5 Things Preachers Must Do With the Biblical Text in the Sermon

Okay, you’ve studied the biblical text. You’ve prayed through that process. You’ve taken notes. You understand the flow of the immediate text you’re preaching on and you understand the context it fits into. Now, it’s time to start thinking through the sermon writing process and how you’re going to present the biblical text in the sermon.

Here’s the question we’re going to examine: what are some things preachers must do in order to preach the biblical text well? When it all comes down to it, how we handle the biblical text is all that truly matters. If we have an amazing story to begin, but our preaching of the Bible passage is ‘meh’ then we’ve missed the mark by a mile.

For those of you familiar with the sticky sermon structure, we’re going to be working through the truth and application sections of the sermon.

So let’s dive in....Read More

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How to Structure a Sticky Sermon
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Decisions Are Emotional, Not Logical: The Neuroscience behind Decision Making
4 Tips for Compiling Everyday Sermon Illustrations
20 of the Best Sources for Sermon Illustrations
Have You Bought into These Common and Twisted Beliefs about God and Life
3 Simple Steps to Preach the Gospel No Matter the Passage

Tell Your Church What They Are

I recently met with a pastor who leads a thriving church in my area. He planted the church in 2003 and it has grown from three families to 2,500 people in attendance today. He spent an hour sharing a lot of fantastic insights about casting vision, setting direction, and bringing people along on mission to reach the community. I want to share with you one of the most valuable things he told me: Tell your church what they are. Read More

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How to Ditch Your Plan When You Feel God is Leading in a Different Direction

I recently preached a sermon where I felt God was leading me to change up the introduction entirely. This occurred to me minutes before I was about to preach. I sat on the front row during worship and it was clear to me – the plan I had for the sermon opening just didn’t fit. The direction I felt like God wanted me to go was to share a personal story of my dealings with sexual temptation as a teenager and into college. This was a risky proposition when completely extemporaneous, but I’ve told the story many times so I went with it.

This experience made me think about the best ways to ditch your plan when you feel like God is leading in a different direction with the sermon. Here are seven pointers to keep in mind.... Read More

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Does the Holy Spirit ONLY Work When Preachers are NOT Prepared?
The Notes I Have With Me While I Preach

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Should We Sing of God’s ‘Reckless Love’? [Podcast; Transcript]

“Reckless Love” — the mega-hit worship song. Its lyrics have reached millions and inspired over a dozen emails our way in the last month, like this one from Tim, a regular listener to the podcast. “Pastor John, hello! Over the past couple of months, I’ve been hearing the song ‘Reckless Love’ playing in churches and on the radio. One of the main lines in the chorus celebrates ‘the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God.’ My question — is this a biblically and theologically correct way to describe God’s love? Is the term ‘reckless’ too reckless? I don’t want to sound judgmental, but every time I bring it up, I get called a Pharisee for focusing on just the one word rather than the message of the whole song. Just hoping you could shed some light because I truly believe that words matter, especially in songs of worship and praise.”

My response to this concern needs to be expressed to two different groups of people — pastors and lead worshipers, and the congregation. On the one hand, I’m lumping pastors and lead worshipers together as worship-service shapers, and the congregation as the other group. You have the shepherds to feed the flock with songs, and the sheep who are asked to savor the truth and the music that they’re being fed.

I have two words for the pastors and lead worshipers and something for the rest of us. Read Transcript or Listen to Podcast

What Happens When You Pray

Most Christians are familiar with what Christ has done on the cross and what Christ will do when he returns in glory. What may be less clear for some of us is the continuing work that Jesus is doing for us now.

The answer to that question is, Jesus Christ is interceding for us.

He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:25)

Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. (Romans 8:34)

The word intercede means literally, to move or pass between.[1] It is to stand in the gap between two parties. This is what Jesus Christ is doing now! He stands in the gap between us and the Father, bringing us to the Father and holding us in relationship with him. He lives for this purpose! There is never a time when he is not actively engaged in this ministry on our behalf. It is his continuing work. Read More

Also See:
What Is a Praying Life?

7 Things Never to Say at a Funeral

Some of the most difficult moments of our lives are after the death of a loved one. Some of the most awkward moments are when we go to comfort friends after the death of their loved one.

Though we all are confronted with death and must deal with personal loss, we never seem to know what to say to someone else going through grief.

Sometimes, even if we have the best intentions, we can say something that is emotionally hurtful or theologically off-base.

Here are seven things to avoid saying at a funeral or to someone grieving the loss of a loved one. Read More

What Is the Church?

In the language of the Westminster Confession of Faith, the church comprises the “whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be, gathered into one, under Christ the Head thereof” (25.1). This is otherwise known as the invisible church. In another sense, the church is the body of the faithful (1 Cor. 12:27; Eph. 2:21–22; Rev. 21:2, 9), consisting of those throughout the world who outwardly profess faith, together with their children (WCF 25.2). This is otherwise known as the visible church.

