Acts 29: Recent Episodes
Acts 29
As a network that wants to equip and resource church planters as well as possible, we recognized a need for planters to begin cohorts earlier in their planting process. New planter cohorts were introduced as a way to connect men who have just completed Acts 29’s assessment process and are early in their church planting journey, giving them a brotherhood to lean on in the good and bad days of ministry.
I leave this cohort not only with the brotherhood, but with the strength, amazing friendship, and walk in the Lord that these brothers have to share together. –Samuel Vitaliano
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Our first new planter cohort just met in Salt Lake City last month! Men from all over the United States gathered for coaching and fellowship, leaving with a renewed sense of vigor and a feeling that someone was in their corner as they did the gospel work before them.
Samuel Vitaliano, a Brazilian native who planted a Portuguese-speaking church in Orlando, Florida, said, “I came to this cohort not even knowing what that means. However, I leave feeling filled not only with the brotherhood, but with the strength, amazing friendship, and walk in the Lord that these brothers have to share together.”
Join us in praying for these men in their church-planting journeys!
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Jim Essian was still playing professional baseball when he first sensed the call to plant a church. He wasn’t sure how or when, but he knew God was directing his family toward church planting. A few more years passed, he retired from baseball, and his family relocated to Fort Worth, Texas, his wife’s hometown. Jim and his family planted The Paradox Church in 2010, and at that time, there hadn’t been a new church planted in the downtown Fort Worth area in years. Fort Worth is the thirteenth largest city in the US. The Paradox Church knew that the gospel need in their region was bigger than just their church—from the beginning, they envisioned being a church that planted more churches.
Ryan Keeney and his family moved to Fort Worth in 2011 and came on staff with Paradox in 2012. He knew their church was eager to plant more churches in the Fort Worth area, and in 2015, he felt a growing desire to be the one to plant. “That was hard to wrestle with because I wanted to be at the Paradox forever,” Ryan said. Although it was difficult to leave a church they loved, Ryan and his family knew church planting wasn’t just a theory—it was a clear and gospel-rooted call in Scripture. In 2017, Ryan was sent by The Paradox Church to plant Grace Church Southwest.
We’re part of Acts 29 really for one reason: we want to be part of something bigger than ourselves. We want to be part of church planting worldwide—something we couldn’t do on our own. –Jim Essian
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Church planting was intrinsically part of Grace Church Southwest’s mission from its inception because it was instilled in them through their sending church. It’s no surprise, then, that they planted Grace Church Aledo in the fall of 2022. Matt Weaver is the lead pastor at Grace Church Aledo, and while preparing to launch, he completed a church planting residency in the local church as well as going through the Acts 29 assessment process. Matt and his family were prepared, cared for, and sent to plant Grace Church Aledo with a clear vision and a group of people behind them.
It’s wonderful to see churches planted, and especially beautiful to see generational church planting. In Fort Worth, The Paradox Church is the starting point for a daughter and granddaughter church, and by God’s grace, they’ll see even more in the coming years. Jim Essian said, “We’re part of Acts 29 really for one reason: we want to be part of something bigger than ourselves. We want to be part of church planting worldwide—something we couldn’t do on our own.”
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Pastor Kéo Kognon is the Acts 29 regional director for the Ivory Coast and French-speaking West Africa. He said that last year, many Western missionaries had to leave the region due to violence and unrest, making local churches led by local pastors essential in moving forward. Acts 29 is meeting this need by helping local pastors with training, support, and recruitment.
Here, a Bible study is taking place in the location where the new Acts 29 Training Center will be built.
We’re excited to announce a new Acts 29 training center breaking ground soon in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire! Abidjan is the largest city on the Ivory Coast and is well-positioned for this resource. The center will train and equip church planters and pastors from across West Africa and is undoubtedly an answered prayer for leaders throughout the region. Many men will be able to travel to Abidjan for training in both theology and ministry. This creates a hub for the region to receive and equip church planters and then send them back to their context with confidence.
Pastor Jacques, a pastor in Niger who was recently assessed, speaks to the deep need for a center like this, “Why did it take Acts 29 so long to get active in French-speaking West Africa? We have so many pastors and church planters doing stuff in our region who are not qualified. We needed this assessment years ago!” Jacques’s native country of Niger is only 0.3 percent Christian. Pastors here need biblical and theological training as the gospel advances in West Africa.
