10 Key Bible Verses on Leadership
A leader is to be above reproach, held accountable for the care of those entrusted to them.
Articles on Church Ministry
562 results found
10 Things You Should Know about Church Discipline
Church discipline is not man’s idea, but God’s. Learn more about what it is and why it's so purposeful in the Christian life.
10 Things You Should Know about Church Elders
Jeramie Rinne lists 10 things we should know about church elders.
7 Good Reasons to Leave a Church
Illegitimate reasons for leaving a church abound, but there are circumstances when it is right to make the painful decision to leave.
10 Things You Should Know about the Lord’s Supper
The Communion meal involves us in and embraces us in God’s grace. We are not mere observers. We do something. We eat something. We become participants in the story.
Why the Church Is Vitally Important for Every Christian
Mention the church to a group of Christians and you are likely to get a mixed response.
Why Does the Bible Say So Much about Widows?
There are about eighty direct references to widows in the Scriptures. Why?
This Day in History: Jonathan Edwards Preaches “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”
When Edwards came to preach in Enfield, God blessed the preaching of his Word in an extraordinary manner.
10 Things You Should Know about Church Membership
Local church membership is not the only way we clarify the distinction between the world and the church, but it is one way we make it visible and plain.
2 Simple (Yet Profound) Questions to Ask Someone at Church This Sunday
What does it look like to strike up an intentional conversation aimed at deepening our relationships?
10 Reasons to Come Back to Church after COVID-19
Many churches are now resuming our meetings, or will soon. But these new services feel strange. Some believers may feel tempted not to come at all.
8 Things to Remember When Teaching Kids Theology
Theology, taught well, must inevitably result in doxology—and we shouldn’t be satisfied with less just because we’re teaching children.
10 Things You Should Know about Baptism
A sacrament is a covenant sign that is appropriate to the promises made by God in his covenant.
Should Drinking Alcohol Disqualify a Pastor from Ministry?
“Not a drunkard” means more than just “Knows how to toe the line and stay within the legal limits.” It implies a positive vision. It calls for men who are reliable, ever vigilant, “ready in season and out.”
Creeds and confessions are useful only to the extent that they reproduce faithfully the teaching of Scripture itself.
Is There a Difference between Pastors and Elders? (1 Timothy 3)
Besides having good character, what qualifications must one meet in order to oversee others in the church?
Why the Call to Preach Is Unique
Expository exultation is a unique kind of communication. It is different, radically different, from anything in the world.
The Hidden Cancer in Our Churches
What is the most urgent need of the church today? Better leadership? Better training? Healthier giving? Orthodoxy? Moral integrity?
10 Things You Should Know about Missions and the Local Church
World missions and the work of the local church are integrally related, both ultimately existing to bring honor to Christ among the nations.
What to Do If You’re Chronically Frustrated at Church
If you're chronically frustrated at church, the primary solution is not to try to fix things but to recenter your focus on God.
3 Threats to the Mission of Small Groups
There are some common sins that keep us from living missional lives: apathy, indifference, and fear of man.
12 Reasons You Might Not Feel Like Going to Church
There are many reasons Christians might not feel like going to church. But if you can discern the reason behind your reluctance, the path forward becomes clearer.
10 Things You Should Know about Sound Doctrine
Bobby Jamieson lists ten things we should know about sound doctrine.
4 Ways Paul Encourages Us to Love the Church (Even When It’s Hard)
Like it did for Paul, the truth should shape us, so that belonging to an ordinary gathering of unremarkable people becomes one of the highest joys and greatest privileges of our lives.
I want to conduct a thought experiment by thinking about how some of our behavior can negatively affect our pastors.
2 Reasons Bully Pastors Rise Up in the Church
The church is experiencing a leadership crisis. Two key elements contribute to this crisis.
7 Things to Avoid When Teaching Women’s Bible Study
When Bible study participants think critically about the Bible, it holds a leader accountable to avoid seven common teaching pitfalls.
10 Things You Should Know about Pastoral Counseling
If God has given you his Word and his Spirit dwells within you, there is much more you can do than you probably realize.
10 Ways to Fracture Your Church
You only have to be a Christian for a short time before you realize that churches suffer from disunity and splits after seasons of peace as surely as valleys follow rolling hills.
10 Things You Should Know about Youth Ministry
Youth ministry is a vital part of growing and equipping the church. Here are ten things to remember about the work of discipling students.
10 Key Bible Verses on Ministry
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations. . . .”
7 Key Characteristics of the Church
Reformation theology established seven characteristics or identity markers of the church.
An Open Letter to the Church Member Hurt by Their Local Church
Local churches hurt people. People hurt people, of course; but since churches are people, churches have the capacity to inflict severe relational pain.
10 Things You Should Know about Preaching
What is preaching really all about? How should we approach it, as preachers and ordinary Christians?
3 Distinguishing Characteristics of a True Church
How can we tell if a church is really a church? What characteristics distinguish a true church?
Podcast: Are Christians Obligated to Give 10%? (Sam Storms)
What does the Bible teaches about tithing? Are Christians still obligated to give 10% of their income today?
5 Guiding Principles for Church Elders
God has called elders to be men worth imitating. A healthy local church typically has many people, men and women, whose example we could follow.
What exactly is salvation and how does it work in the life of a believer. Get answers to the basic questions of God's saving work from How to Be a Christian: An Anglican Catechism.
How do we preachers handle the Bible faithfully and accurately so that Jesus is seen in every passage?
Are You a Healthy Church Member?
A healthy church member is deeply committed to and practices particular disciplines within a local church.
Why Does Paul Tell the Church to Deliver Someone to Satan? (1 Corinthians 5)
God’s church must be unleavened or pure. Tolerating unrepentant sexual immorality ruins the whole church’s purity.
7 Bad Reasons to Leave a Church
Before you begin searching for a new church, consider these 7 reasons you shouldn't.
Infographic: What Does Your Church Mean to You?
We asked over 10,000 people to share their views of church. In this infographic, we present some of the interesting results.
There is a reason to value some gifts above others, but the Bible does not teach that any are more important, lasting, or Christ-centered than other gifts.
10 Things You Should Know about the Church after COVID-19
In all the important ways, nothing has changed about church. We are still the people of God, gathered in the presence of God, to bring glory to God.
50 Reasons We Appreciate Our Pastors
We recently invited our readers to finish the following sentence: "In the last year, I have appreciated my pastor because he . . ." Here are 50 of our favorite responses.
3 Reasons Why Your Small Group Is Not a Church
Some Christians think their small group is a church. A church is, after all, a people not a place, and small groups do many of the same things that churches do.
An Open Letter to the Church on Singleness
Let’s not neglect what Scripture has to say about singleness. It may well surprise us. It will certainly bless us.
An Open Letter to the Weary Pastor
The gospel gives hope and encouragement to weary pastors—hope and encouragement that cannot be found anywhere else.
Infographic: The Common (Yet Neglected) Problem of Burnout
Are you experiencing burnout? Check out the infographic to learn more about the symptoms and causes of this common problem.
One of Satan’s methods to mislead preachers is the false dichotomy. Here are 5 particularly dangerous ones.
Why Churches Languish under Cowardly Pastors
If there is anyone in the world who ought to have courage, it must be pastors.
4 Questions about the Lord’s Supper
When we understand that the church is a family, we more clearly perceive the biblical emphasis on the Lord’s Supper as a family meal, to be celebrated by the church as Jesus’s family.
One Big Reason the Church Doesn't Pray
Are we living as if we can accomplish things on our own, or are we praying to God like we know we can't?
3 Questions about Small Groups
We should be asking ourselves if we act like family members of the church and whether or not our participation in the church strengthens or weakens it.
Why Do We Get Baptized One Time but Take Communion Many Times?
Many Christians today have a weak understanding of the sacraments and what they accomplish in the lives of believers.
6 Reasons Not to Be a Missionary
You don’t need a reason to go as a missionary; you need a reason to stay where you are. I’ll admit I don’t love this saying. Yes, it’s a catchy phrase, but it’s not especially good theology.
15 Things Seminary Couldn’t Teach Me
Real pastors get honest about the joys and challenges of the first five years of pastoral ministry—and how they bridged the gap between seminary training and life in a local church.
Why Our Expectations for Teens in the Church Are Way Too Low
Historically, one of the failures of youth ministry is that kids have not been seen as potential contributors in the church, and that is a disservice to them and to the church as a whole.
What Should a Youth Pastor Spend His Time Doing?
Youth pastors should dedicate their time to three primary things—spiritual growth, relationships, and Bible study.
10 Things You Should Know about Anglicanism
Anglicanism is the third-largest Christian communion in the world, after the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church.
3 Practical Ways to Remain Faithful in Ministry
Practical things you need to do in your life to remain faithful in ministry are the same means of grace that are available to every believer.
5 Things to Consider When Confronting a Friend
Sin becomes public in three different ways: someone confesses it, we see it, or we are told about it. Here are some ways to enter into the discussion.
Here are 43 questions and answers for preachers aimed at helping them think carefully about their calling as ministers of the Word.
Is Your View of Women Aligned with Your Theology?
A body of Christ is healthiest when women are esteemed and their gifts highly valued, not just in the home but also in the church.
5 Common Ways Church Members Go Astray
How can church elders engage relationally with their local fellowship and keep a watch out for church members who may be straying?
I’m passionate that every Christian display the gospel in their lives, which is why I’m passionate about church membership.
Why We Need to Gather as a Church
Collin Hansen, Jonathan Leeman
The push toward the virtual church, we fear, is a push to individualize Christianity. It trains Christians to think of their faith in autonomous terms.
Can Women Be Deacons? (1 Timothy 3)
Deacon's wives, whether or not they hold office, do hold responsibility for serving others. This is why they must bear character qualities fitted for a servant.
The Dying Away of Cultural Christianity
Cultural Christianity is on the decline, a reality that should not cause despair, but should actually lead us to hope.
