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Trends in Church Architecture, Part 1

Don't overlook the philosophical importance of worship facilities. Read More

5 Reasons Why Racism and Christianity Don't Mix

It’s no secret that America has been wrapped up in discussions about racism the last few weeks. It’s a real issue, and it’s not limited to the non-Christian world. Racism is, I’m afraid, still alive even in the church. Here are five reasons, though, that Christianity and racism must not co-exist within the Body of Christ. Read More

5 Principles for Studying the Trinity

The Trinity has been “trending” lately in the blogosphere. I think that is a good thing insofar as theological debate often leads to greater theological clarity. Rather than wade into the contested areas, I thought it might be helpful to offer a broader, more constructive post for those of us (like myself) who, particularly in light of the controversy, see our need to keep “beefing up” our understanding of the Trinity. So here are 5 basic principles that I have reflected on in my own study of the Trinity that may be helpful for others. I have in mind especially lay Christians who are less involved in all the technicalities of the current debates, although in the fourth point I engage the current conversation a tiny bit. Read More

“Forced Love” Is the Wrong Way to Look at It

I often hear the Calvinist view of salvation (i.e., that God gives spiritual life to those whom He chooses so that they will inevitably love and trust in Him) denigrated as a description of worthless “forced love.” But the analogy is all wrong. Read More

5 Signs That It’s Time for a Staff Member to Resign

If your overall church culture creates a safe environment for the staff, transitions can be a normal and healthy part of staff life. Read More

Every Church Leader Has 3 Realms of Ministry

Since the earliest days of Saddleback Church, I’ve challenged every staff member to think about their role in at least 3 realms. Read More

7 Things Bad Leaders Say

Has bad thinking clouded your ability to lead effectively? Read More

7 Necessary Steps When You Need to Have a Difficult Conversation

In relationships, there are consistent needs to have difficult conversations. Often leaders, spouses, and friends avoid them, but it’s often to the detriment of the relationship. Read More

3 Different Views of “Restoration”

I have learned that churches and leaders typically hold to one of three different views about pastoral restoration. These views are not about being restored to Christ, receiving forgiveness, and being warmly embraced into Christian fellowship. All three of these views would advocate that people who repent should experience restoration into fellowship, but they differ on restoration to pastoral leadership. Read More

Pastor, make prayer a priority

When I became a senior pastor, transitioning from an associate role at another church, my life and ministry suddenly became very busy—busier than they had ever been before. I knew, without a doubt, what I was called to do. I knew what I should be doing. Yet week after week, I saw the things I was supposed to be doing getting squeezed out of my schedule because there were urgent demands on my time. Above all else, the one task that seemed to get squeezed out most was prayer. Read More

Helping Teenagers Live Out God’s Purposes

Teenagers were created by God to fulfill these five purposes. Read More

Recovering the Priority of Personal Holiness

In an age when the church is emulating the world, where it is no longer distinguishable from our pleasure-oriented culture, the example of John Owen shines like a beacon on a stormy night. Read More

10 Ways To Resist The Devil

It is one of the Bible’s many sweet and powerful promises: “Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). The question is, though, how do we do this? In very practical ways, how do we resist the devil? Thomas Brooks offers a list of ten ways the Christian can resist Satan’s temptations. Read More

The Recent Turkish Coup: What It Means and How to Pray

For people outside of Turkey, the most pressing questions are simple: How did this even happen, and what does it mean? Answering them requires a basic understanding of Turkish political and religious history, so let’s take a quick look back. Read More

Germany: Steep decline in Catholic church attendance

Almost 200,000 Catholics left the Church in Germany last year, according to figures which show an ongoing, steady decline in church attendance in that country. Read More