Features

Loving and Listening to Doubters

Over the past decade of setting tables where skeptics and churchgoers sit side by side, I’ve gathered a few hard-earned insights about the art of loving those who see the world differently.

5 Innovative Ministries Shaping the Future Church

The following ministry snapshots are just a few of the examples of innovative ministries that are working well. Whether you’re a pastor, church leader or an everyday disciple looking to reach your neighborhood, we hope their stories will inspire you to innovate in your own ways.

What I Learned in the Painful Parts of Church Planting

God has worked in me more than he has through me. His love works within us like an explorer—or, in a way, a church planter—always seeking the places that have not yet met his healing love.

7 Steps to Reviving a Small-Town Church

"Preach the gospel. Build the church. There is strength and influence in numbers."

Sharing a Dinner Table With Muslims: A Redemptive Invitation

"As Christians, when we engage in these sorts of relationships and conversations, we bring Jesus with us to a literal table."

What Does Christlike Hospitality Look Like in the Church?

“Where Christ shows up in the world is when ordinary people like you and me open our hearts and homes.”

15 Bizarre Excuses Real People Made for Missing Church

Thom Rainer: "What do peanut butter, girlfriends and Rambo the dog have in common?"

5 Truths About Disappointment That Will Strengthen Your Ministry

"Disappointments are learning-experiences that are just that—experiences to learn from, not anchors to sink you."

Church Planting Shifts, Part 4: Supporting Planters

"We currently don’t have the kind of financial-support model that our new cultural reality needs."

5 Keys to Addressing Immaturity in Your Church

"The higher up, or deeper in, people progress as leaders, the more their immaturities and gaps reveal themselves."

Approaching an Atheist: How to Initiate Life-Changing Conversations

"How do we 'lead folks away from eternal death and toward the gift of salvation' without aggravating and alienating them?"