Saturday Lagniappe: Pitfalls of Church Revitalization and More

"Every path has a puddle" Jacula Prudentum

When Does a Pastor Leave a Revitalization Effort? Six Questions to Ask [Podcast]

Lack of progress in church revitalization can lead to frustration and a desire to leave. But before you do, you should ask yourself the six questions we cover today. Listen Now

Seven Reasons Pastors Get Fired When a Church Is Growing

Even in “successful” revitalizations, it does not always turn out well for the pastor. Why is that? My list is not exhaustive, but here are seven common reasons....Read More

To Post, Or Not To Post

I like social media. I like that it helps me keep a slight connection with friends who I rarely see in person; I like that it often gives me something to have a good laugh about, and I like that it points me to interesting news, articles, and videos. But recently I’ve been posting less and less, and that’s because I’ve been asking myself a different question before clicking ‘post’. I’ve been asking, ‘What good might this do, and what harm might it do?’ Read More

When the Spiritual Gift of Discernment Turns Sour

Too often, people think they have the gift of discernment when in fact they have a critical, fault-finding, cynical, and negative spirit. They think they have the gift of discernment when they’re actually sinning! Read More

Stop Worrying about Your Reputation

Reputation is who people think you are. Character is who God knows you to be. While there should be little difference between the two, we all know that is often far from the case. Read More

When You Feel Like a (Christian) Imposter

The Bible is...deeply realistic about the continuing presence of sinful tendencies in our lives. We aren’t yet rid of our sinful nature. But that’s not all there is to say on this point. Yes, the sinful nature is still kicking around, but it’s not who we now truly are. Read More

I recommend taking time to read and digest this article. The sins of the past may haunt us throughout our lives. But who we are is not defined by what we may have done in the past or the sinful tendencies with which we struggle in our present life. It is defined by who we are "in" Christ. It is an insight that can make a difference in our lives if we take it to heart.

What Does It Mean to Be An “Unprofitable Servant”?

On a related theme the late R.C. Sprouls provides this insight: "When Jesus said that we are unprofitable servants, He did not mean that our service is of no value. Jesus frequently called His disciples to be productive. Rather, He meant that we gain no “bonus points” or merit from our service." Read More