The Greek word that is translated as “church” in the Bible is ekklēsia. Conscious as we should be of the etymological fallacy (the idea that a word means what its composite root means), in this case it would seem to have merit. Thus, ekklēsia translates the Hebrew word qahal, the noun form meaning “assembly” or “congregation” and the verb essentially signifying “to call.”

Often in the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the word qahal is translated synagōgē. Common to both Hebrew and Greek words is the idea of assembling together before the Lord. Thus, the Bible translation of Paul’s day (the Septuagint) rendered Deuteronomy 4:10 (“assemble the people before me”) using the word ekklēsia — the gathering together of the Lord’s people as a covenant community before their covenant God.

Taking this etymological clue, we can expand what the word church in the New Testament means along three lines of thought.... Read More

A Concern with Chan’s Home Church Planting Model: A Gentle Call for Correction

A modern day  atrium

Recently, a variety of people have approached me to ask my opinion on the rising interest in multiplying home church models. While Francis Chan is not alone in advocating such a model, he is one of the most prominent voices pressing the agenda today. As an aside, Chan is a remarkable man whose vision and passion for the Lord challenges me to live more vibrantly for King Jesus. I’m deeply indebted to him on many levels, including the student lives I have the privilege of interacting with on a weekly basis. His transparent and passionate teachings coupled with the free resources he provides to the Christian community makes a tremendous difference. Nevertheless, I believe the absolute and idealistic nature in which his and other home church models are presented misrepresents the nature of what is happening in the New Testament.

Advocates of multiplying home church models consistently reference Acts and the Pauline Epistles. The argument is that in Acts the church was meeting in homes and Paul is speaking to churches gathered in homes. Thus, these texts are presented as the ideal for creating disciples in the modern context. Furthermore, it is often noted that Paul did not take years establishing bureaucratic structures and leadership. Rather, in quick fashion, he entrusted the church to others, and he commissioned them to pastor. The question that must be asked is whether these texts are given as prescriptive for us to follow today or descriptive of special circumstances in the establishment of the Christian Church. I believe it is the latter. Read More

In Jerusalem the early Christians in all likelihood gathered in the central courtyards of the larger houses or on their roofs. The central courtyard or roof were the usual places for activities which required light (see "Houses in Bible times.") Rooms opened off the central courtyard and were small and dark. The Acts of the Apostles tells us that Paul preached and taught in a variety of buildings and even outdoors. What we can glean from the early Church fathers and archaeological sites is that in better times the early Christians met in the homes of the wealthier members of the congregations - in all likelihood in the atrium, or central courtyard. The main difference between the Roman atrium and the Mid-Eastern central courtyard was that the atrium usually contained a rectangular pond. In times of intense persecution the early Christians also gathered in the catacombs which are underground cemeteries. When Christianity was legalized, they began to meet in basilicas, large public buildings. If anything can be said about the gathering places of the early Christians, it is that these places were determined by their circumstances.

The Dangerous Divide Between Theology and Practicality

The perpetual motion machine

In many corners of the church today, there’s an unhelpful and unhealthy division between theology and practical ministry. This division is damaging to both the discipline of theology and the practice of ministry because one without the other causes an imbalance.

Part of the cause of this division is the large number of theologically-minded people who spurn practicality as pragmatism. This can be seen as an overreaction to the Church Growth Movement of the 1980s.

Such critics rigorously decried a methodological mania as devoid of theological foundation. They took aim at folks in large, growing churches, accusing them of having only a modicum of theology accompanied by mountains of methodology.

Unfortunately, those theologically-minded people concerned with too much practicality, strategy, and leadership, threw the baby out with the bath water. Rather than looking for the proper place of practicality, strategy, and leadership, they found no place for it. Read More

image: Norman Rockwell

10 Leadership Statements That Have Inspired and Challenged Me

Yesterday I posted “10 Leadership Statements that Spell Trouble.” Today, I’m posting the opposite – leadership statements that have inspired and challenged me. All of these have come from leaders whose Christian walk and leadership ability have been models for me. These are just simple statements, but I’ve never forgotten them. Read More

However You Treat the Lord’s Pastors, He Takes Personally.

“Whoever receives you, receives Me. Whoever listens to you, listens to Me. Whoever rejects you, rejects Me.” (Matthew 10:40 and Luke 10:16)

Pastors are reluctant to preach this because it sounds self-serving. “People, the Lord in Heaven is taking note of how you treat me. Whatever you do to me, Jesus considers it the same as though you were doing it to Him.”

He’ll not be saying that.

So, I’ll say it for him. Because it’s true. Read More

5 Reasons I Read Authors With Whom I Disagree

As a much younger man, my then-pastor instructed we preacher boys (whom he called “Young Prophets”) on how to select books. There were some we should read and some we should not read; they were not worth the money to buy them. This was probably true enough, as far as it went. But, rather than teaching us discernment, it was more a straight prohibition.