Scott Zeller, vice president of Acts 29 Global, said about the region, “Even in a country of profound evangelistic urgency, the pastors see the need for our robust assessment of those who will lead the churches to make those disciples.” This is why we long to see more and better churches planted worldwide. Join us in celebrating this training center in Abidjan (we’ll keep you updated on their groundbreaking!), and thank you for your partnership in this work of church planting!
Specific prayer points for Acts 29’s church planting work in West Africa:
- Pray for security concerns in West Africa and for locals to recognize the urgency of sharing the gospel with neighbors since many Western missionaries had to leave.
- Pray for the five church planters on the north of Ivory Coast. Pray for their protection and opportunities to share the gospel.
- Pray for pastor Kéo as he travels frequently and is preparing to move to Abidjan, which is seven hours from where he currently lives.
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“The current state of the church in the Philippines is complex,” says Ryan Gidor, church planter and pastor of Acts Church in Manila, Philippines. Although many Filipinos have a Catholic background, understanding the true gospel is a challenge because of the prevalence of the prosperity gospel in the country. Pastor Ryan and his church are dedicated to preaching the gospel of Christ and discipling new believers to understand the true meaning of their faith.
Listen below to hear more about Ryan’s church planting story and partnership with Acts 29.
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Editor’s Note:* This sermon is from the 2023 Acts 29 Advance Conference in Portland, Oregon. If you’re interested in joining us for an event this year, check out acts.com/events*. How can pastors remain fresh and faithful in the pulpit in the long run? Listen below as Adam Sinnett explores this question and more related to the state and future of preaching.
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In 2018, amidst one of the highest periods of migration due to the political and economic situation, Freddy Nava found himself pastoring a church in Maracaibo, Venezuela. He and his wife Nuria opened their home and hosted around 20 people for church in their living room.
Freddy said, “Despite the great challenge that church planting entails coupled with the complexity of our context as a nation, rather than becoming a great obstacle, it was an impulse to bring hope to a city overcome by sadness and disillusionment.” This is the genesis story for many church plants around the world, facing unique challenges yet inspired to see the gospel move in their communities. Freddy is a lawyer in Maracaibo and continues to serve bivocationally. When Freddy began to lead the church, he had a ton of unanswered questions and lacked ministry direction. He loved his church but needed help, and that’s when he found Acts 29.
Without a doubt, Acts 29 became more than a support in my ministerial work, it became a support for my personal growth and that of my family. –Freddy Nava
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He contacted an Acts 29 regional leader, not asking for money but for help with leading his church. Freddy entered the Acts 29 assessment process, which included months of care, development, and training to support him mentally and spiritually, and offer tangible resources for the church-planting work ahead. After completing this process, Freddy’s church—Iglesia Bíblica Jesucristo es el Señor—became an Acts 29 church in 2021.
In addition to continued training from Acts 29, Freddy is attending a local Bible Institute to grow as a pastor. Their church has grown out of his living room and secured a new venue to house their now 100 attendees. In just a few years, Freddy went from a couple of dozen people in his home and unsure about church planting to now pastoring nearly five times the number of people with confidence and a network of support. Freddy said this of Acts 29, “Without a doubt, Acts 29 became more than a support in my ministerial work, it became a support for my personal growth and that of my family. Having their experience and unconditional love is something invaluable for which I will always be grateful. My life and that of Iglesia Jesucristo es el Señor would not be the same without the support and care of Acts 29.”
Iglesia Bíblica Jesucristo es el Señor is the first Acts 29 church in Venezuela.
Acts 29 is here to plant more and better churches. It’s our mission to support church planters and meet them where they are—offering pastoral support, care, coaching, and guidance to help churches and pastors thrive. We’re grateful for the gospel-driven work of so many planters around the world and humbled to be on this journey together as we seek to make Christ known to the nations.
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How might churches faithfully engage evangelism in today’s culture and world? As Justin Anderson points out, “If there’s ever been a time to have a strategy for evangelism, now is that time.” Listen below for further insight from Justin’s session at the 2023 Advance Conference in Portland.
