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Lives of Faith and Grace Series
7 Tips to Help Your Church Support Adoption
A congregation that embraces the priority of adoption will find all sorts of ways to help those who want to adopt.
Articles on Church Ministry
642 results found
5 Ways Pastors Can Grow in Their Preaching
No one can create an effective Bible preacher. No process of training can ensure the quality of the end product because preaching involves many different aspects of mind and personality.
Dear Pastor, in a Celebrity Culture, Your Call Is Contentment
Our desire is to do well in ministry so that God is glorified. We want our work to be great so that people will see God’s greatness, not to show off our talents or to be greater than others.
Spiritual Authority in an Anti-Authoritarian Age
God-appointed church leadership is for our good, stability, health, and protection.
Dear Pastor . . . You Have Wonderfully Unique Opportunities to Counsel
Pastoral counseling is unlike any other form of counseling because of the many unusual opportunities a pastor has to engage lives. Here are seven unique facets of the pastoral life that open doors.
Podcast: The Meaningful Work of Church Deacons (Matt Smethurst)
Matt Smethurst discusses the important role that deacons should play in the life of the local church.
Pastor: Your Ministry Is a Mercy
Paul’s deeply rooted understanding that his calling was a totally undeserved expression of God’s great mercy to him was itself one of the core convictions that kept him faithful to the end.
Common Pitfalls on the Path to Becoming a Pastor
Ministry is a gift of grace. So, hold your aspirations loosely and recognize any opportunity to serve God's people is a gift from him.
6 Joys and Perils of Full Time Ministry
Josh Moody shares with us 6 joys and perils of full time ministry.
Zach Eswine shares his own story of loss and the stunning realization that true faithfulness is not synonymous with ministry success.
The Church Has One Testimony—and It’s Anything but Boring
In various times and places and life circumstances, God calls his people. For all the outward variety in our testimonies, we actually have a common story.
Preach the Bible, Not Your Dog
One of the big dangers that faces pastors today comes from a desire to connect with people.
Dear Pastor, Walking in Humility Requires Courage
Coleman M. Ford, Shawn J. Wilhite
Walking in humility requires courage. To grow in our understanding of humility, we must attune ourselves to the wisdom of Scripture and the pastoral voices of history.
What Makes Our Worship Beautiful?
The apex of our fellowship and communion with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is holy worship. Worship of God originates with God, not man.
When Ministry Becomes a Mistress (by Dave Kraft)
Ministry idolatry is becoming increasingly widespread, reaching epidemic proportions.
7 Ways to Use ‘Unfolding Grace’ in Your Church
Many Christians know key doctrines or various texts within the Bible, but they often miss the sweep of the Bible’s big story and how it connects to Christ.
How Does the Gospel Shape Our Goals for Children’s Ministry?
There are four ways that the gospel shapes our goals for children's ministry. I read those four ways in the way that Paul ministered to the church in Corinth.
Foreign Missions in Your Own Hometown
Engaging with your local community can provide numerous opportunities to practice international missions close to home.
Pastor, Are You Prepared to Shepherd Your Flock through Dementia?
The tragedy of dementia is more common than you think. Over 30% of the average church congregation will die with some form of dementia. That represents an enormous challenge in pastoral ministry.
Cultivating a Healthy Marriage in Ministry
This is guest post by Lisa Chan and is part of Pastor’s Wife Appreciation Month. Lisa’s husband, Francis, is the best-selling author of Crazy Love and formerly served as teaching pastor at Cornerstone Community Church …
Spurgeon’s Secret to a Fruitful Ministry
Fruitful ministry is less about self and more about Christ.
3 Questions Leaders Should Ask Themselves about Equipping the Church for Ministry
Here are three questions for church leaders to ask themselves before trying to help their people love each other better.
Why Gospel-Centered Youth Ministry Is Important
When we’re so concerned with keeping the youth entertained or promoting a moral lifestyle, we can easily forget the message of first importance.
Read the Bible for the Sake of Others
Sermons, classes, and small groups aren’t the only ways the church teaches us to read Scripture. We’ll also become better Bible readers by investing in relationships with fellow members.
There Are No Unimportant Parts of the Church
The Spirit gives exactly the right gifts in exactly the right measure at exactly the right time to exactly the right people for the well-being of the local church.
Podcast: What Keeps You from Going to Church? (Jonathan Leeman)
Jonathan Leeman discusses the vital importance of in-person church fellowship, how we can and should prioritize involvement with the people of God in a local church—especially after a year like 2020.
Raising Kids as a Pastor's Wife
Children are truly a gift—a reward from the Lord himself, and parenting is such a glorious privilege, but it's not easy.
What Does It Mean to Be a Contemplative Pastor?
I would encourage pastors to think about how their ministry is only going to be as effective as their growth, humility, and dependence upon the Lord.
Help! I Don’t Know How to Reestablish a Healthy Church after COVID
Not meeting together has meant missing out on the countless interactions that establish and enable the very practical supports which overflow from our spiritual unity in Christ.
Foundational Qualities of Good Leaders (That Might Surprise You)
What is the foundational quality of a good leader?