, however, teaches us that not only our salvation, but also our entire Christian lives are to be lived on the basis of God’s grace. Then the parable also teaches us about two amazing qualities of grace: the abundant generosity of His grace, and His sovereignty in dispensing it. Read More

Only In a Small Church: Face Time With the Pastor

The disadvantages of a small church are regularly outweighed by the privilege we have of discipling people on a more personal level. Read More

TGC Courses: The Theology of C. S. Lewis [Podcast]

“What Lewis is trying to do here is to present Christianity without any modifying adjectives.” – Andrew Hoffecker Listen Now
C. S. Lewis made the Mere Christianity radio broadcasts during World War II, not World War I. For more podcasts on theology and life, visit TGC Courses.

Thursday, November 23, 2017

Latest Podcasts from Revitalize & Replant with Thom Rainer


Nine Questions You Should Ask before Leading a Church to Revitalization - Revitalize & Replant #015

Where should I start? We get that a lot from pastors wanting to lead revitalization in their churches. Today we cover nine questions to ask yourself before you begin. Listen Now

Five Major Types of Church Revitalization - Revitalize & Replant #016

Every church is different. As such, every church revitalization project is different. Sometimes it’s more than just context though—it’s methods as well. Read More

Kevin Campbell and Matt McCullough on Church Planting


Three Things I Would Share With Every Young Church Planter

I occasionally have the opportunity to meet with people who are just starting out on their church planting journey. It is always exciting to see them take this step of faith. The potential for lives to be changed and a community transformed is amazing! Having started a church, I’ve had the privilege to see the good, bad, and ugly of it all. I wouldn’t trade it for anything!

The number one question I’m asked is “what would you tell a young church planter who is just starting out?” Here are three things I would tell every young church planter.... Read More

Church Plants Need Shepherds, Not Entrepreneurs

When I was first assessed as a church planter, people often asked if I thought of myself as an entrepreneurial type. I believe it was a fair question.

...that common question made sense, given my background, because of a common assumption that lies just beneath its surface. I believe we often assume church planting requires more entrepreneurial skills than other pastoral contexts.

Is that a fair assumption? Should church planters be entrepreneurs? Read More

4 Reasons We Can Be Thankful in Times of Trouble


On Thanksgiving Day Americans celebrate our most religious of secular holiday. For hundreds of years we’ve made a national tradition of giving thanks for the blessings of the preceding year. But for Christians, every day should be a day of thanksgiving, since the regular practice of gratitude is a means by which we become rightly oriented toward God.

Without a regular infusion of gratitude we can become self-involved, believing that we are the ones responsible for all that we have in our lives. Only by developing the discipline of gratitude can we ensure that we are cognizant of God’s goodness and reliant on him for our daily existence.

Expressing our gratitude can be challenging even when we feel blessed. But what about when we are enduring times of pain, suffering, or difficulty? How can we be thankful when we’ve lost our job or when our child is enslaved to pornography? How can we be thankful when our neighbors are suffering from sexual abuse or dying from opioid addictions?

When our world seems to be falling apart, how can we be expected, as Paul tells us, to “give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)? Is the apostle saying we must be thankful for these troubles? As Jim Burns explains,
No. If you look closely you’ll see that Paul is not telling you to be thankful for these things; rather we are to be thankful in our circumstances. There is a major difference between being thankful for every situation in life and being thankful in those situations. He challenges us to find reasons to be thankful even in the worst of struggles.
All of us struggle in times of suffering and despair to express our gratitude for what God has done for us. But there are four reasons believers can be thankful in times of trouble.... Read More

Tracy McKenzie, Justin Taylor, and Thomas Kidd on Thanksgiving


One-on-One with Tracy McKenzie on the Truth about Thanksgiving and What It Means for Us Today

The Pilgrims did not think of their autumn 1621 celebration as a Thanksgiving Day as much as a kind of harvest festival. Read More