9 Considerations: What Does Paul Mean by "Able to Teach"?
We must not overlook this qualification when assessing a candidate for pastoral leadership: Can he teach?
5 Reasons Churches Should Teach Theology to Children
A focus on reading and teaching Scripture to children does not—and must not—mean that we fail to educate them theologically as well.
An Open Letter to Those Who Feel Unqualified to Offer Counsel
The Lord specializes in using people who feel weak in themselves, and your sense of inadequacy will probably protect you.
6 Gospel-Centered Leadership Values
If the primary driving force of leadership in local churches around the world was the gospel of Jesus Christ, we could avoid so much sadness in the lives of church leaders.
20 Engaging Questions to Ask Kids at Church
As churches everywhere shake their heads in frustration over declining commitment among younger generations, we need to remember that a person’s commitment to the church is often formed early.
5 Patterns of Biblical Manhood and Womanhood
The Bible may not give explicit instructions about men and women in the church, but it does reveal some patterns that ought to shape how we think of sexual differentiation and complementarity.
5 Lessons I’ve Learned from Martyn Lloyd-Jones’s Preaching
I owe more to the ministry of Martyn Lloyd-Jones than I can put into words.
It’s the Spirit who brings life to our spirits and enables us to know, love, and worship God the Father through Jesus Christ.
5 Key Distinctives of Anglican Worship
Anglican worship is distinct because of the central contribution that the 1662 Book of Common Prayer has made to it.
Help! People at Church Are Driving Me Crazy
Who isn’t discouraged by conflict at church? After all, church should be as close as we get to heaven on earth, right?
2 Traps that Lead to Ministry Failure
Realize you don't deserve anything, realize that it is a privilege, honor, and a mercy that you've even been called into ministry.
Where Are All the Single Pastors?
Sam Allberry explains four common reasons why churches may hesitate to hire single pastors.
3 Tips for Starting a Bible Study
If you're hoping to start a Bible Study, always incorporate these three vital aspects: structure, accountability, and predictability.
Help! I Have a Problem with My Pastor
Don't let your pastor be the only thing that connects you to your church.
The Little ‘C’ Catholic Church Explained
Most people associate the word “catholic” with the Roman Catholic Church. Yet, when used with a little c, the word simply means worldwide or universal.
Pastor: Could Your View of Scripture Be Too Low?
Pastor, your preaching will be a direct reflection of what you believe about the Bible.
A Superlative Guide to All 15 Elder Qualifications
As Christians, we have our conflicts and controversies to grieve about our leaders, but the risen Christ has not left us to confusion about what to expect, pray for, and hold our leaders to account for.
The Awkward and Essential Challenge of Christian Community
This new book calls us to embrace the uncomfortable aspects of Christian community, whether that means believing difficult truths, pursuing difficult holiness, or loving difficult people.
7 Tips to Help Introverts Connect at Church
In our individualistic, consumer-minded culture, it can seem acceptable to conclude that, if you’re an introvert, church just isn’t your thing. But the Scriptures tell a different story.
10 Reasons Pastors Should Study the Bible in Its Original Languages
Every pastor—as time and opportunities arise—should study the Bible in its original languages. Yes, it's that important.
What Is a Healthy Way to Leave a Church?
Leaving the church is painful for Christians and pastors, and we've seen a lot of it over the last couple of years through COVID, election crises, and racial crises.
Should the Church Operate Like a Business?
How we think about the church will affect how we think about our service in the church.
5 Myths about Being Called to Ministry
Are you called to the ministry? How can you tell if you’re called to ministry? What should you do to find out?
Church Membership Is Not a One-Way Street
What is church membership? It’s the commitment Christians make to keep one another accountable for regularly gathering and centering their lives together on the gospel.
What Is the Job of the Pastor?
Collin Hansen, Jonathan Leeman
Your ability to do your job as a church member depends on pastors or elders doing their jobs.
5 Questions about the Sacraments
What is a sacrament and what is its purpose in the church? Learn answers from To Be a Christian: An Anglican Catechism.
5 Stumbling Blocks to Pastoral Honesty
Why isn’t humble candor more of a regular part of our ministry leadership culture? Why aren’t we more ready to confess spiritual discouragement or struggle?
What Does a Committed Church Member Look Like?
There are many marks of true discipleship, but one mark is singled out as signifying to the watching world that we belong to Christ.
The Trinity Transforms the Church into a Community of Love
Just as the church is the glorious gift of love from God the Father to Christ the Son, so the church, as the body of Christ, reflects that Trinitarian love and beauty outwardly to the world.
How to Pray for Your Pastor’s Family
Would you like to show your pastor your appreciation but are unsure what might be most helpful to him? More than any other gift you could give your pastor, he will treasure your prayers for his family.
Dear Pastor . . . Your Shepherd Doesn’t Care How Big Your Church Is
What the Lord requires of us is faithfulness. And while it’s perfectly normal for every pastor to want his church to grow, it’s also idolatrous to marry our validation and our justification to our attendance.
5 Questions about the Local Church
Ultimately, the local church makes visible what is invisible, and reflects in words and deeds the kingdom life that is to come.
People throw the word church around quite a bit, and often they have different things in mind.
What Does It Mean for Jesus Christ to Be the Head of the Church?
The phrase "head of the church" is not employed to identify Christ as the head of a company or the head of some earthly organization.
10 Disciplines of a Godly Pastor
As we sweat out the disciplines of a godly pastor, remember, with Paul, what energizes us to live them out.
6 Things to Look for in a Pastor
What are some things to consider when searching for a new pastor to lead the church?
Dear Pastor . . . You’re a Shepherd, Not an Entrepreneur
If we plant churches as pastors, not entrepreneurs, whose aim is to love Christ and feed and tend the sheep of Christ’s reward, then we can sleep well knowing our work will endure.
The Church’s Central Role in the Coming of the Kingdom of God
It’s not to the government, nor to any king or pope or any other ruler, but rather to the church that the keys of the kingdom of God are given.
Our new status and our new identity are due to the saving mercy and transformative power of God and are not of ourselves.
5 Myths about Being a Pastor’s Wife
What every congregation really needs to see is a family serving God with wholehearted devotion while dealing with the realities of sinful parents raising sinful children.
The Church and Homosexuality: 10 Commitments
Of the many complexities involving the church and homosexuality, one of the most difficult is how the former should speak of the latter.
The Hidden Value of Pastoral Gentleness
As leaders of God’s people, we all long to make a difference for Christ. We don’t want to be unfruitful. The main reason to nurture gentleness is neither pragmatic nor historical, but biblical.
3 Convictions You Need to Have before You Teach the Bible
If you’re just getting started teaching the Bible, this is the first thing I want to put in your mind: beginning preachers and teachers (and experienced ones too!) need confidence in God’s word.
There is not an uninfluenced day, hour, or minute in our lives. We are constantly discipled by the cultural, relational, and spiritual forces around us. Which discipling forces influence you the most?
10 Things You Should Know about Inaugurated Eschatology
Traditionally eschatology consists of the return of Christ, the resurrection, the final judgment, heaven, and hell. Here's what else you should know.
What Are the Limits of a Church’s Authority?
Christians today tend to give little attention to the idea of church authority, just like we give little attention to church membership and discipline.
10 Things You Should Know about the African Church
It is said that the number of Christians in Africa at the beginning of the twentieth century was about 9 million and that by the end of the twentieth century it was about 380 million.
We instinctively recognize that the solution to bad authority is seldom no authority, but almost always good authority.
Podcast: Rethinking Multiservice and Multisite Church (Jonathan Leeman)
Do multiservice and multisite church models run counter to the pattern for the local church we see in the New Testament?
How to Preach Biblical Narrative
Douglas Sean O'Donnell, Leland Ryken
I love stories. You love stories. Your congregation loves stories. The unbelieving world loves stories. Below are seven suggestions for preaching a sermon on a biblical narrative.
Why Pastors Must Show Their Kids How to Love the Church
Perhaps the most important thing we can do to demonstrate our love for the church is to crucify any trace of careerism.
The Importance of Preaching the Theology of Suffering
Preach to your people a theology of suffering that places all our trials in the hands and will of a loving Father.
How Should We Determine the Order of Worship in Our Church Services?
Our worship should be, among other things, God-fearing (Eccl. 5) and bibliocentric (Neh. 8). In other words, our worship should be God-revering and Scripture-saturated.
How to Prioritize Your Spouse in Ministry
She’s not been called to serve. You have been called to serve and she’s been called to serve alongside of you as your helper.
An Open Letter to a Children’s Ministry Worker
The children entrusted to your care have ears, and they use them. So teach these little ones the big truths. God willing, it will yield fruit for many years to come.
Jesus explicitly identifies himself with the gathering because the gathering makes his kingdom visible and active through their mutual agreement and testimony.
A Church Is Not Just a Truth-Dispensing Center
The church is the household of God, so we can expect relationships, interaction, and shared identity to be fundamental aspects of its life.
5 Hats That a Lead Pastor Must Wear
If the quality of our elder plurality determines the health of our church, then we need to know which hats will best help us to cultivate solid teams. Here are five hats senior leaders should wear.
Dear Pastor . . . You Need to Recognize Your Limits
Our limits and weaknesses are not in the way of what God can do through us, but our denial of limits and our delusions of independent strength are.
What a Church Is . . . and Isn't
The church is not a place. It’s not a building. It’s not a preaching point. It’s not a spiritual service provider. It’s a people—the new-covenant, blood-bought people of God.
J. I. Packer on One of the Most Urgent Needs in the Church Today
Catechesis—from a Greek word meaning "instruction by mouth"— is a historic teaching method of giving Christians the language with which to articulate the basic tenets of faith.
4 Reminders for When You’re Hurt by Someone at Church
We live in a fallen world. As glorious and wonderful as life in the church is, God’s people have not yet been fully delivered from the effects of sin.
