Articles
How To Best Choose Pop Culture References For Your Sermons
Let’s see. There’s Chariots of Fire. Ooh, Ben-Hur is a good one. But those are pretty old. What’s at least from this millennium? Oh yeah, Fireproof and God’s Not Dead were popular. Those should all work to pull examples from. And if need be, I can always talk Star...
A Faith That Works
Too many pastors in too many churches today are pressed with unreal expectations. They are expected to be spiritual supermen, always able to leap tall buildings with a single bound. The pastor is expected to counsel without a degree in counseling. He is expected to...
Best Tools for Growing Faith
Let’s say you wanted to plant a garden. Whether you’re growing flowers, vegetables, or a fruit tree, you’ll need the same basic ingredients—nutrients, time, and the right atmosphere. It’s the exact same with your faith, too! You need nutrients (the right fuel in the...
5 Lies That Lead To Pastor Burnout
This article was written by our fearless leader, Dave Wike, and was originally posted on RelevantMagazine.com. Despite what you may think, burnout isn’t reserved for only Fortune 500 executives and pastors of megachurches. it can blindside any of us. And its effects...
Before God’s Face
Mankind's past is littered with people who started off knowing God, possessed a deep faith in their Creator, and then somehow lost their bearings. The Bible gives us many examples of people who lost their way. This study will look at Bible stories and ask the...
Your Next Unique Sermon Is Closer Than You Think
Assuming you take two weeks off a year (can I recommend you take even more weeks off from at least the pulpit?), you probably preach fifty sermons a year. Do you have a Sunday evening service as well? Then make that a hundred sermons. Wednesdays too? Now we’re looking...
What Kind Of Government Does God Want?
The situation sounds all too familiar. The leaders of another country ask for help. “Tell us what to do! Protect us, hide us, give us sanctuary.” Their representatives need help with everything foreign policy covers. More than that, they are at war against a common...
6 Ways To Protect Your Kids From Bullies
Bullying. Just the word makes you disgusted doesn’t it? My heart goes out to kids who are bullied. Both Steve and I were bullied as kids. And to be honest with you, I worried a lot about my kids being bullied when we were raising them. As I began praying for my kids...
Make The Most Of Your Group’s Time
Group meetings range from small Bible studies, mentoring, steering committees, to full congregation worship services. It's important to be intentional with these meetings if you want to make the most of them. In order to make the most of time spent, you'll want to...
Rebirthing a Sense of Urgency
I read a very sad report today. According to author and pastor Ed Stetzer, “Almost 1 in 5 churchgoers say they never read the Bible.” He went on to say that in the UK, children didn’t know the Nativity was a Bible story—but their parents (more than half of them!)...
The Hat Collection
As the wife of a pastor, I wear a lot of hats. These are not physical hats but a term I use to represent the roles a pastor’s wife plays. Most people do not realize how many there are. I dare say there are pastors who don’t know everything their wives do. Well, let me...
Different Kinds Of Prayer
Over 20 years ago, Dr. Dave Williams wrote The New Life...The Start of Something Wonderful to help new believers become established in their Christian walk. Since that time, over two and a half million copies in eight languages have been sold, and this book is in its...
What Happened to Halloween?
Growing up in the 50s and 60s, every kid in my neighborhood counted down the days until the 31st of October. We couldn’t wait to dress up in what was usually a handmade costume paired with a mask we’d purchased at the local five and dime. Afterward, we would walk...
How Denominations Are A lot Like Pizza
A study in 2006 found that there are at least 43,000 different Christian denominations worldwide. That’s not a typo, either. An initial reaction to that huge number is, “How can there even be that many differences in beliefs?” And how do we reconcile that number to...
CHOPPING UP BRAINS AND THE SCIENCE OF ANXIETY
Over the last few decades, scientists have discovered that the part of the brain responsible for “thinking ahead” is called the prefrontal cortex. And unfortunately, doctors figured this out the hard way. Back in 1940s and ’50s, there was a popular surgery called a...
The Pastor’s Calling—His or Ours?
My husband felt a call on his life as a teenager, but it was not time for the call to be acted upon. At the age of thirty-four, after attending a Promise Keepers conference, my husband announced to me that he felt called to go into ministry, and we needed to move...
The 1 Key Trait You Need On Your Team
In our work with churches and businesses, hands down the leading question people ask is, “Where do I find ‘good people’?” But more specifically, what they’re asking is, “What traits should I be looking for in potential team members and volunteers?” Of course, there...
How Fun Can Kickstart Your Team’s Creativity
No matter how creative (or not) you may be, sometimes all your team needs for a morale boost is a fun-filled day. It can dramatically lighten the mood around the office to get everyone laughing, and you could likely use a mental break yourself! Remember, this means...
Top 5 Places To Avoid If You Want Time To Yourself
Solitude… I hear, echoed in the cavernous halls of my mind, the reverberating sound of an iconic commercial that asks a simple question and speaks to my heart: “Wanna get away?” Of course! We all want to get away on occasion. There is a need in each of us to find that...
Sidetracked Dreams and Sovereignty
Are you grieving over sidetracked dreams? Has too much reality obscured God’s personal word to you and blotted out hope? Are you wondering if it’s practical to continue waiting? Overnight, Joseph went from prison to Pharaoh’s palace. Overnight? Not exactly. It was...
