Thursday's Catch: The Mission of God and More

What’s the Mission of God? See the Church

The church should be at the heart of mission, and that happens naturally and inevitably in church planting. Read More

7 Signs Your Church Is Honestly…Mediocre

One of the problems many churches face these days is that they’re neither great at things or terrible at things. They’re honestly just...mediocre. Read More

Singles: A Vital Part of Our Churches, Part 1

Singles make up half of our churches, so we best learn to treat all people—married or single—equally. Read More

If You Have to Choose Between Clarity and Creativity

If you have to choose between clarity and creativity, choose clarity. Another way to say it is: Be sure your creativity doesn’t distract from your clarity. Read More

9 Things to Do When You've Stopped Loving Your Congregation

I’m afraid it happens. The congregation we once loved has brought pain, and it’s hard—if not impossible—to love them now. If that’s where you are, here are some suggestions I pray will help.... Read More

5 Things That Make Your Worship Feel Fake

We have all been there. Everything may sound fantastic, look attractive, was planned with purposeful intent. But, something just doesn’t seem right. You feel fake vibes when hoping for authentic ones. Regardless, what makes a worship service fake might be boiled down to a few things even though there may be many things we can put on a list. Read More

8 Attributes of Spiritually Safe Environments

We talk a lot in next generation ministry about creating environments that are physically safe, as we most certainly should. Thankfully, background screens and two adult rules have become the norm. We give attention to bullying and making sure we have emotionally safe environments. These are important topics, but since our number one mission should be to train children spiritually, it is imperative that our environments are spiritually safe. What do spiritually safe environments look like? Read More

Hate Sin and Its Effects

We must hate sin. Jesus wants us to hate sin and its effects. We cannot domesticate sin like it is our pet, but rather, we must hate it and its effects. Read More

When Re-Conversion Is Easier than Repentance

Re-conversion offers many evangelicals the emotional catharsis of acknowledging sin without the social shaming or awkwardness that comes when people who claim to be Christians acknowledge sin. If you weren’t really a Christian but you are now, wonderful! Enter into our joy. But if you actually are a Christian and you have to talk about sin that you’re not entirely sure how to address, well, how close should we stand next to you? How contagious is it? Read More

Why Christianity Must Be Both Personal and Public

There are personal and public aspects of our faith—our private devotion fuels our public expression. Read More