Deaconing is not for the faint of heart. Much of it is thankless: grunt work, not stage work.
7 Tips for Planning a Sermon Series
How can pastors approach teaching the whole word of God to the people of God? It can be a daunting task.
Help for Humanly Impossible Acts
The languishing come to drink at the fountain of God’s life-giving word. That too is worship. It magnifies the necessity and desirableness of God.
The ministry of the deacons is an extension of the ministry of the elders to care for the flock of God.
Dear Pastor . . . Let Christ Preach
If preaching isn’t simply transferring data or trying to make people feel something through our charisma, what is it?
3 Important Questions for the Church about the Lord’s Supper
The Lord’ Supper is an ordinance of remembrance, and recipients must turn their minds to the cross as they approach the Table.
Help! I Love Jesus but Not the Church
Have you given up on the church? Shift your gaze from your hurt and disappointment and behold the church through the eyes of Christ.
7 Checklist Items for Your Next Church Search
Consider these seven key items to look for and prioritize when you embark on your next church search.
The Necessity and Danger of Mercy Ministry
Deeds of mercy can show the power of the gospel to change us. When we help our neighbor, we give evidence that our message is true.
Why a Pastor Needs to Learn His Context
To faithfully pastor those who are culturally different from you, the first thing you should do is learn as much as you can about your context.
Struggling in Your Faith? Isolation Isn’t the Answer
The hardest thing for struggling Christians to recognize is that church is exactly the community they need.
Why Youth Ministry Can’t Function Like Little League
The job of a youth pastor involves equipping the whole church to invest in the whole lives of young people.
John Calvin on the Role of the Pastor
Calvin did not imagine that the New Testament gave us a precise liturgy or church order, but he was convinced that it gives us clear guidelines.
Feeling Alone in a Crowded Congregation
We are social beings, and human connection is essential for our brain functioning, physical health, and emotional well-being. Loneliness is the unsurprising symptom of an individualistic society.
10 Tips for Your Next Short-Term Missions Trip
Short-term missions trips can be a significant aid to long-term gospel work, as well as a blessing to the individuals who go.
7 Tips for Teaching Theology to Teens
If you’re a pastor, youth leader, ministry volunteer, or simply a Christian parent of a Christian teenager, you’ve probably struggled with the best approach in talking with young people about theology.
10 Things You Should Know about Shared Church Leadership
God loves patience, so he imposes a way of governing that requires humble listening and trust that he is working in the lives of others. God loves humility, so he gave us plurality.
3 Ways That Scriptural Leadership Differs from Secular Leadership
Preaching is inherently a form of leadership. But in order for our preaching to qualify as scriptural leadership, we must be careful to exercise it according to biblical standards rather than worldly principles.
7 Tips for Navigating Criticism as a Pastor
Receiving criticism is part of pastoral ministry. Expect it and be ready to learn from it so that you can grow in your walk with the Lord and in your service of the saints.
Every church, practically and functionally, has to come down on a position. You’re either going to install women into the office of deacon—or not.
Read Scripture, explain the gospel, and celebrate Jesus’s resurrection with the youth in your church or your own children through Scripture-based crafts.
Podcast: Is the Church Facing a Discipleship Crisis? (Ajith Fernando)
Has the church neglected one-on-one discipleship? Why should an emphasis on this kind of intensive discipleship be recaptured today?
The Character of the Christian Minister
Christian ministers must be vigilant, prepared to endure.
Podcast: What It Takes to Persevere as a Pastor (John MacArthur)
Seasoned pastor, John MacArthur, reflects on what it takes for a pastor to persevere through the challenges of a long and faithful ministry.
Love for the church ought to be a fundamental characteristic of our lives. You have a people. They are your local church. And our love ought to mirror God’s love in three important ways.
An Interview with Andreas J. Köstenberger and Thomas R. Schreiner
Andreas J. Köstenberger, Thomas R. Schreiner
This is an interview with Andreas J. Köstenberger and Thomas R. Schreiner, co-editors of Women in the Church: An Interpretation and Application of 1 Timothy 2:9-15 (3rd edition).
Podcast: God’s Sovereignty, Pastoral Burnout, and Racism (John Piper)
John Piper discusses God's sovereignty, pastoral burnout, and the sin of racism.
How to Train Your Youth Group for Real Ministry
The first priority for students is increasing their ability to competently read, study, understand, and apply the Word of God.
The 2 Characteristics of Revival
By divine command, we must pray for the reinvigorating of God’s people—morning and evening, today and tomorrow, this year and next year, and in all the years until Christ’s return.
The Most Important Part of Youth Ministry
What attracts people to ministry to youth? Why are they in this field?
The Danger of Neglecting Lament in the Local Church
Lament is a rich but untapped reservoir of God’s grace, and there is a danger in neglecting lament in the church.
What is a creed and why is it important for the Church? Learn the basics from the answers to seven questions from To Be a Christian: An Anglican Catechism.
Podcast: Are We Undervaluing the Lord’s Supper? (Tim Chester)
Do evangelical churches undervalue communion? What's the significance of the fact that Jesus gave us the physical elements of bread and wine?
If the Good News Is So Good, Why Aren’t People Flocking to It?
Perhaps the most perplexing response we encounter in evangelism is not so much anger but apathy. This reaction may frustrate the evangelist, but it should provoke our compassion.
4 Things Jesus Taught about Children’s Ministry
Jesus told his glory-seeking disciples to become like children, to welcome kids, to protect them, and to value them as a kingdom priority.
Essential Tools to Learn in Seminary
Learning the biblical languages is not just stocking a bookshelf. It’s more like digging a well that you can then draw from over time.
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.
Every elder is a pastor. The New Testament uses three terms that are all distinct, but they all describe the same office.
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.
Dear Pastor . . . You Need the Monday Gospel
Monday is the preacher’s dog day. Ask any of us. In the cold light of day we see just how far short we fell from what we wanted and hoped for.
Should All Believers Take Part in Evangelism?
Simply by being a member of the church of Jesus Christ each Christian has a responsibility to be involved in the missionary call of the whole church.
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.
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.
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.
Dear Pastor . . . No, You Are Not a Failure
Our present failures make us long for future heaven, to hasten the day when the pain of failure and the torture of disappointment will be gone forever.
Douglas Sean O'Donnell, Leland Ryken
Parables feature what the whole of the New Testament covers: gospel need, gospel proclamation, gospel response, and gospel ethics. In your preaching, follow Jesus’s pattern.
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.
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.
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.
The Intersection of the Natural and the Supernatural in Preaching
How do the supernatural and the natural intersect in the act of preaching?
5 Steps to Take within the Exegesis Process
What follows is a suggested method for preaching preparation that I have followed for many years and found to be helpful. Please know that this is just one approach.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
10 Helpful Books for Church Leaders
Crossway suggests 10 books would be valuable for every church leader to read and have in their library.
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.
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.
Pastor, Don’t Quit—Learn to Lament
In order to stem the tide of weariness and burn-out, pastors should learn how to lament.
5 Questions about Church Discipline
What is church discipline? Is it biblical? Jonathan Leeman answers five questions about church discipline.
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.
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.
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.
5 Myths about Counseling and the Church
We come to Jesus as people in need, and we continue in Jesus as people in need.
An Open Letter to Pastors about the Teens in Their Congregation
The relationships, the preaching, the teaching, and the admonition of a specific church body are as vital to teenagers as they are to every other believer.
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.
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.
The Importance of the Global Church
The church is the single most important institution on earth, the organism through which God advances his kingdom.
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.
An Elevator Pitch for Church Membership
The Bible presents a picture of the church as unlike any other organization or society of people in the world.
How to Move Doctrine from Head to Heart
If you preach to the heart, you enter into the experience of the people of God as they encounter doctrine in their own lives.
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.
The Single Most Important Task of the Pastor
Preaching is central to the pastor’s ministry because that is primarily our calling.
Why the Local Church Needs Good Biblical Theology
Biblical theology is a vital help for pastors to faithfully declare the glorious truth that Jesus is the main point of the whole Bible.
Why You Should Read This Obscure Old Book about Pastoral Ministry
Every pastor faces that tension of cultivating a rich inner-life, focusing on the spiritual aspect of calling, without neglecting the mundane responsibilities of ministry.
Is Singleness an Advantage in Ministry?
Pastors being single is not prohibited by Scripture, nor is singleness necessarily a hindrance to effective gospel ministry, even in contexts where the majority of people are married.
An Open Letter to the Churchless Christian
It is impossible to have a faithful walk with Christ and Christian life—biblically or practically—without committed participation in a local church.
You Don’t Get the Church You Want, but the One You Need
Collin Hansen, Jonathan Leeman
You have many reasons not to go to church. That’s why we see this moment in history as an opportunity to rediscover church.
Learning Evangelism from Jesus
Sharing the Gospel can be intimidating for many reasons, but we have a flawless evangelistic example from which to learn: Jesus himself.
Dear Pastor, Keep This in Mind When There Is “Too Much to Do”
D. A. Carson, John D. Woodbridge
A young friend in pastoral ministry asks for suggestions when there is “too much to do.” D. A. Carson and John Woodbridge respond with eight pieces of advice.
How Elders Shepherd by Example
A church should be able to direct a newborn believer to an elder and say: “Do you want to know what a real Christian should be like? Then look at him.”
You’re Insignificant for God’s Glory
We are weak. We are common, plain, fragile, breakable, dishonorable. But our weakness does not diminish the power of the gospel.
We first need to understand biblically what gentleness is, because it is a largely misunderstood term. In our day, we often associate gentleness with weakness. That is not the biblical virtue of gentleness.
The Proper Expectation for Pastor’s Wives
It's important to remember our families are members of our churches and not unpaid staff.
Asking people for help makes calling out to the Lord seem easy by comparison.
There are three important factors that will help pastors combat burnout: hardness, honesty, and humility.
