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Bothering God: Becoming Persistent in Prayer 

Ronnie Martin

“Forgive me for bothering you with something so minor …”  How many times has somebody approached you with words like this? If we’re paying attention, we can probably detect some level of shame in their approach. They are likely afraid...
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Theology for the Front Lines of Church Planting

J.A. Medders

Church planters wear many hats.  Disciple. Missionary. Evangelist. Pastor. Preacher. Counselor. Leader. Theologian.  Embrace your role as a theologian.  Theology is Practical  While some people are technical and professional theologians, you are a missional theologian. A pastor-theologian. A planter-theologian.   Your...
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Rural Is Not a Plan B: Recovering the Strategic Significance of Small-Town Church Planting

Dan Steel

“When I told a friend we were planting in a rural town, he looked at me like I’d failed the church planter audition.” That was the half-joking confession from a friend, but it reveals something real. In much of the...
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Gospel Sanity in an Insane World

Barnabas Piper

One of my ministerial and theological pet peeves is when Christians, especially pastors, respond to contentious societal issues with a glib “that’s a gospel issue.” I’ve seen this response offered to racial disputes, political disputes, and just about every other...
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3 Steps to Stronger Preaching: Lessons from the Offseason

Noah Oldham

This summer, my son Chaim finished up his 13U baseball season. He’s a catcher, a pitcher, an infielder, and a hitter who plays with all his heart—and this season was a turning point. Among the many improved stats, one thing...
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Finding a Facility

Adam Muhtaseb

The arduous process of finding a facility can be the means by which God shows His glory most in your life and in the church He’s trusted you to lead.
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Presence Over Perfection

Heather Oldham

If you’ve been in ministry for more than five minutes, you know the pull: the endless list of “urgent” needs, the meetings, the counseling sessions, the events, the texts that always seem to come at bedtime. And if you’re a...
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Spurgeon’s 13 Points for Keeping People’s Attention

J.A. Medders

Great preachers are more than attention-getters. They are attention-keepers. They are attention-herders. They are attention-protectors. Every preacher is in a battle against the world, the flesh, and the devil for the attention of their hearers. Even Spurgeon, the Prince of...
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The Bitter Aftertaste of Broken Friendships

Ronnie Martin

I spent some of my formative years living in a rural area of southern California. It was a little-known valley that contained all kinds of mountainy paths, gurgling creeks, and grassy meadows to explore to your heart’s content. In the...
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The Blessing of Saying “No” in Ministry

Jon Kelly

The Unseen Grace of a Holy “No” A few years ago, I found myself stretched thin. Every need felt urgent, and every ask seemed kingdom-worthy. So I said yes to meetings, counseling, crisis texts, preaching invitations, volunteer gaps, coffee chats,...
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What Kind of Ministry Duo Are You?

Noah Oldham

In the early days of a church plant, roles can feel undefined. Everyone wears multiple hats, and relationships form quickly, often before there’s time to think through how they should actually work. One of the most crucial relationships in a...
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The Sneaky Power of Curiosity in the Church

Barnabas Piper

Humans are unique. God did not make anything else in His image. No other mammal is an image bearer. Even the angels are not made in God’s image. As one author put it, “Being made in God’s image is a...
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The Rise of a Quiet Revival: 4 Priorities to Steward the Moment

Dan Steel

They are not coming in crowds—at least, not yet. There are no stadiums filled, no billboards announcing revival, no front pages hailing a spiritual revolution. And yet—quietly, steadily, and perhaps in unlikely places—the latest figures show a hunger seems to...
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3 Ways Nature Makes You Mindful

Ronnie Martin

The weather can be a bit unpredictable, as they say. My wife, Melissa, told me she was out on the front porch the other night, admiring the evening sunset. It was one of those soft, summery nights where the clouds...
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Why Your Church Needs to Multiply

Jimmy Scroggins

Our movement is powered by sending churches: churches that send church planters, churches that send people, and churches that send resources to the field where the churches need to be planted. That’s why developing a multiplication culture in our sending...
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When the Church is Growing but Your Womb is Empty

Heather Oldham

It’s one thing to walk through infertility. It’s another thing to do it while planting a church. Because in church planting, you’re always holding out hope. You’re sowing vision. You’re carrying life and momentum and energy into rooms that feel...
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Spurgeon on the Preaching Voice

J.A. Medders

You know a great preaching voice when you hear it. Some men, blessed by God, are equipped with Dolby Surround Sound vocal cords. Their voice is powerful, arresting, interesting, and a delight to listen to. I’ve joked before that I...
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The Art of Hard Conversations: Speaking the Truth in Love

Jon Kelly

If you serve in leadership long enough, you will inevitably find yourself navigating relational conflict. Because of the presence of sin, this is not only expected—it’s inevitable. And for pastors and ministry leaders, it’s often amplified. If you’re not willing...