Features

Scott McConnell: The State of Discipleship

Discover where disciples in your church are in their journey. Then design paths to encourage progress toward biblical outcomes.

The Deity of Christ is the Heart of the Gospel

People had only to look at Jesus to see God.

The Easter Illusion

Easter exposes the gap between attendance and belonging, between membership and engagement, between connection and discipleship.

5 Tips for Leading in Exceptional Times

What began as a major disruption has become a way of life. Not permanently, but for an open-ended and unknown duration of time. COVID-19 has changed...

How to Shift Your Team to a ‘We Can’ Attitude

As church leaders, we must keep our teams optimistic, flexible and focused on essential ministry. We must emphasize a “make it work” approach rather...

4 Things to Know for Effective Ministry to Blended Families

One of the greatest felt human needs is to be understood. Not for everyone, but for many. And part of being understood is to first be seen. I feel this need deeply, and that need grew exponentially when I became a stepmom. Never married with no children of my own, I married a man with […] Ministry to blended families requires intentionality and understanding.

4 Tools the Pandemic Has Uncovered for Special-Needs Ministry

For my family, social isolation isn’t much different from normal life. Because of my son’s social anxiety related to his autism, drive-throughs are our...

Why Humility Is Essential in the Midst of Conflict

Conflict. Most of us do not like the word, and even fewer of us like experiencing it. Given a choice, many people would rather walk away from conflict than engage another person or group. Conflict can happen almost anywherein our homes, our workplaces, our schools and everywhere we run people with differing opinions, behaviors, values […] Learning about humility in conflict can help us navigate these challenging situations.

Dave Gibbons: The Seismic Shift in Church Already HappenedBefore COVID-19

Ready to get back to normal? Church on Sundays, small groups, well-oiled programs and a professional staff as the focus. We may now even have some hubris because we believe we have beefed up our online streaming and social platform muscle during this downturn and downtime. But are you seeing that a seismic shift in church […]

Who Is the Main Character in the Story of Your Life?

Whats the point of your life? Were on this earth, the apostle Peter says, to glorify God and amplify the gospel: Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that when they slander you as evildoers, they will observe your good works and will glorify God on the day he visits (1 Peter 2:12). For someone who is the main character in the story of your life, what matters is how their situation prepares them and others for that home.

Looking for the Least of These

When Angie and I moved into the first home we ever purchased for ourselves, we moved into an aging neighborhood where we were surrounded...