If you fail to understand poetic structures and literary devices, you will understand and preach the Psalms improperly.
How Slowing Down Speeds Up the Church
The kingdom of heaven is like a marathon runner. He gets better at running fast by running slower. In this is a parable for church planting that demands we pay attention.
How John Piper Mobilized Thousands for Radical Missionary Service
John Piper energized thousands of young people to live lives of radical devotion to Christ, primarily (and simply) by preaching sound doctrine from the Bible.
Dear Pastor . . . Rely on Your Congregation in Ministry
D. A. Carson, John D. Woodbridge
Brother, we need one another in ministry. You should not try to be an evangelical superman and by yourself direct all the principal tasks of the church.
Why Youth Pastors Must Be Gifted to Teach God's Word
Historically, churches have had a false paradigm for what youth ministry should look like. It's far more than getting kids in the door and keeping them out of trouble.
How Charles Spurgeon Learned to Preach through a Broken Heart
When the heart is overwhelmed, it’s one thing to survive adversity; it is something entirely different to continue preaching Sunday after Sunday, month after month.
Pastor: What Your Wife Wishes You Knew about Being a Pastor’s Wife
Having been a pastor’s wife for many years, let me share with you some of the struggles your wife may be dealing with.
Deacons are not the church’s spiritual council of directors, nor the executive board to whom the pastor-CEO answers. They are a cavalry of servants.
Dear Pastor, Avoid the Common Pitfall That Will Sabotage Your Ministry
In seeking to be good stewards of God’s truth and his church, we must be mindful of the common pitfalls that can undermine our efforts to lead well.
Pastors' Wives: 5 Misconceptions
Pastors' wives don't have it all together, despite what others might think or expect.
The Importance of the Gathered Church
Love is messy. You know what else? The gospel is messy. It means loving sinners—people like you and me.
Dear Pastor . . . Don’t Undervalue the Sacraments
Many pastors and churches today grant the sacraments a low status in public worship, but the sacraments have played a vital role in nourishing God’s people throughout church history.
Why Your Youth Group Needs Generational Integration
Offering students opportunities in the church makes them feel as if they are contributing—here and now.
What Your Church Needs More than Productivity
Prayer shows our dependence on God. It honors him as the source of all blessing, and it reminds us that converting individuals and growing churches are his works, not ours.
A church’s commitment to prayer is one of the greatest determiners of its effectiveness in ministry.
An Open Letter to the Preacher Writing a Sermon
Grace is slow sometimes. But grace is also powerful. The Lord will do his work.
The biblical proverbs as a whole have a Godward goal: the fear of the Lord. As preachers, our job is to focus on that fear.
A Guide for Your Personal Worship Entering Holy Week
A sample day’s readings from O Sacred Head, Now Wounded, a 48-day devotional liturgy to help readers effectively prepare their hearts from Pascha (Easter) to Pentecost.
5 Myths about Children’s Ministry
Children’s ministry shouldn’t merely be about teaching Christian character and morality to the younger generation. No, it’s an incredible opportunity to help kids see Christ!
What Should We Do When Members Won’t Attend?
Pursuing longstanding non-attenders and disciplining those who can’t be found is a mark of a healthy church.
The Mission of Your Church Will Shape How You Think
A church’s mission impacts what kind of church you will join. Different churches will shape your conscience, your spiritual life, and your worship differently.
Dear Pastor . . . Save Your Church from Yourself
Pastor, you also must keep a close watch on yourself. Neglect your own soul, and your public teaching, however seemingly fruitful, is a ticking time bomb.
A pastor preaches on marriage often enough to know how a husband should love his wife, right?
Who’s in Charge at Church? 3 Ways the Answer Is You
The whole congregation has the responsibility for its health, its preaching, and its membership. All the members together are responsible.
Podcast: The Church's Leadership Crisis (Paul David Tripp)
What is the church's leadership crisis and what is the solution?
2 Ways Our Motives Can Be Twisted in Discipleship
When Christians discuss any given topic, our aim should be to align our thoughts with God’s thoughts, not his thoughts with our thoughts.
Our work, when earnestly undertaken, lays us open to attacks in the direction of depression.
2 Things Pastors Can Learn from Spurgeon’s Preaching
One of Spurgeon's great strengths is that he would always seek preach Christ to people where they were at and to their needs.
How to Pray When You Want to Give Up in Ministry
If you’ve been in the pastorate very long, you most likely have considered walking away and doing something else—anything else—with our lives.
Don’t Let Go of God’s Sovereignty over Your Worst
God did and does have something to do with your tragedy. I know this sounds like a cruel statement, but stay with me. There is hope in the end.
If the Bible Is Enough, Why Is It Good to Retell Bible Stories?
God, throughout history, has always given not only his word to people but also has given qualified men who might teach others.
3 Crucial Qualities of All Good Sermons
Pastors need all three of these views in order to give an accurate account of what God is doing and will do.
Why Pastors Should Catechize Their Congregations
Catechism benefits adults and children alike by giving them a deeper understanding of theology and the ability to communicate those beliefs well.
An Unnecessary Pastoral Disconnect
Pastoral leadership should be by appointment of Christ and in union with Christ and should prioritize preaching the word of Christ on the mission of Christ.
The way deacons are described in the New Testament and the way they operate is that they are exemplary servants who function on behalf of a congregation to assist the elders by doing at least three things.
An Open Letter to the Church on the Issue of Infertility
Recognizing that many couples in your church community are infertile will invariably change the way you think about your community.
What If I Differ with My Pastor on Politics?
You may disagree with your pastor’s approach on a particular issue. He could be wrong. You could be wrong. It may be important enough to leave. It may not.
Dear Pastor . . . Your Leadership Is Needed in the Pulpit
Pastor, the work of shepherding God’s people naturally involves and requires good leadership. There’s no more important place for that to happen than in your preaching ministry every week.
How to Incorporate Biblical Archaeology into Your Preaching
Is there a connection between archaeology and preaching? Do the two relate? What is there point of intersection?
Coming Soon: ‘The Biggest Story Curriculum’
Releasing in June, The Biggest Story Curriculum will incorporate a host of integrated print and digital components to teach kids key Bible stories from Genesis to Revelation.
6 Purposes for Plural Leadership
Leading in community puts us under a holy spotlight. But it’s all part of God’s plan and protection.
Reviving a Classical Vision of Pastoral Ministry
Coleman M. Ford, Shawn J. Wilhite
According to Scripture, the pastor first and foremost prays (Acts 6), shepherds his people (1 Pet. 5), lives a virtuous life in the Spirit, and upholds sound teaching in local settings.
How Do We Define “Success” in Ministry?
We do the work of pastoral ministry so that our people might treasure Christ together. That’s the often unheralded yet beautiful definition of “success.”
What to Remember When Looking for a Church
When you come to church with a consumer mindset, you’re actually never able to fully commit or fully love it.
How to Make Time for Your Family as a Pastor
Even the busiest pastors can make it a priority and count it a privilege to spend quality time with their families.
Dear Pastor . . . Pride Is a Subtle Enemy
How frequently does pride come with us into our studies and sit with us as we prepare our sermon? How often does it choose our subject and more often choose our words and ornaments?
Explaining and defining terms in preaching are both important—but that's not all a preacher is to do.
How Is the Church Doing at Caring for One Another?
Are we caring for one another the way the Bible instructs us to do so?
Dear Pastor . . . You Should Follow More Than You Lead
Joanne J. Jung, Richard Langer
We challenge people to lead, we train and equip them to lead, and we celebrate and praise them for leading (or condemn them as the case may be). Followership, in contrast, is almost completely ignored.
Practical Tips for Expository Preachers
Alistair Begg shares five tips that he learned from an older minister when he was a theological student.
Introducing the ‘Big Picture Bible Crafts’
Combined with reading the Bible, hands-on activities are a great way for small children to engage with and learn truths from Scripture.
Dear Pastor . . . the Sabbath Was Made for You Too
The exhaustion that comes from trying to hold things together in such a hostile climate eventually takes a toll on pastors.
2 Ways Leaders Can Exemplify Humility to Those under Their Authority
Make it your personal ambition to build up those around you, and let them flourish in their gifts.
How to Avoid Pastoral Arrogance
There are two things that a new pastor experiences that can help knock the smirk off an ego‘s face.
Why Expository Preaching Is Important
When you do expository preaching you get a sermon's symmetry and structure from the biblical text.
Catechesis is meant to be a robust witness to biblical faith and practice, a tool which in the hands of skilled practitioners to be used to instruct, form, and make mature disciples.
4 Ways to Prepare for Ministry
Perhaps you’re looking for boxes to check, some way to easily measure your progress toward the pastorate. Now you’re left feeling a bit frustrated. So what now?
The church is led to maturity on her mission through intentional, earnest, persistent intercessory prayer. A man of God leads from his knees!
It is deeply wounding to be accused falsely and to be treated as if you dishonored the Lord when you haven't.
How to Help Those Who Consider Themselves “Done” with Church
We have to admit that as much as the church is not a human project, there has been human involvement in the church that has not honored or followed God’s will.
Are You Dissatisfied with Life? Take Communion
The Lord’s Supper is a gift where Christ himself presents himself to us, and he wants us to think about who he is and who he is to us. We are hungry and thirsty people.
3 Ways to Prepare for the Battles of Ministry
How do we strategize together as leadership communities for the battle?
Why Use Written Prayers? A Personal Reflection
I understand and respect the hesitations that some believers have regarding the use of written prayers—either privately or publicly. I have close friends who fall on both sides of this discussion.
Want to Be a Missionary? Check Your Motives
We don’t just need more warm bodies called missionaries; we need qualified people sent by healthy churches who are equipped to do missions well.
Dear Pastor, Slowing Down Might Just Save Your Ministry
Coleman M. Ford, Shawn J. Wilhite
In the past five years alone, how many reading this have questioned your calling, lost ministry friends and co-laborers, or have grown generally weary?