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Interested in attending an Acts 29 regional event? Visit acts29.com/events to learn more and join us on the road in 2024!Alaska is a fifth the size of the continental US and large enough to hold as many as 19 states within its boundaries. There are 732,000 people spread across its land, living in large cities with modern amenities and remote villages accessible only by plane, boat, or snowmachine. In Alaska, multiplying the gospel requires the church and supporting organizations to work together to make disciples and plant churches.
In February, Acts 29 churches in Alaska gathered for our second “Multiply Together” Advance Regional Conference. We hosted 100 attendees representing 15 churches across Alaska, along with three missions organizations who serve these churches with airplane support and encouragement. Additionally, some neighbors from Canada and global partners from Sweden joined us.
Two areas of focus at this gathering were why we plant churches and why we plant churches together. In answering these questions, I can’t help but look back over the past five years and give thanks for the fruit birthed out of collaborating with like-minded brothers and sisters in the network.
Over the past five years, Acts 29 Alaska churches have prayed for people, places, and provisions—to see more and better churches planted throughout Alaska. The Lord has graciously answered these prayers in part as we’ve grown from five partner churches to 13 and created a fund that has raised $30,000 to support church planters in the region!
This year’s conference was held at Peninsula Grace Church. Just two years ago, they attended this same conference and were compelled to join Acts 29. They’ve also developed global partnerships with an Acts 29 church in Sweden and are seeking to establish a residency program to help plant more and better churches in our area. We’re grateful for all God is doing in and through Acts 29 Alaska and look forward to all that is ahead.
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For hundreds of years, the word “liturgy” has primarily been associated with the high church worship traditions of Catholics, Lutherans, Episcopalians, and Anglicans, causing various other traditions to shy away from having robust, healthy liturgies in their own Sunday worship gatherings. Peter Leithart describes this sentiment in his pro-liturgy book titled Theopolitan Liturgy,
“Some Christians are put off by the word ‘liturgy.’ It conjures up images of dank churches full of dull people bumbling and mumbling their way through inexplicable rituals. A liturgical church is, by definition, a dead church, murdered by vain repetitions. If we’re merciful, we’ll give it a dignified burial.”
For some, this may be a sentiment you’d like to keep. You may be under the impression that energy and life on a Sunday morning come from well-trained musicians and singers and a polished message from the pastor. While these elements have their place, they’re not the only parts of the worship service God uses.
If you find yourself averse to liturgy or unfamiliar with it, it may be helpful to remember every church adopts a method of liturgy—whether it’s intentional or not. Here are three ways to help form a thoughtful liturgy to make your Sunday gathering biblically robust, intentionally formative, and culturally transformative.
1. Biblically Robust With thoughtful liturgy, you can insert more Bible throughout your service, thus exposing those in attendance to more of the story of God from start to finish.
At my church, we begin each service with a biblical call to worship—reminding us God has intentionally called us to gather this way. Additionally, this reminds us that we’re here to worship God, not a band, not a preacher, and especially not ourselves. We also insert the Scriptures by using the Lord’s Prayer (spoken corporately), which takes place after our pastoral prayer. This shows that Jesus continually teaches us to pray using his Word as a formative tool.
Another simple yet profound way to incorporate liturgy in your worship service is by reading the Word. The text chosen to be read typically complements the preaching text directly. For example, if the preaching text is from the Old Testament, this will be a New Testament reading with the same theme and vice versa. This teaches our people that the message the preacher proclaims is a biblical truth communicated throughout the Scriptures and has a place within the context of the Bible. Confession of sin follows our Scripture reading along with the assurance of the gospel. This reminds us from the Bible that God hears our confession and promises to forgive us.
Being a church with strong liturgical practices can keep us from slipping into the allowance of cultural influence—in our worship gatherings and the church broadly.
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These elements of liturgy lead us to the central focus of service—the preaching and exposition of the Word, followed by communion and a final benediction. The combination of these things creates an intentionally formative worship service and shows us how the story of the Bible informs and shapes our lives.
2. Intentionally Formative The Sunday gathering is often the only time pastors have most of our people under one roof, so we must use our time well. Consider these five ways God calls, cleanses, consecrates, communes, and commissions us as you intentionally form your Sunday morning liturgy.
