Church Matters
Navigating Christian Ethics

Navigating Christian Ethics

In many people’s minds today, the most offensive thing about Christianity is no longer Jesus’ exclusive claim to be our only hope for right relationship with God (John 14:6). Rather, it’s the New Testament’s uncompromising claim that sex belongs only in lifelong...

Unlocking Generosity

Unlocking Generosity

As a church leader, you desire that the congregation be recognized as a truly generous church. You desire the members of your church to be renowned for their open-handedness. This aspiration is driven by the understanding that this not only benefits the individuals...

Healing Prayer Testimony

Healing Prayer Testimony

I had never met one! Not one. After being a Christian for fully eight years, I had never personally met anyone who had experienced divine healing, whether that was physical, mental, or emotional healing sent from God and activated through prayer. In fact, I had never...

Jesus’s Prayer Ministry

Jesus’s Prayer Ministry

We have been in the ministry, David for more than 30 years, Maxie for more than 60. In every church we have served, the assumption was that if an area was growing then we should do more of it! Add another worship service! Expand the Sunday school! Do another Outreach...

Crafting a Church End-of-Year Giving Letter

Crafting a Church End-of-Year Giving Letter

The end of the year is a special time for churches and their congregations. It's a time for reflection, gratitude, and giving. One important tradition during this season is the end-of-year giving letter, a sincere message from the church to its members and supporters....

Reading for Transformation

Reading for Transformation

Formation versus Information About five years ago I was having coffee with a local pastor, and we were discussing literature and my passion for reading. I was telling him about how vital I believe reading to be for us as ministers, and, after hearing me out, my pastor...

Listening for Formation

Listening for Formation

Listening to the Word of God makes us aware that we cannot simply adapt and adjust to the realities of a divided society. But especially in a society that is divided in the way ours is, the church’s work of formation is about listening to the Word of God in a way that...

The Vitality of Christian Community

The Vitality of Christian Community

With church attendance rebounding since the pandemic, Christians need to be encouraged to recall and remember what the writers of the Bible say about the vitality of Christian community, not to mention the command from God to meet together. Now more than ever,...

Ministry of Ḥesed

Ministry of Ḥesed

IV. Notes Towards a Ministry of Ḥesed Thoughts on ḥesed Does a ministry of ḥesed exist? I suggest that we can identify the ministry of ḥesed as, first of all, whatever springs from a heart that is like God’s heart—compassion, mercy, love, forgiveness, peace, faith,...

Why Memorize Scripture?

Why Memorize Scripture?

No one in the history of the church has had as much access to Scripture as we do in the twenty-first-century Western world. As I sit at my dining room table in southern Missouri, there are seven Bibles I could reach in ten steps or less. But this hasn’t always been...

Navigating Christian Ethics

Navigating Christian Ethics

In many people’s minds today, the most offensive thing about Christianity is no longer Jesus’ exclusive claim to be our only hope for right relationship with God (John 14:6). Rather, it’s the New Testament’s uncompromising claim that sex belongs only in lifelong...

Unlocking Generosity

Unlocking Generosity

As a church leader, you desire that the congregation be recognized as a truly generous church. You desire the members of your church to be renowned for their open-handedness. This aspiration is driven by the understanding that this not only benefits the individuals...

Healing Prayer Testimony

Healing Prayer Testimony

I had never met one! Not one. After being a Christian for fully eight years, I had never personally met anyone who had experienced divine healing, whether that was physical, mental, or emotional healing sent from God and activated through prayer. In fact, I had never...

Jesus’s Prayer Ministry

Jesus’s Prayer Ministry

We have been in the ministry, David for more than 30 years, Maxie for more than 60. In every church we have served, the assumption was that if an area was growing then we should do more of it! Add another worship service! Expand the Sunday school! Do another Outreach...

Crafting a Church End-of-Year Giving Letter

Crafting a Church End-of-Year Giving Letter

The end of the year is a special time for churches and their congregations. It's a time for reflection, gratitude, and giving. One important tradition during this season is the end-of-year giving letter, a sincere message from the church to its members and supporters....

Reading for Transformation

Reading for Transformation

Formation versus Information About five years ago I was having coffee with a local pastor, and we were discussing literature and my passion for reading. I was telling him about how vital I believe reading to be for us as ministers, and, after hearing me out, my pastor...

Listening for Formation

Listening for Formation

Listening to the Word of God makes us aware that we cannot simply adapt and adjust to the realities of a divided society. But especially in a society that is divided in the way ours is, the church’s work of formation is about listening to the Word of God in a way that...

The Vitality of Christian Community

The Vitality of Christian Community

With church attendance rebounding since the pandemic, Christians need to be encouraged to recall and remember what the writers of the Bible say about the vitality of Christian community, not to mention the command from God to meet together. Now more than ever,...

Ministry of Ḥesed

Ministry of Ḥesed

IV. Notes Towards a Ministry of Ḥesed Thoughts on ḥesed Does a ministry of ḥesed exist? I suggest that we can identify the ministry of ḥesed as, first of all, whatever springs from a heart that is like God’s heart—compassion, mercy, love, forgiveness, peace, faith,...

Why Memorize Scripture?

Why Memorize Scripture?

No one in the history of the church has had as much access to Scripture as we do in the twenty-first-century Western world. As I sit at my dining room table in southern Missouri, there are seven Bibles I could reach in ten steps or less. But this hasn’t always been...

Helping Your Small Group Thrive

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