Crossway interviewed Carol Cornish based on her new book, The Undistracted Widow.
The Biblical Foundation for Church Partnerships
In thousands of cities across the globe, churches large and small haven’t considered the amazing things God could do through them in partnership with others.
Dear Pastor . . . Let’s Cultivate Honesty in Our Churches—Starting with Us
We don’t have our Christian lives fully together. In Christian ministry, we necessarily stretch the pastoral metaphor because we shepherds are, inevitably and undeniably, still sheep.
An Open Letter to the Pastor about Embracing Weakness
The Lord, in his love and mercy, shows us that we are weak, and he often does it through affliction. But it is a certain sign of his love.
Pastor, What Do You Preach to People Who Can’t Get Their Act Together?
Titus 2 tells us that it’s the grace of God that teaches us to say no to ungodliness. If people aren’t growing in godliness, Paul says they need more grace.
Help! My Small Group Is Not Working
When we say community isn’t working, what we are really saying is that our expectations were not met.
God’s Primary Provision for Our Spiritual Hunger
How does God intend to satisfy our spiritual hunger? He gives us his word. Matthew 4 says that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Ask for Grace and Go to Church
The reasons you don’t feel like going to church might be good, bad, or ugly. But, as a fellow sheep loved by the same Shepherd, I’m asking you to trust God, ask for grace, and go.
Why Listening to a Podcast Is Not a Substitute for Going to Church
Going to a church has many benefits. If you are physically able to attend a church, you should make it a priority.
What Do They Know? Learning From "Secular” Leaders
When God speaks through his world, we call it general revelation or common grace.
Dear Pastor . . . Home Is Where You Are Most Loved and Most Needed
I want to affirm something you already believe but might hesitate to embrace. You are not alone in your ministry.
Dear Pastor . . . Don’t Settle for the Status Quo in Your Preaching
We take up our call to the ministry believing the gospel is the power of God for salvation. Fatigue, fear, and even temptations to doubt the message we are preaching can cut the nerve of our zeal.
There is no greater need for the church today than to think rightly about Jesus, biblically and theologically.
4 Ways Healthy Church Members Cultivate True Growth
How do healthy church members cultivate such growth? The following are some suggestions for continuing to develop godliness or holiness in life.
4 Essential Ingredients of Reformed Preaching
Reformed preaching aims to take all of the Bible into account and to apply it.
As much as a church does facilitate and organize relationships and practices, the church is more than a means to an end, a utilitarian resource for an individual Christian’s needs.
What is the Goal of Community Groups?
In order to have a vision for community, we need to understand the purpose of community.
Pastor: Equip Your People to Counsel Each Other
The leadership of the church has been commissioned to equip the congregation in caring for each other’s souls.
Dear Pastor, Sermon Prep Is Worth the Effort
Sometimes it can be hard to remember that in the Lord’s goodness and grace he has called us to take up the most significant and fulfilling task in the world—to be a pastor-teacher.
What All Healthy Churches Have in Common
The most important things about a Christian church are always the things that make it a Christian church. The things that are unique about your church or mine can never be the most important things about it.
Church, State, and the Authority of Jesus
Imperium means supreme power or absolute dominion, and it gets at the idea of where the buck stops in a society.
Paul Was a Missionary Consumed by God’s Approval
If receiving God’s affirmation is of critical concern for our mission, then isn’t the antithetical desire for others’ approval to be a potential snare for Christian ministers?
When the risen Christ sought to put those in charge or in leadership in local churches, he chose—amazingly—teachers.
The Church’s Most Powerful Witness to the World
God is using the power of the church’s shared witness in remarkable ways all over the world.
Help! I’m Struggling to Connect with my Church Family During COVID
The pandemic has stripped away many of our opportunities to connect with the people in our congregations.
Impatience, tiredness, zoning out, interrupting—these are just a few of the things that can lead to poor listening.
A Pastor’s Guide to Celebrating Christmas as a Church
Christmas sermons and services should evoke the question, “What do these things mean?” to which the pastor then heralds the eternal answers.
Pastors’ Wives: 5 Misconceptions
Misconception #1 You have it all together. You’ve worked through all your issues. Sure, you may struggle, but not with anything major (whatever that may be). Oh, sister, may I encourage you? On this side …
Dear Pastor . . . You Can Serve Both Your Ministry and Your Kids
It is not easy to be fully committed to the people we minister to and to our families at the same time. But the strain of doing both (the balanced life) is our cross.
Educational methods are increasingly interactive. Learning by discovery is the watchword. Preaching seems to be just another example of the church being out of touch, out of date, and out of steam.
3 Cross-Currents of Anglican Theology
Evangelicals who prioritize true piety are as centered and focused on the church as they are on anything—because we know that the church is Christ’s focus.
Help! My Sunday Mornings Are Chaotic
You have the opportunity of passing on to your children a deep love for Sunday mornings. Children learn to love what their parents love.
What Makes the Preaching the Word Commentary Series Unique?
The Preaching the Word commentary series is unique because I’ve asked all the contributors to have preached the content of their commentary viva voce, or live.
Why Your Sermons Should Address Believers and Unbelievers
Preachers should aim to capture the attention and inspire the affection of both unbelievers and believers.
What Makes Pastoral Ministry Enjoyable?
Pastoral ministry—while having its unique challenges—is also filled with particular, and sometimes unexpected, joys.
3 Pieces of Advice for Teens about to Start High School
In the long run, your friends have an enormous influence on you, so you need the right kinds of friends.
When the Tyranny of the Urgent Invades Missions
We're living at a time in global missions today where the gospel and faithful ministry are threatened because we often sacrifice the important for the immediate, the best for the most pressing.
How Psalm 145 Saved My Ministry
I can’t tell you how many times in my early days of ministry I questioned if God had really called me into pastoral ministry.
10 Things You Should Know about the Church’s Historic Creeds and Confessions
The best doctrinal summaries promote church unity. They help us to identify what we have in common with other Christians.
What Ministry “Freshness” Means
More than anything else, we want to guard our relationship with God with a sense of urgency, and deal with anything that hinders that relationship. Our primary desire is God.
10 Things You Should Know about Leadership
There is not a square inch of knowledge that doesn’t belong to God.
Let's Make Every Sunday Resurrection Sunday
As we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus this Easter, let's resolve to make every Sunday a resurrection Sunday, living in all the good that the resurrection accomplishes for us each day.
4 Common Misconceptions of What the Church Is
Before you establish what the church is, you have to define what it isn’t. You have to clear away some of the rubble before you can build and construct something.
The Real Cost of Building a Healthy Church
A call to ministry is a call to die—to self, to sin, to selfish ambition, to idolizing your own success, and to enhancing your own image.
Podcast: What I Wish I Knew in Seminary after 30 Years in Ministry (Dave Harvey)
What can be learned in seminary and what can only be learned through years of experience in ministry? Hear from Dave Harvey about his own path to the pastorate.
Should Children’s Ministry Be Church-Centered or Family-Centered?
We have the responsibility to train our children in the faith, and yet the whole church has this responsibility to hold parents accountable.
Podcast: Help! I’m Married to My Pastor (Jani Ortlund)
In this episode, Jani Ortlund discusses the joys and challenges of being a pastor's wife for nearly five decades.
Watch for Faithfulness in Those around You
As you spend time in the local church, observe how the believers around you follow Jesus. Watch for people who radiate the life of Jesus and spend time with them.
Why You Should Join an Imperfect Church
We need the body of Christ to grow and to know what it means to be a mature Christian.
Q&A: Ray Ortlund Answers Your Questions about Porn and Pastoral Ministry
Ray Ortlund answers your questions about how pastors can cultivate churches where honesty about porn thrives and repentance abounds.
Students: Don't Let Your Head Get Ahead of Your Heart This Semester
David Mathis, Jonathan Parnell
Seminary is dangerous. Its gospel fragrance proves life-giving to many. But for others—far too many others—its aroma can lead to death.
Podcast: How Ancient Liturgy Can Renew Your Walk with Jesus Today (Jonathan Gibson)
Jonathan Gibson talks about why liturgy can be such a powerful force for good in the life of the Christian when rightly understood and practiced.
An Open Letter to Pastors on Preaching through the Whole Bible
Expository preaching is preaching that “exposes” the text of Scripture as God delivered it to us. It does not bring its own agenda to the Bible or to the pulpit, but seeks to understand the Bible text in its own terms.
You need to be willing to stand on the shoulders of those that have come before.
The 2 Battles Every Minister Fights
In ministry, there will be a war in which you’re called to come and lay down your life as Christ laid down his life.
Podcast: The Rewarding Risks of Church Membership (Thabiti Anyabwile)
Thabiti Anyabwile reflects on the value and benefits of local church membership, showing what the Bible really teaches about the idea of formal membership.
Podcast: Learning to Love the Local Church (Megan Hill)
Why is the local church so important and essential for our spiritual growth as Christians—especially in the time of COVID-19?
What Churches Should Look for in a Missionary
Churches should carefully assess the character, fruitfulness, and Bible knowledge of the missionaries they hope to send.
2 Ways the Church Can Help Women Who Are Burned Out
The church can be actively aware, learning or acquiring knowledge about the stresses and strains on women and families.
How Have Modern Ways of “Doing Church” Fallen Short?
Coleman M. Ford, Shawn J. Wilhite
I think that modern ministry has had a lot of fruit come from it, and perhaps a lot of good methods have been produced. Typically, what it doesn’t do, though, is to care about the soul of the pastor.
We have a strong foundation by which we know that Christ is building his church all over the world.
God Blesses Holiness, Not Pastoral Talent
If you’re not cleansed from the things that corrupt your life, you’re not a vessel fit for the Master’s use.
Why Preaching Is the Number One Way a Pastor Leads
Preaching has to be the first way we lead as pastors, in one sense, because it’s inherent within our position, within our role.