For many years of my ministry I heeded this truth, staying with “safe” authors—read: primarily those from my tribe. Getting outside the tribe meant the Young Prophet needed a security clearance. I learned theology, practice, church growth, preaching, spirituality and principles for life and pastoring from an unofficial approved reading list.

It was years before I learned how that approach limited both my spiritual and intellectual growth. There are people within the bounds of orthodoxy who have come to some theological conclusions that are different than mine. Here’s why I ultimately started reading authors with whom I disagree on any number of these issues.... Read More

3 Things You Must Do With Every Point You Make In Your Sermons

You make points in every sermon you preach. You try to communicate at least one point. One idea. One bottom line. You may have one major point but a number of supporting points. The point is, you make points. Get the point? So, what do you do with every point you make? Is it enough just to say the words. “My main point is _________. Okay, let’s close in prayer.” Well, we both know that would be insufficient.

We have to do more than just say a point for it to stick. But how do we do this? How do we develop sticky points that land on people in powerful ways? I suggest doing at least three things with every point you make in your sermons. Using these as a base line allows you to do more if you’d like, but make sure you’re at least doing these three things.... Read More

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5 Distracting Physical Habits of Preachers - Part 1 of 2

Every preacher has physical tendencies that unintentionally distract the audience. Sometimes these are known by the preacher and other times they are ticks and habits that must be pointed out to be changed. Public speaking in any context, and especially in a church setting, engages your whole mind and body. This means speakers can easily find themselves neglecting to pay attention to their body language and physical habits because they have to remember what to say … and everyone is watching.

All of us could use some coaching in this area. When I look back through videos of my sermons I notice more distracting physical tendencies than I care to admit! But there is hope and we can all overcome these by knowing what they are and working to eliminate them.

I want to offer five common physical distractions I’ve observed in preachers over the years. I’ve also seen a good amount of these in my own preaching over the years and have sought to correct and eliminate them. This is why watching your game film is so important. I watch the video of every sermon I preach. This helps me see what others see when I preach and has proven invaluable to me as it helps me know what to improve. Read More

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Did Jesus Demand We Kill His Enemies?

In the gospel of Luke, Jesus says, “But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me.” Whoa, that doesn’t sound like the meek and mild-mannered Jesus we know. Did He wake up on the wrong side of the bed? What’s going on?

When I teach on “Never Read a Bible Verse,” I often cite this passage because it’s a great example of how someone who reads (or hears) only a single Bible verse out of context can easily mistake its meaning.

This verse, though, is not a command of Christ. When you read it in context, you quickly realize that Jesus is telling a parable (a fictitious story) about a king whose subjects hate him. It’s the king in the story, not Jesus, who issues the order to kill his enemies. Read More

7 Actions For When You Can’t Respect the Leader

It’s not uncommon I receive a message from a staff member of another church struggling with the current leadership. (And, I’m not naive enough to believe other senior leaders have not received similar emails from our staff at times.) The question is usually how they can continue to be where they don’t support the vision and direction of the pastor. They want my advice on how to responding during this season of ministry.

This situation is obviously not unique to churches, but also happens frequently in other organizations. I don’t believe all hope is lost during times like this. An individual can continue to grow even with a leader he or she cannot respect – sometimes even more. Read More

Five Reasons God May Not Be Answering Your Prayers

In general, unanswered prayer is a tension we need to accept, allowing it to move us to deeper trust in God and greater persistence in prayer. But in specific cases, there are a host of reasons God might not be answering your prayer.

Here are five reasons God may not be answering your prayers. Read More

The Sin That Clings So Closely

Sin’s ensnaring grasp is much like being trapped in a cave. Its smothering power can feel overwhelming and inescapable. Joy, peace, and hope can be fleeting in the darkness.

Though Christ has overthrown sin’s power, we can give into temptation and allow sin to overthrow us. Our liberty can at times feel questionable as we struggle with our abiding sin. All believers struggle with sin generally, but most can identify a “besetting sin.” I’m referring to a unique area of weakness in which we are particularly susceptible to give in when tempted. It may be anger that feels uncontrollable or lust that seems unquenchable.

The daunting power of these sins feels inescapable. Yet God shines a promise into the ensnaring darkness. He pledges that there is a “way of escape, that [we] may be able to endure it” (1 Cor. 10:13). What is this way of escape? Read More

What We Can Learn from Reformation Worship and Liturgies

Reformation Worship: Liturgies from the Past for the Present is a resource of almost unparalleled richness in its field, representing an immense labor of love on the part of its editors and translators. It gathers together liturgies crafted by some of the leading figures in the Protestant Reformation and employed by them to aid worship in a wide variety of places and churches.

We owe an immense debt of gratitude to those who have participated in this project. They would, I feel sure, tell us that the best way we can repay that debt is to read carefully, to assess biblically, and then to reach down into the first principles of worship variously expressed in these liturgies from the past, and apply them wisely and sensitively in our worship in the present. This can only lead to a new reformation of the worship of God the Trinity.