God Calls Us. . . On Sundays, we go from being the church scattered to the church gathered. God, our Creator and Redeemer, always initiates worship—calling us into his holy presence. We respond with joyous praise and celebration. God Cleanses Us. . . In the light of God’s love, we are made painfully aware of our brokenness and deep need for healing. We confess our brokenness and need for healing and grace and hear words of assurance that the gospel is, first and foremost, for sinners. God Consecrates Us. . . We learn what it means to follow God in the way of Jesus by reflecting on God’s story told in the Bible. It’s through Scripture that God’s Spirit consecrates us, forming and reforming us for the adventure of living in God’s kingdom. God Communes with Us. . . Worship climaxes with the ancient Christian practice of communion, or the Eucharist, where we are united to Christ and one another through sharing the common bread and cup. God Commissions Us. . . We are sent into the world to love and bless it and to make Jesus known, inviting others to follow Him. These great truths are foundational for the liturgy of our worship services. They teach our people that cultural transformation doesn’t happen outside our church in politics and culture but within the church. As we’re collectively transformed and shaped, the cultural spheres into which our people are called will be transformed.
3. Culturally Transformative Just like our churches have liturgical practices, so it is with the culture. Being a church with strong liturgical practices can keep us from slipping into the allowance of cultural influence—in our worship gatherings and the church broadly. A robust liturgical practice can (and will) influence the surrounding culture as the liturgy transforms our people.
By committing ourselves to this rhythm of liturgy each week, we challenge our people to set their weekly and daily rhythms to this as well. God not only calls us to worship on a Sunday—he calls us to worship in our vocation on Monday morning and beyond. Confession of sin and the assurance of God’s forgiveness is just as applicable and life-giving when a parent lashes out in anger toward their child as it is on a Sunday morning. The benediction at the end of your service each Sunday isn’t a mere farewell; it’s a sending—God’s people are sent out as instruments of his redemptive work in this world.
Church planter and pastor, your church’s liturgical practices are deeply impactful beyond Sunday morning. Consider liturgy as a tool for discipleship, and know it can be a life-giving experience for your church and community.
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One Family Church in Apopka, Florida, longs to engage people beyond the four walls of their church. Church planter Melo Sauval said they aim to “meet people and meet their needs, in hopes they’ll meet Jesus.”
In the video below, hear Melo’s unlikely story of planting One Family Church and see how God is using their church to reach their community for Christ.
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Listen below to hear Fred Mok discuss the future of discipleship at our 2023 Advance Conference in Portland, Oregon.
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For 25 years, church planting has been at the heart of all we do at Acts 29. Because of this shared mission, Clear Creek Community Church in Houston, Texas, and Iglesia Bautista Fe in Sevilla, Spain, forged a gospel alliance to bring the good news of Jesus to more people worldwide.
Watch this video to learn more about their story.
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Acts 29 has always been about planting churches. Why do we plant missional, evangelistic churches? How do you train and support men on the journey of church planting? Listen below as Ryan Kwon and Adam Flynt discuss these questions and more surrounding church planting in Acts 29.
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Acts 29 is a network where churches and leaders collaborate to be more effective in ministry, learn from one another, and catalyze missional partnerships to plant more churches around the world. In the video below, listen to Noel Heikkinen and John Ryan discuss the impact of meaningful ministry relationships and why this is a core value in Acts 29.
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In Acts 29, biblical truth and sound doctrine are at the root of all we do. Listen to the video below with Matt Chandler and Tyler Powell as they discuss theological conviction and the importance of theological alignment rather than uniformity.
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Since Russia invaded Ukraine, more than 11 million people have been forced to flee their homes. Many are left picking up the pieces of their disheveled lives and are scattered throughout neighboring countries. Sasha Lyakhovyy is an Acts 29 church planter in Chernihiv, Ukraine—at least he was until his family was uprooted from their home and forced to leave the country.
When Sasha and his wife, Alina, left Ukraine with their three young children, Sasha intended to return alone and continue pastoring in Chernihiv. After temporarily settling in Hungary, it became clear that Sasha would not return anytime soon. Although displaced, his family needed to stay together. They began praying about a more permanent place to call home while awaiting the day they could return to Ukraine.
Sasha and his family relocated to Nitra, Slovakia, and connected with another Acts 29 church planter, Bohuš Vasil’. Bohuš and his wife Natalia welcomed Sasha and Alina and offered them a safe place to land. But Sasha’s goal was never to remain stagnant—he wanted to serve and learn, even amid such uncertainty. Sasha began serving in various ways at Bohuš’s church in Nitra, which has a growing Ukrainian population. While Sasha longs to return to Ukraine, he’s spending fruitful time in Slovakia with a loving church family. Through his connection with Acts 29 leaders in the area, he’s receiving essential training in theology and language studies while in Nitra—which will serve him well in future ministry.