A Cost-Benefit Analysis of Using Creeds and Confessions in Your Church
Not long ago a friend asked what I’d say if I had thirty seconds with someone in an elevator and had to explain why I think Christian Confessions are so important. As you can see, I know what I’d say.
Dear Pastor . . . in a Lonely World, Cultivating Community Is Worth It
Of all the many things we do, cultivating spiritual community in a lonely world ranks among the most difficult, time-consuming, and personally demanding efforts.
Lessons on Church Planting from the Prince of Preachers
We can learn many lessons from Spurgeon’s example. Here are three.
Spiritual Authority in an Anti-Authoritarian Age
God-appointed church leadership is for our good, stability, health, and protection.
Podcast: What Pastors Can Learn from Richard Baxter (Tim Cooper)
Tim Cooper discusses the importance of Richard Baxter, a Puritan responsible for many key (if not misunderstood or difficult to read) treatises on church doctrine and the role of ministry.
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.
Zach Eswine shares his own story of loss and the stunning realization that true faithfulness is not synonymous with ministry success.
Spurgeon’s Secret to a Fruitful Ministry
Fruitful ministry is less about self and more about Christ.
Preach the Bible, Not Your Dog
One of the big dangers that faces pastors today comes from a desire to connect with people.
Foreign Missions in Your Own Hometown
Engaging with your local community can provide numerous opportunities to practice international missions close to home.
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.
Is Family Life a Proving Ground for Ministry?
The family really is meant to be a proving ground for a man's character, his ability as a leader, his ability to teach and shepherd and guide and direct and provide.
Podcast: A Better Way to Talk about the “Call to Ministry” (Bobby Jamieson)
Bobby Jamieson talks about his own path to church leadership, what role seminary played, and as well as what advice he'd give to those aspiring to be pastors.
Should Ministry Be a Calling or an Aspiration?
Scripture doesn’t use the exact word calling. So, that means we don’t have to. It’s a question of wisdom. Is this helpful language?
The antidote to hypocrisy is humility. What good deeds do you do that are seen by few or none? When did you last volunteer for a menial task?
Growing a Disability-Effective Church
How can churches become equipped to be disability effective? By living transparently with weakness and allowing these weaknesses to issue forth in fruitful labor in Christ’s church.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Virtual church cannot deliver the water of baptism. It cannot deliver the body and the blood, the bread and the wine of Christ's body broken and his blood shed for us.
What I Learned from Pastoring a 106 Year Old Widow
Although she died a few years ago, I am often reminded of what an amazing lady she was and what the Lord had graciously taught me through her as a young pastor.
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.
When Christ Turns Persecutors into Persecuted (for His Glory)
Jesus is alive, is at work, and he’s bringing men and women to himself.
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.
Pastor: Expound, Apply, Repeat
You are hired as a minister in your church to be a preacher—not just to expound the Word, but to apply it.
When Ministry Becomes a Mistress (by Dave Kraft)
Ministry idolatry is becoming increasingly widespread, reaching epidemic proportions.
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.
3 Ways Youth Leaders Can Help Parents
Many youth pastors are young, but they still have valuable insights on teenagers that can be of great help to parents.
Help! I Can’t Find Someone to Disciple Me (Garrett Kell)
In this episode, Garrett Kell discusses why all Christians are called to be discipled and to disciple others.
Podcast: When Churches Get Doctrine Right and Everything Else Wrong (Ray Ortlund and Sam Allberry)
Ray Ortlund and Sam Allberry discuss the connection between gospel doctrine and gospel culture and share what it looks like when a church is theologically careful but culturally sick.
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 …
How Pastors Can Benefit from Studying Archaeology
When we understand what's going on culturally in the Bible, we're more able to understand the world that much better.
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.
As a help to the faith of his people, God has appointed signs within his covenants with human beings.
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.
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.
Pastor, Are You Growing in Submission to Scripture?
God’s leaders are to be people who are growing in submission to Scripture. Their daily lives are to reflect and exemplify the scriptures that they teach.
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.
What Is Pastoral Burnout, and What Contributes to It?
The things that contribute to pastoral burnout are actually very simple. Coleman Ford explains several of these and offers something for pastors to consider.
God’s rebuke is never about giving up on us; it’s about investing in us once again. God rebukes us because we need it.
Foundational Qualities of Good Leaders (That Might Surprise You)
What is the foundational quality of a good leader?
Podcast: The Blessings and Burdens of Pastoral Ministry (Jeff Robinson)
What are the joys and hardships of doing ministry for the long-haul and what does it look like to be faithful in the midst of pastoral overwhelm and exhaustion?
How a Pastor Can Prioritize Family during the Holidays
For those of us in ministry, Sunday is not a day of rest. We should try to ensure that we have a Sabbath rest so the family can refresh itself.
How Can Church Communities Show Hospitality to Children?
There are three things that I think are really great for children's ministers to think about when thinking about giving, being hospitable, and giving their grace-filled presence to families coming to their church.
The Biggest Detriment to Longevity in Ministry
The call to pastoral ministry is unlike anything else you're going to do in life. What's the key to staying the course?
Why Pastors Must Be More than Professionals
The knowledge of God that the fear of the Lord brings is not a sterile knowledge. Those who fear God come to know him in such a way that they actually become holy, faithful, loving, and merciful, like him.
How to Use the ESV for Preaching and Teaching
Here, a few members of the ESV Translation Oversight Committee comment on the translation philosophy and why it makes a difference in preaching and teaching.
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.
Build Your Church around Theology, Not Preference
Theology should determine so many things about what our churches are like, and we shouldn’t try and reverse engineer our preferences into our theology.
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.
Ministry Is Best Learned in the Trenches
Seminary education is to the church what basic training in the military is to war.
Podcast: The Gospel’s Global Advance (Tim Keesee)
Tim Keesee shares from his own experiences as a missions journalist about the reality of persecution and the best way to approach a short-term mission trip.
Lacking Assurance of Salvation? Join a Church
You don’t join a church in order to be saved, but you may want to join the church to help you in making certain that you are saved.
Podcast: Why Your Church Needs Plural Leadership (Dave Harvey)
Dave Harvey discusses why plural leadership—a team of elders—is so crucial for the health of a local church.
3 Ways We Prevent the Gospel from Making Our Churches Attractive
The gospel brings people with nothing in common to love each other even more deeply than family.
What Should I Do if I’m the Only Elder in My Church?
If you are the only elder in your church, be encouraged that God is still working in your congregation.
What Questions Should a Pastor Ask Himself after Preaching a Sermon?
You actually can’t tell how effective a sermon was by the response you receive.
What If Your Church Were Filled with People Just like You?
When we love in ways that we can only love by the power of God’s Spirit, we show him to be sufficient. We show him to be good and glorious.
The Importance of Committing to a Church—Even When It’s Hard
Christian's are to be characterized by love—not just every Sunday at church, but throughout every sphere of their lives.
If the people in our charge are to teach, admonish, and exhort each other daily, no doubt we pastors may do the same for one another
Some people expect the pastor’s wife to have the most ideal and perfect relationship with God. What should we—women married to men in ministry—do to stay spiritually radiant?
The Benefits of Expository Preaching
Why should expository preaching be recovered and faithfully practiced?
Introducing the 'ESV Pastor's Bible'
When life and ministry demand of you, where do you turn?
Listening Well to Preaching Is a Spiritual Discipline
We need to listen well—attentively and prayerfully—remembering that as our pastor preaches the word, it is the Lord who is speaking.
The True Test of a Gospel-Centered Church
Salvation from the judgment of God into fellowship with God is all of God. It is not of us.
16 Ways Pastors Can Work for Unity in Politically Divisive Times
Jonathan Leeman, Andrew David Naselli
In an increasingly anti-Christian culture, what’s important is how we respond to those who vote or believe differently, to learn how to make at least some space for them, and to encourage charity and forbearance.
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.
Podcast: D. A. Carson on His Life, Vision for Ministry, and Biggest Influences (D. A. Carson)
D. A. Carson talks about his life and ministry, how God led him to the academy, the original vision behind the Gospel Coalition, and what it looks like to pursue simple faithfulness before God in his stage of life.
Why Your Church Is Not Exempt from the Work of Church Planting
It is important that every local church find some way to focus their ministry efforts on church planting.
Podcast: How to Lead God-Glorifying Worship (Bob Kauflin)
Bob Kauflin discusses his work as a songwriter and worship leader, reflecting on his process for writing songs for the church.
Pastor: Is Your Holiness a Priority?
There's diminishing interest in holiness and godliness among this generation of younger pastors because of pragmatism.
How Does the Holy Spirit Beautify the Church?
We can't talk about the church without talking about the Holy Spirit. He is our helper. He is our beautifier.
In Your Shepherding, Make It Obvious What the Good Shepherd Is Like
We pastors learn gentleness as we ponder carefully how anyone actually changes. We ourselves have never really changed by being scolded, cornered, pressured, or belittled.
Reaching the Next Generation Is Easier and Harder Than You Think
Sometimes we fear or we feel this burden that if we’re going to be effective as pastors, Christians, or parents that we need to have this cultural expertise.
3 Ways You Can Ignite a Passion for Church Planting in Your Church
If you desire to spread a passion for church planting in your church, go to Scripture, partner with other churches, and pray, pray, pray.
Help for When a Pastor’s Time and Energy Are Limited
As you think about God-ordained limits of time, what changes are needed in your leadership community?
Why Your Youth Ministry Should Serve the Poor
What does it look like to seek the welfare of our cities? How do you train your high school and junior high students to do this? Why is this important?
How to Stay in Ministry Over the Long Haul
It's important for those in ministry to establish checks and balances in their lives to prevent burnout.
How Celebrity-Pastor Culture Impacts Pastors
We wrestle with this invitation to do a truly great thing by serving the least, while inside of us and outside of us, we're pressured to make much of ourselves.