Such access to the Father through the Son in the power of the Holy Spirit can alone help the congregations of God’s people, in the place and time they occupy, to worship with renewed mind, transformed affections, and holy joy. Read More

Also See:
Review: Reformation Worship: Liturgies From the Past For The Present (Update)

Why Dying Churches Blame Everyone But Themselves - Revitalize & Replant #042 [Podcast]

There is plenty of blame to go around in dying churches. Unfortunately, they rarely look in the mirror and instead blame others. Today Thom Rainer, Mark Clifton, and Jonathan Howe discuss why that is wrong and how to combat it. Listen Now

The Wretched Art of Loveless Discernment

Christians are called to speak the truth (Eph 4:15). It is no surprise, therefore, that our enemy’s preferred tactic is deception (Rev 12:9). Consequently, because of this war between truth and deception, believers are called to exercise discernment—to be vigilant in dividing truth from error (Acts 17:11; Jude 3).

Tragically, the modern church often neglects this essential duty to contend for the truth. Even worse, professing Christians often scorn attempts at discernment as uncharitable and judgmental, subsequently dismissing it all together. This is one reason why those of us who practice discernment must be vigilant to not embody what the scoffers accuse us of. As we contend for right doctrine, we must take care to adorn it with right attitudes and behavior (Titus 2:10).

But isn’t that the exact opposite of what we see today among self-described discerners? For some Christians, what begins with a healthy interest in discernment can end in an unhealthy addiction to gossip and debate. Many of them manifest a cruelty in how they go about condemning error. There’s an almost giddiness when they get to call someone “false teacher” and a haughty attitude of superiority. These things ought not be so. Read More

SBC Splits With D.C. Convention Over Lesbian Pastors

What began as a message of unity more than a century ago has ended.

The Southern Baptist Convention has now officially severed its ties with the District of Columbia Baptist Convention after the latter refused to remove a married lesbian couple as co-pastors from a church in the nation’s capital.

More than a century ago, the D.C. Convention entered into a dual affiliation with Southern Baptists and the American Baptist Churches USA, intended as a unity message in the nation’s capital.

The symbolism expanded to a triple alignment in 1997, when the D.C. convention voted to align with the predominantly black Progressive National Baptist Convention, and later to quadruple when D.C. Baptists joined the Baptist World Alliance.

The experiment failed over the question, “What do you believe?” Read More

Also See:
Have the Church's Views on Homosexuality Changed?
Paul Tripp | Christianity, Homosexuality and Transgenderism [Video]

Other stories aboutt developments in the Southern Baptist Convention on the Internet are "Paige Patterson Out as Head of SWBTS" and "UPDATE: Paige Patterson Named President Emeritus After Woman Claims He Silenced Her Disclosure of Rape." Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville. Kentucky has written an opinion piece, "The Humiliation of the Southern Baptist Convention," in response to these developments.

10 Leadership Statements That Spell Trouble

Over the years, I’ve worked with a lot of church leaders in struggling situations. I hear their pain, and I even understand it when I learn about their situations. At the same time, though, I always get concerned when I hear these kinds of things from leaders, as they often suggest that somebody’s about to give up.... Read More

Five Lessons Learned From Decades of Preaching

1. You never preach well enough to convert a single person. That is, unless you believe that faith is an ability of man generated to decision by the persuasive abilities of the preacher. But I don’t believe that saving faith is a natural ability of man. Faith is a sovereign grace-gift of God which comes to those who hear the Word of Christ (Eph 2:8-9; Phil 1:29). Therefore, I must not try to use my oratory gifts or unbiblical strategies to push a hearer into decisionism. Rather, because I believe that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ, I must use all my ability to preach the Word of Christ with clarity, to preach Christ with sincere unction, but always relying upon the sovereign work of the Spirit to bring faith and the new birth.

This is what made Spurgeon and Lloyd-Jones such great preachers. They knew that their calling was to proclaim Christ and Him crucified; but they also knew that only truth made plain and applied by the Spirit would convert a single soul. They were not men of ego. They were amazed that God would use them at all as the conduit of truth applied by the Spirit to men’s hearts. There is no room for ego, bragging, or pride in preaching. Such an attitude betrays the true heart of the preacher. Preaching is the most humbling thing a man can do. It is foolishness to the unbeliever unless God regenerates him/her. It is humbling to the preacher that he is powerless to change anyone unless God decides to have mercy by His Word and Spirit in the sinner’s heart. Truly the foolishness of preaching Christ gives glory only to God. You never preach well enough to convert a single person. Read More

Also See:
How to Preach Creative and Faithful Sermons [Video]

Seven Ways Church Outreach Has Changed in 15 Years

“So what are churches doing to reach people today, Thom?”

I hear some version of that question on a regular basis. The difficult response is that more churches are doing nothing rather than something.

But, to be fair, thousands of churches are doing some type of outreach to their communities and beyond. But the times have definitely changed. Here are seven of the most common changes in church outreach practices over the past one to two decades. Read More

Also See:
Autopsy of a Deceased Outreach Ministry

Both of these articles are reposts. The first article was posted two years ago and the second this past April. I am reposting them because reaching out into the community is not only critical to the survival of our churches but also integral to Christian discipleship. Can we really claim to be followers of Jesus if we are not joining him in his mission to the lost?