I believe that the emptiness a lot of us from Ukraine are now feeling needs to be filled with the gospel. I believe that the gospel can bring fullness of life. –Sasha Lyakhovyy
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Sasha’s wife, Alina, said, “God is all-powerful, and I believed he would provide us with a place to go.” God continues in that provision for their family as they serve amid profound loss, hardship, and war. Sasha continues, “I believe that the emptiness a lot of us from Ukraine are now feeling needs to be filled with the gospel. I believe that the gospel can bring fullness of life.” Indeed, it can—and by God’s grace, it will.
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Acts 29 churches are innovative and creative, especially in engaging their communities. The Well Church in Americus, Georgia, pastored by John Schroeder, is no exception—as they’ve had a noticeable presence in their community since their inception one year ago.
The Well Church’s first Sunday service at their downtown location in Americus, Georgia.
Schroeder started The Americus Podcast to support their church’s mission to be all-in for the city. “We know we will be here for years, and first impressions in a small town are crucial. The podcast has helped build strong relationships with people in the community and has opened doors for our church’s needs for location, networking, and awareness,” he said. Each episode focuses on a different topic, but they all seek to establish a foundation for being a good neighbor.
Schroeder has interviewed business leaders, fellow pastors, musicians, healthcare professionals, and even their local sheriff. He started the podcast because he “needed to understand the culture better. Hear the stories. I’ve met neighbors, pastors, playmakers, and city officials through the podcast. The conversations have brought great wonder and love for my city.”
First impressions in a small town are crucial. The podcast has helped build strong relationships with people in the community and has opened doors for our church’s needs. –John Schroeder
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The Well Church is still in its first year of church planting, averaging 45 people on Sundays. Many of these people have not attended church in a long time, and by God’s grace, the church has already celebrated new converts coming to faith! It’s a joy to celebrate these stories of God’s work through local churches in Acts 29.
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In Portuguese-speaking Africa, churches are spreading the gospel and making disciples. There’s a growing number of pastors in the Mozambique area who are working toward Acts 29 assessment, thanks to the mentorship of pastors like Xavier Massingue. Xavier’s church, Praca de Adoracao, has been part of Acts 29 since 2019—but they’ve been involved in church planting for much longer.
Praca de Adoracao has around 70 members, and they understand the deep need for a gospel presence in Mozambique. The culture is saturated with African traditional religions and prosperity gospel teachings, creating a great need for true gospel-rooted evangelism. This is why their church not only focuses on internal discipleship and care for members but also on leadership development so that they’ll see more theologically-driven churches planted across their region.
Pastor Xavier regularly meets with a cohort of 12 men who are training to be church planters. He finds it essential to train these men with authenticity and tenacity—making their training theological but also contextualized. Many of the men in his cohort are first-generation Christians. They came to pastor Xavier with no prior biblical training or theological education. They’re eager to learn how to plant a church because their entire lives have been transformed by Jesus, and they want others to experience that, too. Pastor Xavier is teaching them the basics of Christianity and giving them a theological foundation to build upon as they grow and lead in their communities.
Partnering with Acts 29 is not just being part of a network, but making sure we are building gospel-centered churches. –Xavier Massingue
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Although local support is essential, pastor Xavier knows he can’t do this alone. His partnership with Acts 29 has helped him acquire materials for his cohort and granted him opportunities to meet with other like-minded pastors from around the world. He said being part of Acts 29 is “not just being part of a network, but making sure we are building gospel-centered churches.” Your partnership actively supports pastors like Xavier, who are ensuring church planting continues in places like Mozambique and beyond.
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Many churches have some sort of small group structure within their church. Whether they’re called small groups, community groups, life groups, or missional communities (referred to as small groups for the rest of this article), there is one thread that holds them together: they are small communities within your church where people can build relationships, deepen their understanding of the Scriptures, and missionally live together.