The Original Thanksgiving Menu in the Fall of 1621

A lot of myths have come to surround the original Thanksgiving. Read More

Not All Turkey and Touchdowns

The Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony weren’t the first Europeans to settle in North America, nor were they the first permanent English colonists. But because of our annual celebration of Thanksgiving, and our hazy images of their 1621 meal with Native Americans, the Pilgrims have become the emblematic colonists in America’s national memory. Although modern Thanksgiving has become largely non-religious — focused more on food, family, and football than explicitly thanking God — the Pilgrims’ experience reveals a compelling religious aspect of our country’s roots. Read More
Despite the quote in Thomas Kidd's article the historical evidence suggests that turkey was not on the menu at the original Thanksgiving. Rather the colonists and the Native Americans celebrated the occasion with roast venison and goose, cornmeal mush, salt pork, and sea biscuits, or hardtack. The colonists are also often portrayed wearing solemn black but their actual dress was much more colorful.

Seven Lessons Learned from 17 Years in Ministry


Seventeen years. That is how long I’ve served in vocational church ministry. That number caught me a bit by surprise this week. I really don’t feel like I’m old enough to have been doing this for so long, but the calendar doesn’t lie. Here are a few lessons I’ve learned that make my ministry stronger today than it was in 2000 and that sustain me during hard days. Read More

Globalization and the Christian Mission


We may be seeing the birth of a new missiological movement. This new era in Christian missions will build upon the accomplishments of the last two hundred years, but it must also be adapted to our world context.

The most important dimension of any vision for world missions is a passion to glorify God. The Bible declares that God is glorifying Himself in the salvation of sinners all over the world, and that He desires to be worshiped among all the peoples of the earth. Therefore, we have the glad opportunity to glorify God by declaring the gospel to all the peoples of the earth.

Christianity is a global faith, and our world is increasingly a global community. Throughout most of history, however, humanity primarily lived in cultural and social isolation. Even within the “melting pot” of America, ethnic and language groups tended to inhabit their own unique neighborhoods and spheres. Read More

A Call for Patient Evangelism


Almost everyone knows the story of Adoniram Judson. But among the most God-honoring and baffling parts of his story is what happened on his way to the mission field: he broke his ties with the Congregationalist Church because he changed his convictions on baptism. His friend and fellow laborer, Luther Rice, had similarly shifted. Rice returned to the U.S. to raise support from Baptist churches for Judson, who was now a missionary without any sending churches. Under Rice’s initiative, Baptist churches in the U.S. supported Judson for decades—without ever even meeting him. Rice returned home in 1812, but Judson’s first and only visit back wasn’t until 1845, more than 30 years later.

In other words, these churches faithfully supported the ministry of a man they’d never met. They only knew Judson by way of his reputation and the letters that came several months after current events. He never once visited with rousing stories of regular converts.

How does a church get its members invested in the Great Commission like that? It’s a question many church leaders ask themselves. We know Christians are called to take the gospel to the nations, yet often it’s challenging to get people motivated about evangelistic work in faraway places.

Perhaps this is why pastors assume that what their church members need is more excitement about the spiritual results of missions. They need to see how thrilling it is when men and women step out of a culture where Christianity is totally alien, and into the kingdom of light. So why not use whatever means possible to excite churches with those images? Read More

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

To My Heroes: Bi-vocational and Small Church Pastors—7 Reasons to be Thankful


We all have heroes—those persons we look to to find strength and courage who remind us evil will be vanquished and good will ultimately reign. While as Christians we look to Christ as our hero who conquered evil by his substitutionary death and resurrection to new life, the Lord allows us to see reflections of His strength and courage in other faithful brothers and sisters in Christ.

Bi-vocational and small church pastors are my heroes—those brothers to whom I look to find strength and courage to persevere in the faith and in difficult ministry. Bi-vocational and small church pastors may never be invited to preach at The Gospel Coalition national conference or Together for the Gospel; they may never be asked to endorse the latest Christian book, much less write one; they may never be highlighted at the denominational meeting or the retreat of their national network of churches. But, bi-vocational and small church pastors have the same responsibilities as all other pastors. In fact, I could argue they have more responsibilities because larger church pastors have staffs and interns and assistants who can take a large load off their plate. Bi-vocational and small church pastors, on the other hand, often have no one else. Who else is going to prepare the sermon, visit the hospital, counsel the broken-hearted, make evangelistic visits, disciple the men, even fold the bulletins in some cases?