Three Ways to Successfully Navigate Failure in Evangelism

Learning how to navigate through failure is a crucial element of success.

Learning how to navigate through failure is a crucial element of success. We know this to be true in the business world, in ministry, in our family relationships, and in pretty much every arena of our lives.

This same principle is also true about evangelism.

Despite the important role it plays in cultivating success, a conversation about how to navigate failure is typically absent from our training in sharing the gospel. Evangelism training tools often equip us in how to start conversations and initiate new relationships. We also grow in our ability to share our testimonies and communicate the gospel.

While all of these are important components of evangelism, if we do not prepare and equip people to navigate failure well, our efforts to grow in evangelism will likely be short-lived.

So how do we address that gap? How do we equip others to navigate failure well, and how do we learn from failure ourselves? Let me offer three ways to begin navigating failure well in the context of evangelism. Read More

The Rainer Report: Four Things You Need to Know about Generation Z [Video]

In this short video presentation Thom Rainer share what we know about Generation Z. Watch Now

Also See:
Why the Next Generation Is Building Their Own God

5 Reasons People Aren’t Inviting Friends To Your Church

People visit your church prompted by a variety of reasons such as:

1. A positive message on social media.
2. There’s a crisis in their family.
3. The Holy Spirit stirred them to attend.
4. A mailer to their home.
5. The reputation of your pastor’s messages.
6. They want a Christian influence for their kids.

But for at least the last fifty years, there is still nothing that beats

7. Invited by a friend.

Because that is true, it’s vitally important to pay attention to the reasons people do and don’t invite their friends to your church. Read More

Doubt Is Not Unbelief: Evangelicals and the Stigma of Doubt

The key is not the total suspension of confidence or even certainty, but rather the judicious placement of confidence and trust.

The commitment of American evangelicals towards gospel propagation is evident from their dominant presence in Protestant mission (vast majority of U.S. based Protestant missionaries are evangelicals) and in the identities of their greatest heroes like Billy Graham.

Unfortunately, while evangelicals are understandably and justifiably preoccupied with bringing people through the front door of the church, too many seem relatively inattentive and uninformed as to HOW and WHY people are leaving though the back door.

In the past few decades, increased religious mobility, which includes leaving and switching, has been a notable trend in the shifting U.S. religious landscape (e.g., the rise of the religious nones).

This is in part what led me to undertake a research project that would understand leave-taking—the journey from evangelical minister and missionary (specifically those who a had formal theological and ministerial training and served in vocational ministry for at least two years) to the complete abandonment of the Christian faith, including any belief in the supernatural. Read More

8 Ways the Enemy Attacks Young People

One of the most read posts on this site is “12 Ways Satan Attacks Christian Marriages.” Today, I want to focus on a similar issue: primary ways I see the enemy attacking teenagers and young adults. I’m cautious in making these points, as I don’t want to suggest that the devil is behind every rock—but nor do I want to deny the reality of an enemy who seeks to devour us (1 Pet. 5:8). None of the following strategies is new, but some of them seem more pronounced today than when I was young.... Read More

Spiritual Warfare and the Lives of Pastors and Church Leaders

The struggle is real.

When you drop the phrase spiritual warfare into a casual conversations, you often get mixed reactions.

On the one hand, a lot of people are skeptics when it comes to anything invisible or supernatural. In fact, many people will believe in heaven and angels but choose not to believe in hell or demons.

On the other hand, a lot of people can get downright superstitious about the subject. Everything bad that happens is perceived as a demonic attack.

In the middle are most of the pastors I know, who believe rather strongly in the existence and power of heavenly beings – both angels and demons – that exist all around us in a heavenly, spiritual realm hidden to our eyes and human senses.

And this spiritual realm is not, right now, at peace. It’s a war zone. Read More

The Biggest Mistake Teaching Pastors Tend to Make – And How To Correct It

The nave of a Scandinavian stave church

Jesus didn’t tell us to teach students, he commanded us to make disciples.

If you are a teaching pastor, I have a gift for you. I’m going to share one of the most important lessons I’ve learned in 35+ years of pastoral ministry.

It happened when I recognized that I was committing what is probably the biggest mistake most teaching pastors make.

But first, some background.

In the last three months my title has changed from Lead Pastor to Teaching Pastor, but I’ve been a teaching pastor all my ministry – over 30 years and counting – no matter what my title happened to be.