Because many churches in the Western world are larger than a typical house church in first-century Rome, small groups are a way to allow for deeper relationships and community to form outside of your larger weekend service. The phrase “one another” appears roughly 100 times in the New Testament, with approximately 59 of them being specific commands teaching us how to (and how not to) relate to one another. Things like:
- Carrying one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2)
- Praying for one another (Col. 1:3)
- Confessing sin to one another (James 5:16)
- Celebrating with one another (Rom. 12:15)
- Forgiving one another (Col. 3:13)
- Teaching one another (Col. 3:16)
However, for these “one another’s” to happen, we must be in relationships to live them out. It’s really easy to say we want to be in a community where forgiveness and reconciliation take place, but it’s a lot harder when you are the one who has to do it. Small groups create a space where we can embody the commands of Jesus—both the easy commands and the hard ones.
Here are four practical tips to help organize small groups for success.
1. Ensure all your groups are running the same play.While people in your church may have certain types of gatherings for groups they would like to host, it sends a confusing message if different groups function differently. For example, at our church, New City Church, all our community groups are sermon-based and follow a similar model. If someone wants to lead a Bible study or some other type of group, we certainly allow for that, but we don’t consider that a small group. When people sign up to join a small group, we only connect them with groups functioning as a typical small group at New City.
You can still tell people about other options your church might offer but don’t lump them in with your typical group structure. It’s much easier to talk about and move people into small groups when you can easily articulate what a small group is and how it works at your church.
2. Ensure your leadership is in a small group.If your church prioritizes small group ministry, but you have key leaders not in small groups, it’s apparent they aren’t that important after all. If small groups are an integral part of your church, then your pastors, elders, and leaders should participate. You cannot have a thriving group ministry without buy-in from those who say groups are important.
Small groups create a space where we can embody the commands of Jesus.
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3. Provide a curriculum, Bible study, or leader guide for your group leaders. Group leaders already give much time and energy to run and lead (and often host) their group. An easy way to provide direction and support is to give your leaders what they need to lead their discussion.
At New City, we send out a small group leader guide each week to all our leaders. This guide aids them in guiding group discussion and offers direction for the conversation. Of course, our leaders can use and adapt the guide as needed. It’s not a problem if they don’t get through all the questions or if they have some questions of their own for the group, but because we provide a guide, they’re not left to come up with something from scratch.
In your church, you likely have capable people who would do a great job leading a group, but the thought of having to produce their own Bible study every week is holding them back. By providing a curriculum, you may find more people are willing to lead.
4. Do a few small group pushes throughout the year.While people may have the option to sign up for a small group at any time, it’s helpful to have some intentional small group pushes every year. This allows you to discuss the specifics of groups and why they matter to your church. If you take 3–4 consecutive weeks to push your groups during announcements, include them in the sermon, or talk about them in other avenues of your church, you’ll likely have a higher rate of getting people not currently in a group to sign up for one.
Small groups can be an important and encouraging part of your church’s ministry plan. If small groups at your church aren’t producing the desired results, compare how your church is doing against these four suggestions and adjust accordingly. Don’t give up—your efforts are worth it to see people thriving in community together.
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In this video, Acts 29 President Brian Howard sits down with Hunter Beaumont to discuss the three core values Acts 29 seeks to embody while on mission to plant more churches worldwide.
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In French-speaking West Africa, violence and unrest make life difficult. The region has experienced six coups in four different counties in just three years. Jihadist groups are occupying an increasing amount of territory, and terrorist attacks in the area have caused harm to hundreds of people. Many Western missionaries have had to leave some countries in the region because of the threat of harm and violence. There is a great need for churches and gospel witnesses in this area.
Urgent Need for Gospel WorkersPastor Keo Kognon and his Lydie.
Eight countries comprise the Francophone West Africa region for Acts 29, including Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Burkina, Guinea, Niger, Benin, Togo, and Senegal. Christians in the area have a sense of urgency because many Western missionaries have left. In Niger last year, Westerners had less than 48 hours to leave the country.
Local churches led by local pastors are essential to moving the mission forward in French-speaking West Africa. The threat of violence and unrest lingers, but the need for more churches is top of mind for church planters in the area. Acts 29 is meeting this need by helping local pastors, like Kéo Kognon, with training, support, and recruitment.