Sadly, though, I sense that my bi-vocational and small church brother pastors are often discouraged in their ministries. So, allow me to offer seven reasons for my bi-vocational and small church brother pastors to be thankful. Rejoice and be thankful for.... Read More

The Christian’s Job Description


Everybody has a job description. Regardless of who you are—a pastor, a church member, or a student—you have a job description. We all do. And they are nothing new. They’ve been with us since the beginning of history. Adam and Eve had a job description. Noah had a job description. Abraham, Moses and Saul too. They all had job descriptions.

But sometimes we get so immersed in fulfilling the details of our divinely-given job description, that we lose sight of the big picture. From time to time, we need to remind ourselves of the biblical pillars of our raison d’être, those structural pylons of the Christian life that give us a wide-angle view of the biblical mandates and help us to refocus and reenergize our efforts.

When it comes to summarizing biblical mandates, no one did it better than our Lord. He was able to get right to the core of things. Jewish history said that there were 613 laws that needed to be obeyed, but Jesus reduced them to two: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” and “you shall love your neighbor as yourself“ (Matt 22:37, 39).

In the midst of the tyranny of our commitments, we would do well to boil down the plethora of our commitments to the very basics of God’s job description for us. In many respects, it’s not a job description, but a job prescription—a prescription mandated for us by the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:31 – 11:1. Cautioning the Corinthians about misusing their Christian liberties, he admonishes: “Whether then you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense, either to Jews or to Greeks or to the Church of God, just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of the many, so that they may be saved. Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.” Read More

10 Marks You Belong to a Great Church


When you plug into a church that is getting it done, it’s a true blessing.

I love the church. She is Christ’s bride and the key to cultural transformation. In that sense, every church is great. But let’s be honest, there are a ton of churches that leave much to be desired when it comes to truly making a difference in their congregations and communities. So when you plug into a church that is getting it done, it’s a true blessing.

Of course, there are no perfect churches, but there are many that are pressing toward the high water mark we see in Scripture. Read More

J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis: A Legendary Friendship

Illustration from J. R. R. Tolkien's Farmer Giles of Ham
A new book reveals how these two famous friends conspired to bring myth and legend—and Truth—to modern readers.

Our world would be poorer without two other worlds: Narnia and Middle-earth. Yet if two young professors had not met at an otherwise ordinary Oxford faculty meeting in 1926, those wondrous lands would still be unknown to us. Read More

See Also:
Top 10 Misquoted Lines from C. S. Lewis
Pauline Baynes illustrated both C. S. Lewis and J. R.R. Tolkien's books. 

The Jesusy Movement


Sure, all kinds of Christians love Jesus. But he’s especially central in evangelical piety.

ome years ago Francis Quinn, then Roman Catholic bishop of Sacramento, and I were talking about evangelicals who were converting to Catholicism. I was a Presbyterian minister at the time, serving a small church in Sacramento. I can’t remember the occasion of our conversation, but I do remember one his remarks. He said that when evangelicals move into Catholicism, “I hope they bring Jesus with them. We Catholics need more Jesus.”

Catholics certainly don’t ignore Jesus—he hangs crucified at the front of most of their churches, after all. And they believe it is his very body and blood that they receive in every Mass. But as the good bishop noted, Jesus isn’t necessarily at the center of most Catholic daily piety. For many Catholics, that place would be occupied by the Virgin Mary or perhaps one or more of the saints. Other Catholics are enamored with the magisterium or the church’s tradition. But it would be hard to argue that the Catholic faith is “Jesusy.” Read More

Five Reasons Thankful Pastors Are Doing So Well in Ministry


As I was trying to discern some of the qualities and characteristics of pastors who are doing really well in ministry, I was surprised that the most common trait was an attitude of abundant gratitude.