I love to teach God’s Word. Verse-by-verse, subject-by-subject, or principle-by-principle. So I share a deep appreciation for the vital role teaching pastors play in the body of Christ. Read More

Josh Weidmann on Sermon Preparation

The ornately carved pulpit of a Scandinavian stave church

How to Prepare to Preach Expository Sermons for Maximum Impact

So how do we plan in such a way that it yields unforgettable messages in the end? Read More

Process of Preparing a Sermon

Josh Weidmann explains the eight steps of preparing a sermon. Read More

An Interview with a Man with a Mission

The Myth of the Perfect Evangelist—Part 1

The story of Jesus’ anonymous 72 disciples proves we don’t have to be famous to be an evangelist. Here’s what we do need. Read More

Modeling a Lifestyle of Evangelism—Part 2

The key to effective evangelism is not trying to change the world, but being faithful to make it a part of our day to day lives. Read More

Leading Your Church to Care for Orphans

On a cold morning in February of 2015, I woke up in my warm home, read my Bible, drank coffee with my wife, and woke up my two kids from their snug beds. We fed them breakfast, and I drove them to school. I kissed each of them before they went in to learn from teachers who loved them, in classrooms that were inviting, and among friends they enjoyed.

That same morning, across our small town, my other two children, Sloan and Brooklyn, woke up in a hotel room with a person they didn’t know. Their biological mother had dropped them off and disappeared to get high on methamphetamine. Sheriff’s deputies were called because the person with whom they had been left didn’t know what to do with them.

Sloan and Brooklyn were transferred to the custody of the South Carolina Department of Social Services. They were placed into an emergency foster home for a couple of weeks and then were separated. In just a few short weeks, my 3-year-old and 2-year-old lost their parents, their extended family, and they lost each other.

Brooklyn was fortunate enough to land in a foster home where she would be loved for eight and a half months. Sloan, however, was labeled a difficult kid. My blond-haired, blue-eyed 2-year-old boy spent the next eight months being bounced from one foster home to the next. When he came to live with us two days before Thanksgiving in 2015, he had been moved six times in eight months.

I share this because stories matter. Stories communicate. Our story helps to put names and faces on a problem that we as the church have been called to engage.

And our story is just one. There are more than 4,000 children in foster care in South Carolina alone. Because of the lack of foster homes in our state, 61 percent of those children have to be placed outside of their home county. That means many children who are placed in foster care don’t just lose their homes and their families, they lose their school and friends. They lose everything.

The Department of Social Services reports there are more than 500 adoptable children in the state of South Carolina. More than 500 children — and 2,100 South Carolina Baptist churches. More than 500 children whose lives and eternity hang in the balance. If Christians turn their backs on children in need, then we have sentenced them to a Christ-less eternity. We can do better. We can be pro-life from womb to tomb, and pro-life means pro-foster care and pro-adoption.

Not everyone can or should adopt. Not everyone can or should be foster parents, but every church should look for how they can be involved in care for orphans.

May is National Foster Care Month and in honor of that, here are ways that you, as a pastor, can lead your church to engage children in foster care. Read More

The Left Behind of Rural America [Podcast]

Collin Hansen and Stephen Witmer discuss Robert Wuthnow's book on rural America

America’s rural share of the population has dropped from 95 percent in 1810 to 55 percent in 1910 to 20 percent in 2010. And there’s no turnaround in sight. It’s a fact that makes tens of millions of rural Americans defensive about their place in our national life. They feel under threat, according to Robert Wuthnow, professor of social sciences at Princeton University and author of a new book, The Left Behind: Decline and Rage in Rural America. A native of Kansas, Wuthnow has interviewed hundreds of rural Americans and found deep concern “that their way of life is eroding, shifting imperceptibly under the feet, and being discredited and attacked from the outside.”

You can imagine that this feeling pervades many rural churches as well. To discuss the significance of Wuthnow’s findings for church leaders, I reached out to Stephen Witmer, pastor of Pepperell Christian Fellowship in Pepperell, Massachusetts. Stephen earned a PhD from the University of Cambridge and teaches New Testament at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He also helps lead Small Town Summits, which partners with The Gospel Coalition New England to serve rural churches and pastors.

Witmer is a native of rural Maine, and we’ve bonded over our mutual appreciation for the overlooked places and, not coincidentally, the writing of Wendell Berry. In this conversation we discuss the moral obligations of rural communities, media influences, church dynamics, and more. Listen Now

3 Ways Satan will Attempt to Hinder Your Church

It amazes me how often opportunities for growth are incited by challenges, problems, or even attacks.

The book of Acts details the advance of the early church through the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ under the power of the Holy Spirit. Time and again the early believers faced persecution, problems, and challenges. But the advance of the gospel would not be hindered. Acts describes the sovereign advance of God’s gospel. Our job is to remain faithful to preach the good news in the power of the Holy Spirit.

