Church attendance is both a helpful tool and a potential trap. Numbers can reveal momentum, but they can also distort priorities if leaders focus on counting heads instead of making disciples. In this episode, Thom and Sam unpack the healthy and unhealthy ways to measure worship attendance, and how pastors can move from chasing growth to cultivating spiritual health.
Do We Have Friends at Church – Or Are We a Lonely Crowd?
I’ve lost count of the number of Christians who’ve told me they either stopped attending or left because they couldn’t make any friends at church. They report that the church people were friendly enough. They were hospitable and welcoming. As one person told me, “They’re nice to you, but no one becomes your friend.” And it hurts when all that friendliness leads only to friendlessness.
Christian leader debunks MAGA claim that America was 'intended to be a theocracy'
In an op-ed published by The Philadelphia Inquirer on New Year's Day 2026, a Baptist minister, the Rev. Michel J. Faulkner, debunks the "Christian nation" argument coming from Vance and other Christian nationalists.
Choose Your Focus
You rarely get to choose your circumstances. You can’t stop world hunger, pandemics, or global economic conditions. But you can choose your focus.
Think of your focus as a kind of currency. You can literally only have one conscious thought at a time, so in each and every moment, you get to decide what you’ll spend that moment’s mental energy on.
4 Weapons of Mass Distraction in the Lives of Leaders
Ask yourself which of these four weapons of mass distraction divert you the most from leading at your best.
Five Pastoral New Year's Resolutions that Aren't About You
Most New Year’s resolutions focus inward on personal growth, habits, and goals. On this episode, Josh and Sam challenge church leaders to flip the script on traditional resolutions by making them about the people you serve, not yourself. Instead of trying to become a better version of you, resolve to make those around you better.
Worship Circles: Worship Settings Don’t Have to Look Like a Concert
In recent years, modern worship settings have increasingly mirrored the energy and aesthetics of live concerts. Bright lights, fog machines, and towering sound systems dominate many church sanctuaries. While these elements can create an engaging atmosphere, not everyone connects with God in this high-energy environment. Enter worship circles: a refreshing approach that prioritizes intimacy, simplicity, and connection over production.
7 Steps To Starting A Worship Circle
Many years ago I gathered about 50 college students into a room on the upper floor of our small university’s main building. I had called the idea a “Worship Circle,” based on a phrase that was floating around at the time. I invited anyone who wanted to come, from kids, to students, to adults. The room was packed and full of laughter. I wasn’t prepared for what would happen that night.
We are the story still being written
The story of Jesus does not end as most stories do. There is no neat conclusion, no final full stop marking its close. Instead, the gospel concludes with movement - with a call that points outward: go, love, repeat.
The resurrection is not merely a triumphant finale; it is the beginning of something new. The first followers of Jesus were not invited to linger in nostalgia but propelled into the world with a commission that still resonates today.
Nurturing our relationship with God
As I reflect on this experience, it reminded me of how important it is to take the time to nurture our relationship with the Lord. While a lack of care may not necessarily cause our relationship with Him to die, it will cause us to drift away from Him, and that has negative implications. Our relationship with the Lord is not something to neglect; if we wish to bear fruits and grow, we must abide in Him.
Today’s Thoughts Become Tomorrow’s Habits
Do you think about your thoughts? Not in some meta or psychological way, but do you ever consider the kinds of things you allow your mind to dwell on? According to Scripture, thinking about your thinking is not only a fruitful discipline but a necessary one. The Bible repeatedly draws our attention to our habits of attention.
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