Simply stated, pastors who have an attitude of continuous gratitude are doing very well in ministry. They are joyous pastors. They serve joyous congregations. They see a steady flow of first-time guests at their churches. And they are more likely to see many church members growing as more devoted followers of Christ.

Why? Why are thankful pastors doing so well in ministry? As I have come to know these pastors, I see five common answers to this question. Read More

Tuesday, November 21, 2017

4 Sure Signs Your Church Needs More First-Time Guests


Why isn’t your church growing? So many church leaders are wrestling with that question. They are looking at the dynamics of what’s happening in their church and trying to sort out where the “problem” is.

Is it that your church doesn’t have enough first-time guests coming through the front door? Or is it that people are falling through the cracks and not sticking & staying at your church? Diagnosing the issue doesn’t need to be complex and convoluted. This is an answerable question!

As I’ve worked with churches across the country pondering over these issues (and more importantly trying to find a solution to it), I’ve bumped into these sure signs that are evident in churches that aren’t seeing enough first-time guests arriving at their church. Is your church seeing these dynamics at play in your church? Read More

7 Christmas Eve Ideas That Work


I’m a big fan of Christmas Eve. Attendance is generally up at all churches during the Christmas season, as even the most unchurched have a little voice nagging them to go. We’ve decided at Brookwood Church to put all our musical eggs in the Christmas Eve basket because it’s THE service of the year (along with Easter Sunday), even beyond Christmas cantatas and December Sundays, when people are most likely to darken the door of a church.

Make an effort to create a special service on Christmas Eve. It’s hard enough to find musicians on Christmas Eve at a big church like Brookwood, but it was even more difficult to find players at the 300-member church where I was a music director several years ago (that’s why I’ve created the Christmas Eve and I Adore You Service Guides – you can pull off a beautiful service with only a capable pianist and worship leader or just use tracks.)

In the smaller church, we’d go acoustic (me on piano, acoustic guitar, and bass) which was a nice vibe for the evening anyway. We rented a baby grand piano, set it in the center of the room, and had the service “in the round” to change things up (I used a synth keyboard from a small stage otherwise.) Our tech guy hung a few extra, inexpensive lights to create a cozy mood, and I downloaded the prettiest worship video backgrounds I could find.

At Brookwood, I’ve discovered a few elements we do year after year that simply work.... Read More

10 Pet Peeves about Church from One Who Loves The Church


By “pet peeve,” we mean only a minor disagreement. An annoyance. We find certain things irritating, but they are not deal-breakers. No federal case, no mountains from a molehill. Okay to disagree. A personal thing is all. Read More

The Danger of Gossip


The Lord loves a straight shooter. How do I know this? Because this is the embodiment of the wisdom imparted in Proverbs, including this helpful little gem: “Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you” (4:24).

Crooked speech is talk that isn’t straight. It is bowed, off-kilter, circuitous, meandering. There are a few examples we could name, including outright lying and even hypocritical living, but one of the most glaring examples of crooked speech that is practically epidemic in the church is the sin of gossip. But what is gossip?

One reason gossip can be so difficult to define is that it so often masquerades as something more mundane, perhaps even beneficent. I’m sure you have witnessed plenty of prayer requests shared on someone’s behalf that seemed to include unnecessary details or salacious information. You’ve probably heard your share of “words of concern” that bordered on insinuation or improper speculation. Maybe you’ve offered such words yourself. I know I have.

If we had to boil down gossip to a straightforward definition, we might say that gossip is saying anything about someone that you wouldn’t say to them. That at least captures the way gossip violates Proverbs 4:24.

So how do you know if you’re hearing (or sharing) gossip? Here are some clues as to the various motives that fuel gossip. Read More

How to Influence Your Conscience (Before Someone Else Does)


For most of us, the normalization and celebration of sin has become so pervasive in the entertainment we grew up enjoying that it can be difficult for us to discern whether or not God is pleased with our lifestyle. There is often a cognitive dissonance between what we believe about God and his law and how we live. So, how are Christians meant to navigate this complicated issue? Read More

The Truth about Suicide


More and more Americans are taking their own lives. How the church can step up.

