Monday's Catch: Small Groups, Missional Communities and Micro-Churches and More

Church Planting R&D: Part 3 - Small Groups, Missional Communities & Micro-Churches

Some churches are small as a deliberate decision toward the commission of disciple-making. Read More

Also see Church Planting Research and Development: Part 1 and Church Planting R&D: Part 2 - Collegiate Church Planting

How to Talk to Your Kids about Sexual Abuse

Talking to children about difficult topics can be terrifying for parents, yet such conversations must take place. We cannot act like our world is not fallen and in need of redemption. There are evil people in the world that intend to do harm to others. If we are going to love our neighbors as ourselves (which must necessarily include the children that God has entrusted to us), then we must also warn them about evil in age-appropriate ways. Read More

Mark Galli Takes On the Missional Movement

Before I critique Mark’s critique of the missional understanding of the church, I want to give a fuller account of what he says is wrong with the missional movement and then in the next column lay out his proposal for a more biblical understanding of the church. Read More

What Do You Do If Most of Your Church Members Do Not Live in the Community

Is it an impossible situation? To call any situation impossible is to deny the power of God. But it is a very difficult situation, one that rarely ends well. A few radical decisions have to be made.... Read More

Why the ‘Invitability’ of Your Church Is Important

How confident are you and other members of your church to invite friends to your church? Read More

Guarding Your Heart in the Pulpit

What steps can you take for guarding your heart in the pulpit? Consider these recommendations.... Read More

5 Different Ways to Prepare a Sermon: Pastors Share Their Secrets

Wherever you are in your experience in preaching, this article should be helpful to you. You’ll get to see five different pastors share what a week of sermon prep looks like for them. Read More

3 Great Values of Small Group Life

In my observation, the best and most enduring stories of life change are connected to some form of small group experience. Read More

3 Strategies for Cultivating a Congregation That Lives Sacrificially

Of the eight signposts of a maturing disciple, the signpost “Obey God and Deny Self,” may be the most important. Obeying God is tied to practicing the other attributes. Read More

Why Muslims Love Mary

Followers of Islam admire the mother of Jesus. But can she be a bridge to Christianity? Read More

The Posture of Prayer: A Look at How Buddhists Pray

Defining prayer in Buddhism is challenging because the prayer rituals are varied in practice just as the fundamental doctrines and tenets are varied across the different Buddhist sects. Buddhism in Thailand looks different from Buddhism in Nepal. And, Buddhism in Nepal looks different from Buddhism in the East. Here’s a quick overview of the various Buddhists sects and how they practice prayer differently. Read More