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3 Shifts to Help Students Get Unstuck
Paul Worcester
If your church plant is located near a college campus, you’ve probably noticed that, more than ever, the average student steps onto campus wrestling with identity issues, anxiety, compromise with sin, shame, isolation, doubt, distraction, and burnout. These issues keep this generation of students stuck in the mud and...
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5 Areas to Preach Grace to Yourself
Jon Kelly
This year marks 10 years since we planted Chicago West Bible Church on the West Side of Chicago. Over the past decade, there have been many lessons learned, many things I’d do differently, and many ways that we’ve grown. But if there is one truth that I wish I could...
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Men’s Ministry and Leadership Development
Barnabas Piper
One of the priorities of every church, and especially every church plant, that wants to maintain long-term health should be developing leaders. Church plants often launch with a lead pastor and a core team but without elders or mature leaders, so it is particularly...
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4 Challenges for New Churches to Navigate
Noah Oldham
A recent survey asked more than 700 church planters in years one through four to identify their greatest ministry challenge. Four needs rose to the top: Finding and affording adequate meeting space Developing committed leaders Achieving financial sustainability Reaching the community through...
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Why You Shouldn’t Be a Covocational Pastor
Phil Thompson
Pastoring is full of thrilling highs and depressing lows. One of those lows came as my phone vibrated one evening. Looking into the glow of my device, I read the email of a member who was stepping away from our church at...
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3 Ways to Be an Upside-Down Leader
Ronnie Martin
We rightly make much of the “upside-down” nature of God’s kingdom. Based on the Sermon on the Mount, this speaks to the self-glorifying power and pride that characterize the kingdom of the world, as opposed to the humble, servant-oriented ways...
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3 Principles for Meaningful Men’s Ministry
Barnabas Piper
Men’s ministry, especially when starting out in a church plant, needs a clear trajectory and culture. It needs to have an objective: what is this ministry for? If the objective is to draw men nearer to Jesus and closer to one another (as...