Local Churches Make an Impact Pastor Keo, the Acts 29 regional director for the Ivory Coast and French-speaking West Africa, is determined to mobilize local church planters for gospel work. In August 2023, he organized a training for church planters in Korhogo, a city in the northern part of Côte d’Ivoire. This training was centered on planting effective and healthy churches within their cultural context. They were able to help send two new church planters to cities with little to no evangelical Christian influence—which makes a total of five church planters now in the area. Some have already seen new converts come to faith despite cultural and familial pressure against Christianity.
A church planter training was held in Korhogo, Côte d’Ivoire in August 2023.
The challenges in this region may be significant, but God is greater. Through the faithful work of local churches and pastors like Kéo, the gospel is advancing through Francophone West Africa and beyond.
Please continue to pray for this region. Here are some specific prayer points directly from pastor Kéo:
- Pray for security concerns in Francophone West Africa and for locals to recognize the urgency of sharing the gospel with neighbors since many Western missionaries had to leave.
- Pray for the five church planters on the north of Ivory Coast. Pray for their protection and opportunities to share the gospel.
- Pray for pastor Kéo as he travels frequently and is preparing to move to Abidjan, which is seven hours from where he currently lives.
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Cheering for your favorite team at the game, shouting “Surprise!” to an unsuspecting friend on their birthday, expressing the thrill of a roller coaster—we tend to make noise in response to joy and excitement.
It’s no accident either. God designed us this way. He created us with vocal cords, and he wants us to use them. In fact, the Bible is full of commands to use our voices and to use them at a high decibel level. God’s people are again and again told to shout, cheer, and sing. One place we see this is Psalm 100.
“Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!” (Ps. 100:1).
“Joyful noise” is a rather tempered translation. The word used there most often means “cry out,” “shout in triumph,” or even “raise a war cry.” The common denominator is the noise expected to be made is not merely joyful—it’s loud. In Psalm 100, God is asking us not just to sing, but to give ourselves over to singing. He wants us to take the governor off. And there is good reason for this.
Singing Affects Us Physiologically Jesus came into the world, and left this world, with a physical body. As the perfect human, he shows us that what we do with our bodies matters. Our bodies aren’t just the vehicle for our true existence; they are an integral part of it. Being embodied and wonderfully made and knit together by God means all the body’s systems—hormonal, chemical, neurological, etc.—are there by design. So when God gives us instructions about what to do with our bodies, it’s for good reason.
The reason God asks us to sing is because it’s a means of grace, used to turn our gaze back to him and mold our hearts into his image.
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Scientists are continually discovering the psychological and physiological effects of singing, and the benefits are myriad. Singing triggers the release of endorphins, and lowers the amount of stress hormones, like cortisol. It allows the brain to process and move through emotions that spoken words alone are unable to accomplish. Singing with others has been shown as one of the best ways to cultivate a sense of belonging and community.
When we use our vocal cords the way God asks us to, it forms us, heals us, and gives us tangible grace as we seek to honor and follow him.
Singing Forms Us Spiritually Just as we are embodied, we are also spiritual, and singing has a role to play in that realm. Our minds and our hearts are battlefields on which we go to war against the Enemy and is one of the best weapons we have in our arsenal with which to fight back.
The other day, I was stressed about something, and while in the car with my family, the stress was palpable. My daughter asked me why I wasn’t singing along with everyone else to the Shane and Shane song that was at full volume. The truth was, I didn’t feel like it. My mind was focused on the wrong things; I was caught up in a knot of resentment. My spirit was troubled, and I felt stuck. As six-year-olds tend to do, she remained persistent and wasn’t going to let me off the hook. So, I joined in. At first, sheepishly, and then began to really sing these praises to God. And unsurprisingly, my bitterness melted away. My spirit felt more at peace. It seemed impossible to be singing God’s praises at full volume while simultaneously harboring all the Enemy wanted me to be focused on.
When we use our vocal cords the way God asks us to, it forms us, heals us, and gives us tangible grace as we seek to honor and follow him.
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Ultimately, the reason God asks us to sing is because it’s a means of grace, used to turn our gaze back to him and mold our hearts into his image. He uses our songs as tools to move us from one degree of glory to another. That’s really the true blessing of Psalm 100. It’s not only in the reminder to sing but also in the reminder of why.
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!
For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations” (Ps. 100:4–5, emphasis added).
See, we tend to think about singing and praise as something that flows out of our circumstances and our emotions. But it’s the other way around. Singing is something we do regardless of our circumstances and is meant to lead our emotions.
