Author: Administrador

Jack Sharp photo – Unsplash By Juan R. Sanchez The very idea of church discipline sounds antiquated, unloving, and, to some, even hateful. But I assure you: Church discipline is the most loving act you can practice for church members living in unrepentant sin. And yet, before practicing church discipline, we must first ask and … Continue reading “3 Questions to Ask Before Practicing Church Discipline”

By Mark Dance The title of this post sounds unreasonably optimistic in light of COVID’s imposing finish to 2020. A recent survey from LifeWay Research shows how Americans are changing the way they’ll celebrate Christmas, whether through family events or corporate worship services. And churches are pivoting, yet again, to figure out what the remainder … Continue reading “4 Ways Your Church Can Finish Strong in 2020”

Pavel Danilyuk photo – Pexels By Maina Mwaura My seminary education made it clear to me that ministry wouldn’t be easy and there would be seasons of great change. That lesson has never been more evident than in 2020, when we’ve endured a pandemic, economic and racial unrest, and an election season. And now, we’re … Continue reading “4 Ways to Make the Most of Altered Church Christmas Plans”

Christian Standard Bible photo By Aaron Earls 2020 has been a hectic, dare I say, unprecedented year for most. With all that happened this year, both Bible Gateway and YouVersion saw readers turn to Scripture to help navigate the unknowns. Bible Gateway noted four themes that were unusually prominent in Bible searches during 2020: pandemic, … Continue reading “What Drove People to Scripture in 2020?”

Anna Shvets photo – Pexels By Luke Holmes Before John Froelich invented the tractor in 1892, farmers relied on steam-powered engines and back-breaking work to thresh wheat. Those engines were heavy and hard to maneuver, so Froelich wanted something smaller but with more power. During the first harvest with his new engine his crew was … Continue reading “The Most Vital Ministry Tools for a Pastor Today”

Choreograph photo – Getty By Dan Hyun It may be my internal contrarian speaking but I believe many of us can sense when something feels a little phony. And in a culture where snarky skepticism seems to be a defining zeitgeist of our times, the church can also feel less than genuine, even if intentions … Continue reading “How Leaders Can Stunt Their Church’s Spiritual Growth”

Laurent Perren photo – Unsplash By Ken Braddy A pair of pilots flew 297 passengers from New Zealand to Antarctica on a sightseeing journey. They were supposed to see beautiful mountain ranges and all kinds of wonderful topography. They did—right up to the moment the plane flew into the side of a mountain. It was … Continue reading “Your Small Group’s Worst Enemy During COVID-19—and 5 Things to Do About It”

Jonathan Zerger photo – Unsplash By Rusty Richardson When I was a boy, I was fortunate enough to fish with my dad. We fished a lot. Sometimes we were successful, and sometimes we were not. On occasion, the flat-bottom boat we fished in would get stuck on a partially submerged stump. Our first attempt to … Continue reading “3 Steps to Create a Culture of Disciple Making in Your Church”

By PJ Tibayan Eat your salad. The greens are good for you. You can’t leave the table until you finish your vegetables. These phrases horrified my 7-year-old self. I believed they were good for me, but the bad taste outweighed the benefit. Over three decades later I enjoy eating my spinach salads and kale-filled protein … Continue reading “3 Strategies for Cultivating a Biblically Literate Church”

kavunchik photo – Unsplash By Aaron Earls After a tumultuous 2020, fewer Americans said their mental health was at least good than at any point in the past two decades. One group, however, stood in contrast to the declines across the board—weekly churchgoers. Since 2001, Gallup has asked Americans to rate their own mental health … Continue reading “Mental Health Declines Among Americans, Except Weekly Churchgoers”