In his commentary on Acts, John Stott identified three ways Satan attempted to hinder the church’s advance: suppression, corruption, and distraction. In chapter 3, Peter and John healed a crippled man and used this platform to preach the gospel. Subsequently, chapter 4 relates how the religious leaders imprisoned Peter and John and charged them to cease preaching about Jesus. Read More

9 Things You Should Know About Wicca and Modern Witchcraft

A growing number of young women—driven by feminist politics and the #MeToo movement—are being drawn to a new brand of witchcraft, according to a report by NBC News. Here are nine things you should know about Wicca and modern witchcraft. Read More

Tuesday's Catch: "Bigger? Or Better? Yes, Your Church Has A Choice" and More

Bigger? Or Better? Yes, Your Church Has A Choice

“It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that if you’re maximizing growth, you’re also maximizing success.” (Bo Burlingham, in Small Giants) Read More

Principles for Leading a Healthy Small Church, featuring Karl Vaters [Podcast]

Karl Vaters, author of Small Church Essentials joins Pastor Talk host Marty Duren to discuss some differences between leading a small church and leading a big one. Listen Now

One-on-One with Karl Vaters on ‘Small Church Essentials’

Instead of striving for church growth, I encourage churches and pastors to work on increasing their capacity for effective ministry. Read More

Andy Stanley: Why ‘The Bible Says So’ Is Not Enough Anymore

Our culture questions biblical authority, so, like Paul, we must adapt our hermeneutical approach to reach our neighbors. Read More

"This discussion of Andy Stanley’s message and method originally appeared in Nov. 9, 2016. It is reposted here because of its relevance to ongoing discussions about faith, revelation, context and proclamation." - Outreach Magazine

10 Reasons to Do Announcements via Video

I’ve previously written about ways to improve announcements in your church, and I briefly mentioned there why I like video-recorded announcements. Here are my other reasons for taking this approach.... Read More

Church Facebook Ads Work Well When They Answer THIS Question

Brandon Cox shres his thoughts on how a church can make the best use of Facebook ads. Read More

Why We Are ALL Missionaries

We once thought ourselves a religious majority, but we are now a convictional minority. We’ve got to shift our thinking. Read More

Three Accidents That Did Not Happen at Your Church

If you are the pastor I met in Richmond, Virginia recently, thank you.

Thank you for your encouragement. Thank you for your faithfulness. And thank you for your wise words about pastors and struggles: “It is good to know I am not alone.” Your words were meaningful. Your words were powerful.

You were speaking about the thousands of church leaders at Church Answers. You were speaking about the number one benefit you get from being in this safe community. You see the vulnerability, the lack of pretense, and the acknowledgments of struggles among other pastors and church leaders. It is a constant and encouraging reminder you are not alone.

I want to share those same words with the community who reads this blog post. I want you to know you are not alone. Ministry can be tough. Ministry can be frustrating. Ministry can even be depressing. But ministry in the local church can also be one of the greatest joys you’ve ever known.

Allow me to give you three reminders. It is my prayer these three brief points will be a source of encouragement and hope for you. It is my prayer they will be used by God to encourage you to keep pressing on. I simply call them the three accidents that did not happen at your church. Read More

Results Are Not Your Responsibility

Two years ago, my husband and I walked through the painful process of dissolving a church.

I remember the last service in vivid detail: where families were sitting for worship, what music was playing, and the demeanor of my husband, the lead pastor. He was sitting in the second row, shoulders slumped, head lowered, feeling the weight of the congregation’s unmet expectations. The church replant we had been a part of for five years was over.

Though we had striven to be faithful, a closed church was the result. Read More

The Best Followup Process for First Time Guests

Churches spend a lot of time, money, and energy encouraging guests to visit their church. And rightfully so.

Our churches should be places where the community is welcomed and where guests are expected. We should create welcoming environments, equip our people to invite, and constantly be on the lookout for fresh ways to advertise and promote.

But getting people in the front door might just be the easier part of a two-step process.

One of the biggest challenges churches face is how to invite first time guests back and help them connect with the life of the church.

Not just to attend, but to stick.

Not just to visit, but to connect.

With all of the focus on reaching first-time guests, we can’t forget that the follow-up or connection process is what helps new people find their place in the church.

Without a good follow up process, your front door will be more like a turnstile, inviting people in and just sending them back to their regular lives.

So what should you do after a first-time guest visits? What makes a great follow-up process? Read More

Also See:
Four Ways to Make Guests Feel More Welcome
19 Ways to Encourage Your Church to Invite Others
7 Ways to get More People to Come to Church

Not Every Christians Feels Responsible to Share the Gospel

Do you share the gospel?

A new Barna poll finds that over the past 25 years a growing percentage of Christians believe sharing the gospel is optional. And it appears one of the biggest factors in that decision is the cultural belief that telling someone Jesus Christ died for their sins is judgmental

Barna researchers asked these same questions in 1993 and compared the results to today. Read More

Also See:
Evangelism: What the Fastest Growing Churches Know
7 Signs You’re Judging Others
4 Reasons Many Don’t Effectively Witness
Where Young Adults Like to Have Spiritual Conversations
Is Your Church Relevant in Today’s Culture?

The Best Explanation for Our Spate of Mass Shootings Is the Least Comforting

On another terrible day, I hate to introduce even more pessimism, but when we discuss mass shootings, one of the first questions we ask is the simplest and also the hardest to answer. Why? Why does this keep happening? Those who advocate for gun control have an immediate answer — the prevalence of guns in the United States. Yet guns have been part of the fabric of American life for the entire history of our republic. Mass shootings — especially the most deadly mass shootings — are a far more recent phenomenon.