Podcast: God’s Work in the African Church (Conrad Mbewe)
Conrad Mbewe discusses what American Christians should know about the church in Africa, dispelling common misconceptions and sharing some of the big issues facing local congregations.
Where to Learn to Become a Healthy Pastor
Formal theological training is important, but even more important than seminary would be simply to plant your life in a local church.
Why Your Identity Is Not the Same as Your Role
It is the temptation to find your identity in your role.
Ministry leadership, at its core, is about a community of leaders practicing together the presence of the Lord.
An Excerpt from The Pastor's Wife
Introduction “There you are,” a woman whispered in my ear as she grabbed my elbow during a church gathering. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you!” Startled, I braced myself. You never know what a statement …
Pastor Jeff Vanderstelt recalls the mission that Christ left his followers before his ascension.
Dealing with Hurt as a Pastor's Wife
Pastors’ wives bear relational burdens and outright attacks that most of us cannot imagine.
Raising Kids as a Pastor’s Wife
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. —Psalm 127:3 It Ain’t All Roses Children are truly a gift—a reward from the Lord himself! Parenting is such a …
How to Mobilize Your Small Group for Mission
Jeff Vanderstelt offers some practical ideas for mobilizing your small group to be on mission for Jesus.
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.
How Pentecost Stands as a Pattern for the Church's Life
Men and women in their blindness and sin have done their very best to ruin the Christian church.
How Should a Pastor Handle Ministry Success?
Though the Lord doesn't often do large, famous, and fast things, he sometimes does.
Podcast: Remembering the “Seashells” Sermon 23 Years Later (John Piper)
John Piper shares what he was thinking as he walked onto the stage on May 20th, 2000 to deliver a message to over 30,000 young people and talks about the impact that sermon had on his ministry.
Podcast: Why Have So Many People Stopped Going to Church? (Paul Tripp)
Paul Tripp reflects on the importance of not just the universal church but the local gathered church, and he responds to many of the reasons that people stop going to church.
How Christians Evidence Christ’s Victory
Between the victory on the cross and the present day, and on to the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, did God intend that there should be any evidence of the reality of the victory of the cross?
Podcast: Overcoming Me-Centered Discipleship (Jonathan Dodson)
Jonathan Dodson talks about what a gospel-centered approach to discipleship entails, highlighting the importance of transparency for everyone involved.
Are you a pastor's wife who is at the end of herself? Christ understands and empathizes with all you go through.
Introducing the Church Questions Series
Church Questions booklets answer common questions about the local church and what it means for the daily life of a Christian.
Podcast: Do You See the Church as Lovely? (Dustin Benge)
Dustin Benge explains why the church—despite all her faults—is worth fighting for.
5 Images of a Gospel-Centered Leader (and the Need to Hold It All Together)
There is a leadership crisis in the local church. When we look around, we see different visions of leadership competing for our devotion.
Bill Clem drew up a compass to help explain these aspects of discipleship.
The Blessings of a Frustrating Church
Frustration is part of the sanctification process that God intends for us in church.
One Reason We Shouldn’t Get Rid of Youth Ministry
We need missionaries and evangelists out there reaching teenagers and sharing the gospel with them.
Loving the Church for Who She Is, Not for What She Can Do for You
We get wrapped up in the organizational structure of the church and in what she can give us, what she can do for us, or even, what's in it for us.
Why the Church Is More Important than Any Other Christian Organization
The church is the only human institution that goes into eternity. We won’t be building the Gospel Coalition in eternity. We won’t be building seminaries in eternity.
The Great (American) Commission - Part 1
This is the first post ([part 2]http://www.crossway.org/blog/?p=35254), part 3) in a 3-part series by Tim Keesee on the role of American missionaries in the 21st century.
4 Ways to Think about the Persecuted Church
The persecuted church often display joy that can be a powerful example to us that Christ is with his people.
5 Practical Ways Pastors Can Care for Their Wives
Though a pastor expends much energy and effort on relationships in the church, he shouldn't neglect his most important at-home relationship.
How to Achieve Pastoral Success
Do the work set before you and trust that God will bear fruit.
Preaching Can't Love You Back (but People Will)
I love expositional preaching. It re-centered my ideological world, exploded my love for Jesus, and opened my mind to the wonders of the Scriptures. But expositional preaching has never loved me back.
God Is at Work Worldwide—Even Here
God is not just working across the world. He's still working in the hearts of his people among us.
Why the Church Can Rest in Christ’s Victory
We’re a part of what the Lord is doing in the world when we’re pastoring a church or even a member of a church. We know that he will accomplish his good end.
Podcast: The Problem with Modern Missions (Matt Rhodes)
Matt Rhodes considers what it should look like to pursue cross-cultural missions with a focus on long-term success and why the American church should be asking itself that very question today.
Podcast: How to Plan Your Next Sermon Series (Tim Patrick)
How should a pastor plan a sermon series? Tim Patrick highlights his own process for conceptualizing, scheduling, and studying for a new series.
Preaching an Objective Message in a Subjective Culture
When we think about following Jesus today we are aware that our culture’s attitude to truth has changed.
The Grace of Mentors in Pastoral Ministry
We need not only solid teaching and preaching about obedient Christian living, we also need to see holiness in practice.
One of the deepest fears an earnest pastor has is that he is going to let God down.
Podcast: The Secret to Reaching the Next Generation (Kevin DeYoung)
Kevin DeYoung encourages youth leaders to remember that reaching the next generation will not be done through relevant pop culture references or harnessing the power of social media.
Why Admitting Limitations Is Life-Giving
There is freedom in admitting that we are not Christ—we are not perfect. But Jesus loves us anyway and only asks that we follow him.
Pastors must guard against these three common pitfalls in ministry.
Why Pastors Should Be Good Readers
When pastors do the right kind of reading, it can heighten sensitivities to the literary forms of the Bible.
A Blazing Light in a Dark World
The truth of Scripture upholds and sustains the church in every age and in every culture, regardless of what may be taking place outside her doors.
How the Local Church Combats Foolishness
The local church feels uncomfortable because it's countercultural on so many fronts. It goes against the spirit of our age.
Church-Planting and the Single Woman
Scripture reveals how important single adults, especially women, are to the church.
How We’re Equipping Leaders with God’s Word around the World
Pastors and church leaders, serving in some of the most challenging places on earth, have been equipped with God’s Word—many for the first time.
Is Your Church Considering the ESV?
At some point in their ministry every pastor is asked the question, “What Bible translation do you recommend?”
5 Ways to Serve Your Pastor's Wife
There are practical ways that we can help and support the women who support our pastoral staff. Here are five.
The Calling of a Pastor's Wife
Pastor's wife and blogger Jen Thorn talks about the unique calling of the pastor's wife to the church and her family.
Counseling and Pastoral Heartache
Walking with people in the complications of their lives will increase your heartache.
The Great (American) Commission - Part 3
This is the third post (part 1, part 2) in a 3-part series by Tim Keesee on the role of American missionaries in the 21st century.
Church Membership and Discipline: An Interview with Jonathan Leeman
Crossway interviewsJonathan Leeman about his book, The Church and the Surprising Offense of God’s Love: Reintroducing the Doctrines of Church Membership and Discipline.
Can Burnout Ever Be a Good Thing?
God is good, and we will experience that goodness if we humble ourselves in the midst of burnout and become teachable.
Crossway+ Special: Up to 50% Off ‘The Biggest Story Curriculum’
An exclusive offer for Crossway+ members on The Biggest Story Curriculum, a children’s curriculum set that helps children understand the storyline of the Bible.
The Great (American) Commission - Part 2
This is the second post (part 1, part 3) in a 3-part series by Tim Keesee on the role of American missionaries in the 21st century.
When Did You Realize You Were an Imperfect Pastor?
Recognition of pastoral imperfections and flaws comes with experience and reflection on past ministry.
Introducing a Resource for Church Leadership
Introducing Lead by Paul David Tripp, a new resource for church leadership.
Training Parrots or Making Disciples?
We can’t always say everything, but we want to help people read the Bible well, not merely train them to parrot our conclusions.
How the Great Commission Gets Done
John Piper reflects on the Great Commission.
Are you Prepared to Minister to Victims of Sexual Assault?
Justin S. Holcomb, Lindsey A. Holcomb
Because sexual assault causes physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual pain, victims need the kind of hope and help that only the gospel of Jesus Christ can provide.
What Pastors Should Agonize Over
We learn from the apostle Paul that the pastor's primary calling is the sanctification of his people.
You must be willing to do whatever is necessary to position yourself as a tool of redeeming grace.
Shepherd Your Flock, Not the Flock You Wish You Had
We frequently find ourselves trying to shepherd the flock of God that we want, but God through Peter commands us to shepherd the church we’ve actually got.
Video: How to Cultivate "Gospel-Doctrine" and "Gospel-Culture"
Ray Ortlund sits down with Justin Taylor to discuss his new book, The Gospel: How the Church Portrays the Beauty of Christ.
Counsel for Pastors Intimidated by Counseling
The call to counsel can be a bit intimidating. But having wise conversations with God’s people is something he intends for us to do.
The antidote I need is to remember that each of us has been called with different gifts.
Podcast: The Most Important Thing Our Churches Have Forgotten to Do (Paul Miller)
Paul Miller deepens our understanding of prayer by highlighting why we need to pray with one another if we really want to experience the full blessing of prayer.
Ask a Pastor's Wife: Friendships
Gloria Furman responds to Pam who writes, "How do you have friendships that are open and honest when you are having marriage problems?"
Serving the Church as a Pastor's Wife
Pastors' wives (and all believers) are uniquely gifted by God to serve the church in a multitude of ways.
Following Jesus in the Everyday Stuff of Life
In this video, pastor Jeff Vanderstelt calls us to look beyond the special "church" events that so often dominate our calendars and start focusing on reaching the lost in and through our everyday lives.
