On the Net: "How to Talk about Church Health . . . Without Taking a Head Count" and Much More--UPDATED

How to Talk about Church Health . . . Without Taking a Head Count

We asked church leaders to answer the question "How is your church doing?" without using numbers. Here's what they said. Read More

J.D. Greear: Church Planting and the Call to Send

We need people to go, but we also need people to stay for the specific purpose of raising up others to send. Read More

What Does it Mean to Take the Lord’s Name in Vain?

The ethic of Jesus is the ethic of the Ten Commandments. He taught His people to live by that rule, and He did so Himself. He is the very embodiment of obedience to God; nowhere are the Ten Commandments personified and manifested in their fullness as they are in the life of Jesus. Read More

Who Was Thomas Aquinas and Why Was He Important

Thomas Aquinas is a theologian some Protestants love to hate, others love to love, but he is always respected. Though he was rarely condemned outright by early Protestants, there has always been a certain uneasiness about his teachings as they connect to his ideas on grace, justification, sacraments, and the church. Read More

Trends in Church Staffing: Executive and Campus Pastors

Administrative tasks in growing churches need a focus person. Read More

Why You Need to be a Thankful Leader

Here are 5 reasons why leaders need to consider thankfulness as an indispensable part of their leadership.... Read More

5 Ways to Show People You Really Are Authentic

The image a person portrays can be huge in determining people’s perception of the leader. Read More

Seven Ways to Improve Your Preaching

I loved the post last week from Mike Kruger, Note to Aspiring Preachers: Here are Seven Key Pitfalls to Avoid. His advice got me thinking about what advice I would give (or have given) to aspiring preachers, or any to preachers for that matter. Read More

Who pampers youth campers?

Your church's youth camp or kids camp offers an amazing focus for Christian growth, finding God's will and building Christian friendships. Your small group (Bible class, praise team, women's ministry, deacons, etc.) could easily enhance that Christian experience. Try one of these fresh ideas.... Read More

3 Reasons Why We Need to Teach Children the Harder Parts of the Bible

Let’s be honest: it’s tempting to skip passages and stories in the Bible when teaching kids. But we shouldn’t. After all, kids ministry is first and foremost discipleship ministry. And because it is discipleship ministry, we need to lean into the tension and teach the harder parts of the Bible. Here are three reasons why it’s beneficial.... Read More

How Events Help People Share the Mission

Christians learn how to invite others to Christ when event invitations are a pattern. Read More

Reformed Theological Seminary Launches New Online Journal

Reformed Theological Seminary has posted its first issue of Reformed Faith & Practice: The Journal of Reformed Theological Seminary on the Internet. The journal is aimed at the Reformed and evangelical community. Among the articles featured are "'It Was Made to Appear Like that to Them:' Islam’s Denial of Jesus’ Crucifixion" and "The Redeemer City Ministry Program as a Model of Ministry Preparation for the City." Read Online or Download PDF

Counter-Culture

Christianity is so much more ridiculous than most people give us credit for. Oh, there are a lot of stereotypes: we’re narrow-minded or we’re stuffy, we’re anti-intellectual or we’re honorable. It depends who you ask. But the truth? Read More

New: Donald Trump perfectly summed up his life philosophy in just 6 words

Time and again during this race (and in his life), Trump has picked a fight that not only he didn't need to, but also actively worked against his broader goals. Read More

Is this man really presidential material? As the US president he will be in the position to pick all kinds of fights in which the American people loose! The attitudes and behavior that Trump has exhibited to date, particularly his indifference to the feelings of others and his lack of empathy with their feelings, are characteristic of individuals with sociopathic personality traits.

Alarmism and Transgendered Kids

How it has become "cool" to be transgender in high school and how this trend may impact a whole generation. Read More

I see this trend among the students at the university that I attend.