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 Ways Christians Waste Their Lives

"God placed you here for a reason. As long as you have breath in your lungs, you can make a difference in this world."

4 Reasons Pastors Need Rest

"Rest removes us from the pressure of the urgent to see the possibilities of the future."

3 Vital Sources of Encouragement for Church Leaders

"We need to ask God to make us people of vision, hope and joy for the sake of those we lead."

4 Questions to Ask When Your Spouse Doesn’t Share Your Calling

"If God is doing something, he'll communicate it to BOTH of you. Trust him. If God is in it, he'll bring you both along."

5 Ways a Church Can Redeem Its Community

“The American church has proved it can fill the seats, but it has yet to prove that the gospel can transform entire communities.”

Births to Muslims Will Outnumber Births to Christians by 2035, Study Finds

Christianity still holds the status as the world’s largest religious group. But this is unlikely to be the case for much longer.

3 Big Mistakes to Avoid This Easter

"Let’s be candid: Merely extending an invitation to come back to church the following weekend is not enough."

How to Keep Your Church’s Message From Becoming White Noise

"Let’s communicate creatively so that our initiatives to expose people to the gospel do not become white noise."