Articles
Are Your Loaves-and-Fish Leaders Playing Hide-and-Seek?
Your ministry could use more “loaves-and fish leaders”—leaders who believe in the potential of five loaves and two fish before God multiplies in miraculous ways. But here’s the catch, they’re probably playing hide-and-seek in your church. Pastors and ministry leaders...
Standing in the Fire: Muslims Thriving for Jesus in the Midst of Adversity
Pastors, did you know that more Muslims have come to faith in Christ in the last decade than in the last 1,400 years of the religion of Islam? As a pastor, are you prepared to lead the way in training and equipping your congregation to reach out in love with the...
What is Crossruption?
Disruption in technology and the marketplace has become an expected and anticipated part of our existence. This occurs when an outlier—something deemed unimportant—quickly becomes the central theme of its paradigm. Today, we believe disruption will improve our lives....
Fostering a Culture of Evangelism in Your Church
I can tell you there are many times when I have stepped up to the pulpit and my spiritual fuel gauge is close to empty. It has been a busy week, I am depleted, I am tired—for whatever reason, I am not exactly full of vim and vigor. Can you relate? Yes, I have started...
Practice the Discipline of Celebration
One Sunday at church, my husband preached about the celebration as an important part of a Christian’s life. He said it was a discipline that, when practiced, can help develop us into mature Christians. At that point, he grabbed the microphone from the pulpit and said,...
Families Need Your Forgiveness
Late to church again, Jared and Ashley found a parking spot and rushed inside with their toddler and second grader. After stopping at the restroom, checking into Sunday school, and waiting for the ushers to allow latecomers to be seated, dad and mom plopped down in...
Three Key Elements To Telling An Effective Story
We all have stories. Stories that open up old wounds exposing the raw pain that lies underneath. Stories that make us feel unworthy, unloved and unwanted. Our temptation is to keep it buried, so we can avoid the hurt and emptiness. No matter what our story, the...
Church-Wide Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner Party
One of the most difficult segments of people to reach are new visitors to a church. At our church, we do the best we can to make new visitors feel welcome by implementing the “First Five” after church. This is where regular attendees spend the first five minutes after...
Three Ways Couples Can Successfully Lead Together in Ministry
After fifteen years of being in the ministry together, we have led almost every type of group imaginable. We have watched as members in suit and tie and those dressed in coveralls both sat side by side in the church pew. Because our ministry has led us to four...
How to Fan the Flame of God in Your Church
At my son’s school the other day, I spotted some artwork that lined his classroom walls. Each child created a flower and wrote five descriptive words about another classmate on each petal. One girl said my son was “handsome, smart, friendly, trustworthy, special.”...
Mental Illness as a Preacher, Teacher, Pastor, and Leader
Rev. Pamela Yerby-Hammack, visionary and founder of Wind of Change Ministries, shares her story of brokenness and mental illness. Diagnosed with depression and anxiety, she shares how God used both prayer and medication to bring her out of a place of darkness and show...
Hearing God’s Voice
Hearing the voice of God is vital for our everyday lives. Jesus said in Matthew 4:4, “Man cannot live off of bread alone, but every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” For believers, it should be normal for us to hear from God and experience His presence. This...
Resurrection Day In The Muslim World
I was a pastor for 20 years before God called me to launch into missions in the volatile Muslim world. It was three months before September 11, 2001, and if I’d known what was coming, I might’ve asked God to send me to South America instead. You can imagine the...
Where’s The Deep End Of Discipleship?
“I’m just not being fed.” Every pastoral leader cringes when they hear this from concerned church attenders. What am I doing wrong? What can our ministry do to help? While it’s tempting to double sermon prep time, launch a series of apologetics classes, and recruit...
Traits of a Leader
My husband and I lead a mentorship group for aspiring leaders in our church. We hand picked the leaders and taught them through practical example how to lead their small groups. But one member, at the end of one meeting said, “I don’t think I’m a leader. I always...
Five Tips For Creating A Third Space At Your Church
Ray Oldenberg, author of The Great Good Place wrote, “The third place is a generic designation for a great variety of public places that host the regular, voluntary, informal and happily anticipated gatherings of individuals beyond the realms of home and work.” Small...
Bless Those Who Curse You
The knife went in, only a bit deeper this time. Some congregation members had spread gossip about my husband and I, ruining our reputation not only in our community, but with our leadership team as well. People who we thought were friends became our enemies. I felt...
The Case for Lent
Aaron Damiani, writing for Pastoresources.com One of the common beliefs among evangelical pastors is that Lent is legalistic. The word “Lent” conjures associations of petty and pointless acts of self-denial, like giving up chocolate or meat while conspicuously wearing...
The Vital Role Of Elderly in Church Growth
In at least some ways, we are probably all guilty of telling ourselves that in order to best grow our church and impact the community, we need to be focusing on the younger generations and future generations to come. It’s this focus that affects our sermon topics, our...
Referencing Current Films + TV Shows In Sermons
“The kingdom of heaven is like . . .” And here begins a common phrase used by Jesus to introduce his popular way of teaching to his disciples and the crowds around him. “The kingdom of heaven is like . . . treasure hidden in a field . . . a merchant looking for fine...
