Of course, every Christian faces difficulty—Jesus called us to a life of carrying our crosses as we follow him. However, the challenges of those in pastoral ministry are often more acute.
Articles on Church Ministry
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2 Dangers In Doing the Lord’s Work
Doing the Lord’s work in our own way is betrayal. It is a stab in the Lord’s back.
An Open Letter to the Pastor Doubting His Calling
A pastor may hear the still, small, devilish voice of inner doubt: Maybe I’m not really called to pastoral ministry.
How to Worship in a Way That Speaks to Unbelievers
Though we don't want to cater only to the unbelievers in our congregations, we need to be aware of certain things we can do to help them encounter Jesus in a way they can understand.
Each myth of missions, if left uncorrected, will likely tend toward a weakening of biblical missionary labor and a reliance on our own wisdom and methods.
7 Things I Prayed for My Husband through 30 Years of Ministry
Marriage to a man in any particular profession has particular difficulties. Over the years, I have learned to pray for the needs of my husband that are distinct to his calling as a pastor.
7 Tips for Helping Your Church Prioritize Missions
Faithful churches can simultaneously care about growth, mercy ministry, and doctrinal fidelity while still prioritizing missions. Here are seven tips for helping your church to do it.
Can We Have Jesus without the Church?
Being in fellowship with a church is integral to participating as a part of the body of Christ.
The Intersection of the Natural and the Supernatural in Preaching
How do the supernatural and the natural intersect in the act of preaching?
You Need a Qualified Pastor—Not Just a Charismatic One
Charisma is helpful, important even, for pastors. But I want to focus on other attributes that are even more important for the pastor: character, capability, conviction, and compassion.
How to Avoid Both Graceless Parenting and Overly Spiritual Ministry
The biblical storyline is a four-fold storyline of creation, fall, redemption, and consummation, but I think oftentimes both for ministers and for parents, we don't think about it holistically.
Given that liturgy concerns the order of worship elements in a church service, it’s not whether a church has a liturgy; it’s just which liturgy the church has.
3 Misconceptions about Christian Growth
For the Christian to grow in a healthy way, we must clarify what growth is and is not.
How to Pray for the Global Church
In praying for the global church, start by remembering that there is just one church of Jesus Christ.
5 Myths about Pastoral Leadership
We can, with true humility and firm confidence, call our people to repent when they are sinning, assure them of God’s care when they are hurting, promise them eternal riches when they are dying—all on the authority of God’s most precious word.
Why Pastors Have a Unique Responsibility to Counsel
You must counsel. It’s not optional. You can’t say no as if it were simply a career choice, a matter of personal preference, or an absence of gifting.
5 Questions about Church Membership
The local church is the authority on earth that Jesus has instituted to officially affirm and give shape to my Christian life and yours.
Should I Choose a Church for Its Pastor?
The centrality of the Word coming from the front, from the preacher, the one specially gifted by God and called to that ministry, is the most important thing you can look for in a church.
4 Ways to Help Save Your Pastor from Burnout
The reasons for pastoral burnout are deeper and more complex than just how congregations relate to their pastors. Intentional support can help alleviate some of the main causes.
Where Did Youth Ministry Go Wrong? Identifying a Way Forward
It's concerning that our ideals about how to do family discipleship have sometimes distracted us from our more primary responsibility to teach kids the gospel. Here are a couple of the ways we get distracted.
5 Questions about Church Discipline
What is church discipline? Is it biblical? Jonathan Leeman answers five questions about church discipline.
A Guide for Your Personal Worship Today
One day of structured content from the 31-day liturgical guide Be Thou My Vision to help you in your daily worship.
10 Helpful Books for Church Leaders
Crossway suggests 10 books would be valuable for every church leader to read and have in their library.
Pastor, Don’t Quit—Learn to Lament
In order to stem the tide of weariness and burn-out, pastors should learn how to lament.
The Purpose of the Church Is Bound Up in These 3 Commands from Jesus
Jesus gave three commands that Christians know well but maybe don’t always connect back to the local church.
What Should a Pastor’s Authority Look Like?
What is the authority of a pastor? The authority of the pastor is to teach and give oversight to the flock by being an example to the flock.
Teens Need Something They Can’t Find Online
It is vitally important today for all of us to prioritize our local church even as the rest of the world moves more of life online. The body of Christ is essential to spiritual growth.
A Word to the Youth Pastor Who Feels Discouraged
To a youth pastor who is feeling discouraged, your reward is in heaven where you’ll see in glory the things that Jesus has done through your ministry, you’ll see the fruit of your labor.
The Importance of the Global Church
The church is the single most important institution on earth, the organism through which God advances his kingdom.
7 Tips for Improving Your Ministry Team
Jesus does not mean for his followers to go about their work alone. He is the one singular leader in his church. No peers. The rest of us follow his example together.