Saturday Lagniappe: "The Church’s Identity Crisis: Why Authenticity Matters" and a Whole Lot More

The Church’s Identity Crisis: Why Authenticity Matters

Stop trying to be a bad version of something else, and be an incredible version of who you are. Read More

One caution: when Pil Cooke talks about looking inward, he is not talking about becoming inward looking.

Satan's Strategies

Here is a kind of security check on Satan’s strategies. Read More

4 Ways the Enemy Pulls Us in Recurrent Sins

Many believers struggle with sins that continue to haunt them, even when they fight hard to gain victory. Satan and his forces delight when Christians keep losing that battle. Perhaps understanding better what the enemy does will help us say “No” to his next attempt to lure us across the sin line.... Read More

The Art of Imperious Ignorance

Michael Ovey addresses the increasingly common practice of expressing disagreement by declaring that Scripture is not clear on a particular matter. Read More

The Difference between Curious Leaders and Caring Leaders

Leaders in large organizations—and leaders in churches over a couple hundred people—cannot possibly care for each individual. The issue is not whether a leader personally invests in each person but rather the default posture and tone of that leader. Read More

Why Pastors Have Few Deep Friends

I’ve heard it so many times that I almost expect it: pastors are lonely. They often minister among people they say they love, but don’t know well. They have few deep friendships. Here are 10 reasons why we struggle with finding friends.... Read More

Four Reasons You Need Weekly Sermon Evaluation

Micah Fries explains how his creation of condensed, digital version of a sermon review form and its use helped his preaching. Read More

Preacher’s Toolkit: How Do I Handle an Unbeliever’s Funeral?

“Preacher’s Toolkit” is a new monthly series that seeks to answer questions related to preaching. Read More

Introducing the "Word Matters" Podcast

Brandon Smith and Trevin have launched a new podcast called Word Matters. Each episode takes a contested or puzzling passage of the Bible, walks through the most common interpretations, and then recommends how to preach or teach the passage effectively. The podcast is sponsored by the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB), and we are joined by a number of scholars and pastors to help us wrestle with some of the harder texts of Scripture. Read More

3 Reasons You Should See Going to Church as a Privilege, Not a Chore

Gathering with God’s people is one of the primary ways we are reminded of Jesus’ fidelity to us. Read More

4 Ways Jesus Built Disciples

Rather than mass-producing disciples, Jesus invested in a handful of people, thereby developing committed followers. Read More

Are You Prepared for Your Mission Trip

Summer vacations are not the only trips in view when the last school bell rings and the neighborhood pool opens. For many of you, these things also mean that your summer mission trip is just around the bend. It's good that you begin thinking about it now. You'd be well served not to wait until the week (or night) before to begin preparing for it. So here are some simple ways to get ready, between now and the airport terminal. Read More

Dear Church Planter I Believe in You

Ed Stetzer announces the publication of an updated version of Planting Missional Churches: Your Guide to Starting Churches that Multiply--a definite must read for anyone who is thinking about planting a new church. Read More

9 Things You Should Know About Jehovah’s Witnesses

When he died last week at the age of 57, pop singer Prince was arguably the most famous Jehovah’s Witness in the world. Here are nine things you should know about the obscure religious group that emerged from the Bible Student movement in the late 1870s.... Read More

The Smug Style in American Liberalism

There is a smug style in American liberalism. It has been growing these past decades. It is a way of conducting politics, predicated on the belief that American life is not divided by moral difference or policy divergence — not really — but by the failure of half the country to know what's good for them. Read More

This smugness is also observable in the attitude of the Episcopal Church's liberal elite toward global South Anglicans. The article is lengthy but it is worth reading.