3 Ways Pastors Can Promote Gospel Fluency in Their Churches
Pastors can speak the truth of Jesus into the everyday stuff of life by preaching, training, and ministering.
Church Exists to Advance the Gospel
We should prize conversion and spiritual growth over church structure. And the Great Commission should be uppermost in our minds, but should we pit church structure and conversion against one another?
Podcast: How Can We Show God's Heart for the Widow? (Brian Croft)
Brian Croft discusses one area of church ministry that is too often neglected: the care of widows.
Podcast: Our Pastors Are in Crisis, and You Can Help (Peter Orr)
Peter Orr talks about why he thinks we're facing a pastoral crisis and what regular Christians can do to help stem the tide of pastoral burnout.
Cultivating Friendships as a Pastor's Wife
Pastor's wife and blogger Jen Thorn talks about navigating the sometimes difficult process of making friends in the church as a pastor's wife.
Why Do Pastors Need the Gospel?
We need to know the message so we can live it, speak it, communicate it.
Church Is More than a Building
Pastor Jeff Vanderstelt questions our understanding of the word "church," helping us recapture a biblical vision for the body of Christ in community and on mission.
A Passion to Share the Advance of the Global Church
It's amazing to witness the power of God and how Christ is building His church all over the world.
Christian Leader, Are you Forgetting Something?
In his book Practicing Affirmation, Crabtree explains in further detail why we should affirm people and how to restore affirmation to relationships that have been lacking it.
Podcast: Why the Church Needs Spiritual Mothers (Susan Hunt)
Susan Hunt reflects back on decades spent working to nurture the practice of Christian mentoring and shares her personal experience of mentoring others and being mentored herself.
Ask a Pastor's Wife: Sermon Feedback
Gloria Furman responds to Megan who writes, "How can I give my husband good sermon feedback in a constructive way?"
What Can Small Churches Do Together?
In what ways might God be calling your church to partner with others?
3 Limitations We Face In Ministry, and What We Can Do About Them
Which are you more tempted to pretend that you are: an everywhere-for-all, a fix-it-all, or a know-it-all?
When the Podcast Preacher Isn't Enough
We need more than a podcast to truly grow in our walk of faith.
5 Things Pastors Should Ask Themselves Before Sunday
Pastors must check in with their own hearts and minds before proceeding with leading their flock each and every week.
Podcast: I Want to Disciple My Kids but Don't Know Where to Start (Jared Kennedy)
Jared Kennedy talks about what it means to disciple your children and about the long-term impact that investment can have.
Preview: ‘Be Thou My Vision’ by Jonathan Gibson
Today's episode is a special audio preview of Jonathan Gibson's new book, Be Thou My Vision: A Liturgy for Daily Worship.
Why I Wrote a New Book about Pastoral Ministry
A new book for pastors grounded on the conviction that all Christian ministry must be gospel-centered.
How to Be Present With Your Family As a Pastor
Some advice for returning home to your family without carrying the whole church on your shoulders.
Podcast: The Basics of Good Preaching (Doug O’Donnell)
Doug O’Donnell talks through common questions laypeople and pastors alike have about preaching and what makes for a good sermon.
Ask a Pastor's Wife: Prayer Life
Gloria Furman responds to Laura who writes, "How do you organize your prayer life?"
What Pastors Should and Should Not Share with Their Wives
Every aspect of pastoral ministry is not meant to be shared at home. Find out what is best kept at church.
Finding Strength in Weakness as a Pastor's Wife
Nancy Guthrie encourages pastors' wives to find strength in weakness as they trust in God's promises and rely on his grace.
Podcast: Who’s in Charge of the Church? (Sam Emadi)
Sam Emadi breaks down the different leadership roles that Scripture outlines, explaining how God designed all of them to strengthen the body and glorify Christ.
Ask a Pastor's Wife: Community
Gloria Furman responds to Annie who writes, "How do a pastor and his wife have transparent accountability in a small group setting?"
Misconceptions about Pastors' Wives
Pastor's wife and blogger Jen Thorn confronts some common misconceptions related to being a pastor's wife.
Building the Foundation of Community
It is essential to lay a foundation for building a life-giving and life-sustaining community within your church.
6,000 Bibles Donated to Liberian Pastors at T4G
Crossway celebrates the shipment of nearly 6,000 Global Study Bibles to Liberia.
How to Befriend Your Pastor's Wife
Jen Wilkin offers some practical advice for befriending your pastor's wife.
How Expositional Leadership Helps a Church Through Times of Tragedy
Expositional leadership is important from a congregational level because there are going to be constant changes—not just in individual’s lives, but also in the life of the church.
How ought we to pray? Jerram Barrs gives a handful of specific suggestions.
Podcast: Has Christianity Really Caused More Harm Than Good in the World? (Sharon James)
Sharon James makes the case that despite the many failings of many Christians over the centuries, Christianity has indeed been very good for the world.
The Heart of a Disciple-Making Pastor
Bobby Jamieson explains what he thinks is the essential quality of a disciple-making pastor.
How You Can Best Help a Victim
Justin S. Holcomb, Lindsey A. Holcomb
Justin and Lindsey Halcomb share specific ways family, friends, and pastors can help victims of sexual assault.
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 …
Podcast: How to Wait for Christmas in an Age of Instant Gratification (Jonathan Gibson)
Johnny Gibson discusses what it looks like to truly prepare our hearts for Christmas and talks about how and why the Advent season is meant to be a season of waiting.
Preview: ‘Gospel People’ by Michael Reeves
We are pleased to offer a special preview of Michael Reeves’s new book, ‘Gospel People: A Call for Evangelical Integrity.’
Video: Word-Filled Women's Ministry
In this video, Kathleen Nielson and Gloria Furman discuss the importance of women's ministries in the local church.
Podcast: Embracing Spiritual Authority in the Face of Pastoral Failure (David Mathis)
David Mathis discusses the topic of spiritual authority—what it is, who has it, and how we should respond when that authority is abused.
Recommeded Reads for Sermon Prep
Are you getting ready to preach through Colossians? Dr. David P. Craig thinks Sam Storm's The Hope of Glory could be helpful.
Pastor Jeff Vanderstelt explains why it's important to realize that God has called the church to be in community and on mission.
Evangelical Unity and Denominational Diversity (book excerpt)
Showing how denominational affiliation can be natural without being negative, and how evangelical diversity can help rather than hinder Christian unity.
Our Plan to Distribute 100,000 Study Bibles Around the World
through the donations of hundreds of God’s people around the world—the Lord has provided the money to fund phase two of our Global Study Bible project.
pastor Jeff Vanderstelt helps us recapture a vision for everyday discipleship.
22 Million Messages of Good News
In 2015, Good News Tracts distributed more than 22 million gospel tracts.
Podcast: The Problem with Church Planting in the US Today (Nathan Knight)
Nathan Knight talks about his journey to pastoral ministry, why he's concerned about the way that church planting is often done today, and what he sees as a better way based on the New Testament.
Video: Discipling through Anger
Join Dodson and Matt Chandler as they discuss the topic of discipling through anger.
Podcast: 3 Church Fathers Every Pastor Should Be Reading (Coleman Ford)
Coleman Ford shares his thoughts on why so many evangelical pastors aren't familiar with the church fathers and how this lack of awareness can negatively impact their ministries.
Check out this interview with Kevin DeYoung and Greg Gilbert where they give a little sneak preview as to what they'll be addressing in their upcoming book What is the Mission of the Church.
If you treat your church like a business, you will see other churches as competition. You'll worry about turf and market share.
Podcast: How Can I Begin to Teach the Bible? (David Helm)
David Helm reflects on what faithful Bible teaching looks like in a variety of contexts, offering advice related to preparation, dealing with anxiety, and relying on the Holy Spirit through the whole process.
In Why Cities Matter: To God, the Culture, and the Church, urban pastors Justin Buzzard and Stephen Um lay out a vision for cultural engagement and church planting in our world’s cities.
Podcast: The Antidote to Your Insecurity (Ajith Fernando)
Ajith Fernando discusses how we as Christians should deal with our insecurities and describes what it looks like to rest in our identity in Christ, even as we work hard for his glory in our day to day lives.
Podcast: The State of Women’s Ministry in the US (Courtney Doctor and Joanna Kimbrel)
Courtney Doctor and Joanna Kimbrel delve into the key questions and concerns that arise in women's ministry, touching on practical issues like how to get started and how to encourage discipleship.
Podcast: How to Radically Pursue Justice While Living in the Suburbs (Amy DiMarcangelo)
Amy DiMarcangelo discusses how our lives can often look relatively comfortable, and she shares her own story of learning what it means to live sacrificially for God in the midst of everyday life.
Pastor Jeff Vanderstelt explains why he no longer tells people to "go be Jesus" among the lost.
Video: What Does the Bible Say The Church Should be Like?
Mark Dever suggests that there are nine marks that church leaders and members can cultivate to make their church more healthy.
What I Miss Most about Pastoral Ministry
Pastor R. Kent Hughes shares what he misses most about pastoral ministry since retiring nearly a decade ago.
Podcast: The False Humility Threatening to Undermine Scripture (D. A. Carson)
D. A. Carson talks about some of the key themes that have marked his career, including his enduring passion for knowing and correctly handling God’s word and for holding tight to the gospel.
Podcast: How One Man Is Smuggling Bibles into India (Amir)
In this special interview, Amir talks about the real persecution Christians face in a country that might surprise you: India.
Podcast: A Guide for Weary Pray-ers (Doug O’Donnell)
Doug O’Donnell discusses the new Daily Liturgy Devotional, sharing how he really wrote the book for himself first and foremost, and how it has impacted his devotional life recently.
It’s Still True: Everyone Who Calls upon the Name of the Lord Will Be Saved (Season 2, Episode 10)
Join Nancy Guthrie as she talks with a number of good friends about how they are experiencing the promise of the book of Acts in their own ministries around the world.