In 2015, more than 44,000 Americans died by suicide—one death every 12 minutes, as the Department of Health and Human Services put it. The overall suicide rate has grown by nearly 30 percent over the past 15 years, prompting some to call it a new public health crisis.

Al Hsu knows this reality personally. Nine months after the InterVaristy Press senior editor got married, he received a phone call from his mother. “Daddy killed himself,” she told him. When he heard the news, Hsu and his wife already had plans to visit his parents. His 58-year-old father was in rough condition after a stroke had left him partially debilitated and gravely depressed. The aftermath of his father’s death sparked Hsu to reflect and research, the results of which found their way into Grieving a Suicide: A Loved One’s Search for Comfort, Answers, and Hope (InterVarsity Press), first published in 2002 and re-released this year.

Hsu spoke with assistant editor Morgan Lee about the inner conflict of grieving a suicide, the best and worst ways his community responded to his pain, and whether ending one’s own life condemns a Christian to hell. Read More

See Also:
1 in 3 Protestant Churchgoers Personally Affected by Suicide

Sermon Prep for the Non-Vocational Preacher


It’s one of my favorite times of the year—I’m getting ready to preach for the first time in ages. With moving, settling into my new job, traveling for work, and a host of other things, it’s been hard to even start looking for opportunities. So, God graciously provided one for me this coming weekend when I head down to Texas to work on a Gospel Project-related video.

Sermon prep methodology fascinates me. I love learning how pastors manage their time to prioritize prayer, study, writing, and practice. Through the years, my own habits have changed pretty drastically. I used to joke that my prep was like “Forrest Gump”-ing my way into a good sermon. It was basically a happy coincidence. I don’t joke like that anymore (and not just because it annoys my wife). Actually, I work really hard to prepare any sermon or presentation. I’ve never considered myself a natural public speaker, so I don’t wing anything.

So what do I do? Today, I thought I’d share a bit about what my current process looks like.... Read More

Three Practical Steps to Pray Without Ceasing


Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-17)
To “pray without ceasing” means to have our minds always on the things of God, to be in constant communication with him, so that every moment may be as fruitful as possible. How can we learn to “pray without ceasing?” Here are three practical steps. Read More

3 Ways Social Media Helps Your Outreach Efforts


Fall and winter are usually busy outreach seasons for churches: Fall Festivals, Trunk-or-Treats, Thanksgiving dinners, musicals, Christmas Eve and Christmas services, and more.

In the not-so-distant past, advertising for such events was limited to your local newspaper. Such ads were not always cheap, and reach was limited to subscribers who read the paper on the day your ad ran. Not so with social media. Today, your event info can be shared, shared, and shared some more, providing multiple opportunities for viewing.

Social media is the easiest, most effective way to promote your outreach efforts that exists today. Please don’t overlook it.

What are some benefits? Here are three. Read More

Don’t Expect a Spectacular Christian Life


How are your spiritual disciplines?

Take a moment to answer.

In the hundreds of times I’ve asked that question, 99 percent of the time I get a variation of the same answer: I should be doing more.

The reasons vary: I’m not disciplined enough. I don’t know how. I don’t have enough time. I get bored. They didn’t work.

We seem to think our discipline issues are due to some sort of discipline defect—and yet we execute spiritual disciplines every day. Even if you rarely touch your Bible, you’re always disciplining yourself toward certain activities you believe will open the door to spiritual vitality and joy.

Sports stats, Netflix binges, how-to blogs, social media addiction, and a hundred other daily habits can become attempts to find the good life your soul craves. Read More

Eight Ways to Connect Evangelistically with Non-Believing Family Members over the Holiday


Many of us will be hanging out with unbelieving family members this Thanksgiving week, and we’re hoping to be a good Christian witness around them. Maybe these ideas will help you move in that direction.... Read More

Monday, November 20, 2017

Reshaping the 1928 Prayer Book Services for Mission – Part 3

The Holy Table at St. Mark's Anglican Church, Benton, Kentucky
By Robin G. Jordan