Writing in 2015, Malcolm Gladwell wrote what I think is still the best explanation for modern American mass shootings, and it’s easily the least comforting. At the risk of oversimplifying a complex argument, essentially he argues that each mass shooting lowers the threshold for the next. He argues, we are in the midst of a slow-motion “riot” of mass shootings, with the Columbine shooting in many ways the key triggering event. Relying on the work of Stanford sociologist Mark Granovetter, Gladwell notes that it’s a mistake to look at each incident independently.... Read More

Also See:
Thresholds of Violence: How School Shootings Catch On.

Monday's Catch: "How To Tell if it’s a Prosperity Gospel Church" and Much More

How To Tell if it’s a Prosperity Gospel Church

The prosperity gospel is a diverse, popular, and worldwide movement that understands faith to be the instrument through which Christians can attain physical health, material riches, and divine favor. There are countless thousands of these churches around the world with various levels of adherence to the key tenets of the wider movement, yet they rarely advertise themselves as prosperity gospel churches. So how can we know if a church is part of this movement? In Kate Bowler’s book Blessed, she provides some helpful guidance. Read More

Six Keys to Detecting the ‘Prosperity Gospel’[Podcast; Transcript]

In this podcast John Piper answers the question, "...how do you recognize prosperity theology when it’s not blatantly obvious? What are some key indicators to discern a ‘soft’ prosperity theology?" Listen to Podcast or Read Transcript

10 Things You Should Know about the Jehovah's Witnesses

Here are some ten things that may prove helpful for you to know, especially as they likely will come knocking at your door sometime soon. Read More

11 Things to Know about the Doctrine of the Trinity

These 11 things were taken from Dr. Fred Sander's course on the Holy Trinity. Read More

7 Steps to Take When Sunday Hurts

For some of you, yesterday was a difficult day. Something happened (or has been happening) within your congregation that makes your ministry difficult. If that’s where you are today, here are a few suggestions.... Read More

When Good Fruit Comes From Flawed Leaders

How should we respond when we discover the depths of a leader’s sinfulness? Does it discount the good they’ve done? Read More

Why Bishop Michael Curry’s Sermon Brought Down The House At The Royal Wedding

Carey Nieuwhof share his thoughts on what other preachers can learn from Presiding Bishop Curry's sermon at the royal wedding. Read More

The main purpose of Carey Nieuwhof's article is to draw attention to the five things Curry did that connected with people other than the sermon's content. Curry has a reputation of being an excellent preacher and that reputation is apparently well-deserved. I have also included two generous critiques of the content of Curry's sermon which in its half-truths and omissions was a sticking point for many Anglicans and non-Anglicans.

Bishop Curry and His Royal Sermon

Murray Campbell shares his thoughts on Presiding Bishop Curry's sermon. Read More

What Would Jesus Say About Bishop Curry’s Royal Wedding Sermon?

Garrett Kell share his thoughts on the Presiding Bishop's sermon at the royal wedding. Read More

3 Key Guardrails for a Disciple-Making Culture

We have to be willing to be unsuccessful in this world in order to be successful in the world to come. Read More

A False Spiritual Maturity Test For Christians…And A Better One

How do you know if you’re producing spiritually mature disciples or not? How do you measure? Read More

Why We Need A Different Kind Of 'Maturity' In The Church

Maybe what poses as ‘maturity’ isn’t always maturity. Read More

8 Steps to a Globally-Minded Church

As church leaders, we must be concerned with the immediate community where we lead. However, we are called to make disciples of all nations. Our ministry is to work in such a way that we are guiding the church make a local and global impact with the gospel. Here are a few steps to take in order to lead a globally-minded church.... Read More

Haunted by the Mission

While I believe we as pastors and leaders will answer for our words, our leadership, and our love at the judgment seat of Christ, I believe we will most certainly answer for our commitment to make disciples or our lack thereof. Jesus’ last words to his followers were to make disciples. So how do we go about strategizing our church around the mission of disciple-making? Read More

Why the Rural Church Matters

The farm that I was raised on was five miles from the nearest small village. The town itself had a population of ninety people, with two gas stations, two bars, two sawmills, a small mom-and-pop grocery store, and one church.

The bars and gas stations have since closed, the sawmills have been swallowed up by large mills, and the grocery store struggles to exist as a small mini-mart. But the church remains.

Within the surrounding community and farmland, there were two other churches, a Free Methodist church connected to a local church camp and the Catholic Church started by Father Pieree-Jean De Smet. The next closest church was twenty miles away in another valley.

The church was more than a church for the forty to sixty people who met each week. It was regarded by many to be “their church” even though they never attended. As is often the case in rural communities, people are religious and will identify with a church in the community even though they may never attend. For them, the presence of the church is a part of the community identity. Read More