5 Ways to Make Your Church Irrelevant

Of all the organizations that have been hit hard by the pandemic, the church stands out as being particularly devastated.

The longer this goes, though, the more the struggle appears self-inflicted.

In the early days of COVID, pastors showed incredibly flexibility, agility and even some entrepreneurial drive as they pivoted to online ministry, started showing up on social, and really reached out to people where they found them.

Then, as church buildings reopened, it’s like almost overnight someone turned off the innovation faucet. The chant quickly became, “Everybody back in the building.”

Attracting Crowds or Making Disciples?

Observing the life of Jesus in the gospels is often an abrupt and painful reality check, especially in our social media-saturated do-anything-for-fame ministry culture. I can’t imagine Jesus being obsessed with how many people “liked” his latest pithy post or how many people “friended” or “shared” his content.

His only obsession was to please the Father. We should be likewise obsessed.

Is Jesus' Mission your Mission?

Jesus is not after passive surrender. The cross was his instrument of world salvation, so to take it up means actively devoting your life to his mission.

So many Christians believe you must simply obey all the Ten Commandments and then go on with life as usual, unless God appears to you in a burning bush. But following Jesus means accepting his mission as your own and pursuing it wholeheartedly.

5 Ideas on Effective Leadership

Leadership is both a responsibility and a privilege. Here are five ways those of us who have the honor of leadership can be more effective and Christ-honoring. I hope these will provide you some food for thought as you reflect on where God has you and who he has under your care.

America: A city on a hill?

As the cofounder and president of a global family of churches and campus ministries, I try to avoid commenting on local or national events. That is the role of local church pastors and regional team leaders. However, the violent and tragic events that transpired in the United States Capitol on January 6th have shaken not only Americans but people around the world, and I would like to offer a global, theological, and missional perspective to leaders who are trying to make sense of what happened two days ago.

Are We Building God’s Kingdom or Our Own?

I entered the ministry with the same ambitions many young pastors do. I sincerely wanted to reach people for Jesus, but I was also pretty interested in making a big name for myself. I wanted a large church, and I was pretty sure God was into that, too, because it seemed like a win-win for both of us.

Addicted to Outrage: Four Ways to Walk a Better Path

Today, everywhere you look you see “treats”—supermarkets filled with fresh cakes and pies, every convenience store displaying an array of snack cakes, honey buns, and donuts. What was once a rare “treat” has become a dietary staple for too many of us, with increased waistlines as evidence.