Among the four new works in which I was involved to various extents during the opening decade of this century was North Cross United Methodist Church. At the time I became involved in North Cross UMC, I was involved in the early stages of an Anglican Mission in America church plant. I was a member of the core group that the AMiA church planter was putting together to form the nucleus of a new AMiA church. We were not meeting for worship, only for core-group development. The AMiA church planter had encouraged core-group members to attend one of the churches in the area until it was time to launch the new church and to hold its first service of public worship. I chose to attend North Cross because it was a fairly young church plant and I thought that I could gain more practical experience in pioneering a new church from attending the church. I also became involved an Episcopal “dinner church” that had popped up in the area after the arrival of the AMiA church planter. I did so in part out of curiosity and in part at the request of the AMiA church planter. This new work was attracting people who might have been attracted to the new AMiA church. I would be with North Cross for roughly two years.

When I first became involved in North Cross, the church was meeting in rented space at the Madisonville Maritime Museum. As well as having the use of two large conference rooms on the main floor, it had the use of a smaller meeting room on the second room. It used the two larger rooms for worship services and the children’s ministry and the smaller room for a nursery. A welcome center and a table with hot coffee and donuts, sweet rolls, cookies, or muffins were set up at the entrance of one of the larger rooms. The two larger rooms adjoined each other. People had to pass through the first room to enter the second room. In the second room rows of stacking chairs were arranged in four sections, facing a communion table, a lectern, and a projection screen. To one side were a baby grand piano and two rows of chairs for the choir. The choir was formed shortly after I became involved in the church.

The music for the worship services was taken from the United Methodist Hymnal, a collection of standard hymns and gospel songs, and The Faith We Sing, a collection of older worship songs and praise choruses, songs from the World Church, and new compositions. It was what is sometimes described as the “New Traditional.” I was familiar with most of the praise choruses and worship songs from the 1980s and 1990s.

The lyrics of the hymns and songs were projected onto the screen, using a multimedia projector.

While the choir occasionally performed special music such as singing a call to worship at the beginning of the worship service, its primary role was to lead the congregational singing. The pastor had a good singing voice, sung with the choir, encouraged the participation of the congregation in the singing of the hymns and songs, and took a lead role in the selection of music for the worship services. The pianist was the pastor’s father who lived more than an hour’s drive from Madisonville.

While the area church that boasted the largest attendance used what is sometimes described as “Contemporary” music, the use of “New Traditional” music was still a viable choice for the area. North Cross did not attract a large crowd like the Church of the King but its worship services were well-attended.

As well as attracting young families and older couples, North Cross also attracted single young adults and teenagers. While largely attracting people with a Methodist background, the church also attracted people with other Protestant backgrounds. Its weekly celebration of Holy Communion attracted mixed couples in which one spouse was Protestant and the other Roman Catholic. From 2003 on North Cross began to see a trickle of disaffected Episcopalians looking for a new church home. The people who were attending North Cross were also inviting unchurched friends, neighbors, relatives, and colleagues to the church.

One of the reasons that people were attracted to North Cross was the growing reputation of the pastor as a preacher. He received high marks for his energetic delivery, good use of illustrations, and clear Bible teaching from the congregation. When people are excited about the preaching, music, children’s ministry, ministry opportunities, and relaxed atmosphere of a church, they tell people about the church. They also invite people to church.

What was most interesting about North Cross from the perspective of this article series was its use of traditional language in hymns and songs, responsive readings, the Lord’s Prayer, the Apostles’ Creed, and the Doxology. All of these elements were regularly used in North Cross’ worship services. On occasion the General Confession and Absolution and the Prayer of Consecration from John Wesley’s Sunday Service of Methodists in North America, a order for the administration of Holy Communion that is a shortened version of the 1662 Communion Service, was used. (Since I moved to western Kentucky, I have also learned that elements of Wesley’s Sunday Service are sometimes used in United Methodist churches in the region.)

The use of traditional language in these worship elements was a viable choice for the area. Most of the area’s population spoke English as their first language. While Tudor English contains a number of archaic words and grammatical structures, it is not as far removed from modern-day English as Middle English or Old English.

The area was primarily suburban, middle class. A large segment of the area’s population had a high school education or higher. This population segment had been exposed to Tudor English when they studied English literature from the Elizabethan period, chiefly the plays and sonnets of William Shakespeare.

A phenomenon that is quite evident in high schools and universities today was not as evident ten years ago. One of my fellow students at Murray State University pointed this phenomenon to my attention. Very few students in his English literature classes show any interest in learning Tudor English. His observation corresponded with my own observation that the English vocabulary of students not only entering the university but graduating from it is impoverished. They are not familiar with many of the words which high school students of my generation were expected to learn and use. The factors behind their impoverished vocabulary are complicated. While we may decry this development, it is one of the realities of the twenty-first century North American mission field.

A large segment of the area’s population was Protestant in their religious affiliation. There was a reasonable likelihood that this population segment had been exposed to Tudor English through the use of the King James Version of the Bible, traditional language hymns, and traditional language prayers at a church that the households forming this population segment had attended in the past. This likelihood was far greater in 2002-2003 than it is now.

What was particularly noteworthy about the use of traditional language texts at North Cross was that it was much more sparing than in Continuing Anglican churches using the 1928 Prayer Book and Episcopal churches using Rite I. Its use of these texts was confined to the worship elements that I previously mentioned. This use was consistent with the Methodist tradition of plain and unadorned worship and embodied the key liturgical principle of simplicity: less is more. The spareness that characterizes the Methodist worship tradition is a part of its Anglican heritage. John Wesley himself applied the principle of simplicity when he abbreviated the Anglican Communion Service for the use of Methodists in North America. Wesley was an Anglican priest and was familiar with the principle of simplicity from Archbishop Cranmer’s Preface to the 1549 Prayer Book. The principle of simplicity was used in the compilation of the 1549 and 1552 Prayer Books and has influenced subsequent revisers of the Prayer Book. In abbreviating the Anglican Communion Service, Wesley took the principle of simplicity a step further than Cranmer.

Among the conclusions that I drew from the time that I was at North Cross was that a church might use traditional language texts on the North American mission field with a measure of success provided that:

1. The population of the area in which the church is located, or a reasonably large segment of it, has some past exposure to Tudor English (i.e., studied Elizabethan literature, read the King James Bible, sung traditional hymn, etc.) Churches using traditional language texts cannot, however, assume a level of familiarity with Tudor English in the general population today that they might have assumed in the past. While The Book of Common Prayer and the King James Bible may have influenced the development of modern English, their influence is waning. The works of William Shakespeare and other Elizabethan authors and playwrights do not occupy the place that they once did. The traditional hymn has also fallen on hard times.

2. A church makes a more sparing use of traditional language texts than what has become the practice of Continuing Anglican churches using the 1928 Prayer Book and Episcopal churches using Rite I. The 1928 revision of the American Prayer Book anticipates the need for greater flexibility on the mission field and its general rubrics permit the simplification of a number of its rites and services (e.g., the Daily Offices, Private Baptism, Communion of the Sick, etc.) and the more sparing use of the texts printed in these rites and services.

The simplification of a rite or service and the sparing use of traditional language texts help to make a worship service more accessible to guests who are unaccustomed to set forms of prayer as well as to those who are unfamiliar with Tudor English.

The sparing use of traditional-language texts is also consistent with good pedagogical practice. In teaching a new language to students, an instructor introduces the new language a few words and phrases at a time. The instructor does not overwhelm the students with more than they can assimilate and memorize.

In my next article I will look at how the liturgical principles of simplicity and suitability may be used in reshaping the 1928 Prayer Book services for mission. I will also examine how the 1928 Communion of the Sick was employed as the liturgy for an Episcopal “dinner church.”

Previous Articles in This Series:
Upcoming Article Series on Reshaping the 1928 Prayer Book Services for Mission
Reshaping the 1928 Prayer Book Services for Mission – Part 1
Reshaping the 1928 Prayer Book Services for Mission – Part 2

Image: Bella Raj