The psalmist grounds our reason to sing in something objective and constant: God’s goodness and love. Whatever circumstances I find myself in, whatever else is going on in my life, my mind, my heart, I have reason enough to lift my voice as loud as it will go. Because God is never any less good or any less loving.
When we trust God enough to sing, even when we don’t feel like it, he does a work in us. As parents, we ask our kids to eat their vegetables, whether they’re in the mood or not. Why? Because their mood doesn’t determine whether or not the vegetables are good for them. The same is true with singing. We sing not because we’re in the mood to sing; we sing because even when we’re not in the mood, God is still good. And through the physical, emotional, and spiritual power of song, we lead our hearts back to the truth of his goodness—a truth we functionally forget all the time. In other words, we don’t follow our hearts into song; we lead our hearts with song.
Make A Loud, Joyful NoiseOne arena (and the most important one) we can practice this discipline of singing is in corporate worship. If you’re a pastor, let me encourage you to boldly echo the psalmist’s call here in Psalm 100. Consider what it looks like to lovingly spur your people to crank the volume up on their singing. Show them, from Psalm 100 and elsewhere, that God desires all our voices can give—not because we care about performing for God or our neighbor, but because God designed us to do it and will use it as a means of grace.
When we trust God enough to sing, even when we don’t feel like it, he does a work in us.
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If you are a congregant, consider what it would look like to engage with the singing in corporate worship. It’s not incidental that we gather as bodies when we gather as the body of Christ. Use the vocal cords God has given you with reckless abandon. He asks for it.
When the church gathers to sing, we are joining with the angels and the saints in the heavenly places, and we are rehearsing for the day when we will sing side-by-side with them. Let us sing in a manner that honors that incredible privilege.
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Editor’s Note:* This article is an excerpt from Serve by Steve Robinson, part of the Love Your Church* series. As Christians, the “why” of our serving can’t be any less (and needn’t be any more) than. . . Jesus—because, if it is, when the circumstances of our lives or the conditions of our service change, we will walk away—either literally or emotionally. We need to remember that the “why” behind our perseverance is something and someone that never changes.
Living SacrificesIn his letter to the church in Rome, Paul urges his brothers and sisters to give themselves as living sacrifices, in light of the mercies of God that he has so wonderfully explained for them in the first eleven chapters of his letter.
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:1-2)
According to Paul, our worship isn’t just a Sunday thing or a Tuesday-evening-at-small-group thing; it’s so much more than that. Believing and accepting what Jesus has done means giving our bodies and our minds—in essence, our whole lives—to God. That means giving time, money, homes, marriages, kids, possessions. . . giving ourselves even to the point of losing life itself.
We are to give our whole lives as living sacrifices.
Consider God’s MerciesFor the early Christians, the concept of sacrifice was understood in the context of the sacrificial system that God had put in place for his people. Before the death and resurrection of Jesus, animal sacrifice was the means by which God’s people could approach him, be made right with him, and petition and pray to him. The sacrificial offerings required the death of an animal which was without any blemish. The blood of that animal was poured, smeared or sprinkled onto the altar, which paid for the sins of the people and made them right before God.
When we’re disgruntled and tired and feeling like giving up, what we need is to remind ourselves of Jesus’ love and find our purpose in serving him again, to keep going.
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This sacrificial obedience was pleasing to him (see Leviticus 1 – 7). But when Paul says, “By the mercies of God. . . present your bodies as a living sacrifice”, he’s not talking about the sacrificing of animals or a literal sacrificing of self in order to be right with God. He is saying, Consider the mercies of God, who gave his Son, Jesus Christ, to die in our place as the ultimate sacrifice, taking the punishment that we deserve, atoning for our sin, conquering the grave, making us alive in him and promising us a future glory with him. Considering all that, present your bodies as living sacrifices as an act of worship. He’s saying that to live for Jesus—to give everything you have to him and to serve him with all that you are—is the only rational response to his mercy and grace.
To put it another way, we are called to serve wholeheartedly, sacrificially, daily. It is a high and hard calling. The only thing that will see us get on with that kind of serving is an equally glorious reason. And that is what we have. You will serve like that to the extent that you consider Jesus and are awed by his love for you and service to you. Why do we serve as living sacrifices? Because we know Jesus.
Holding On To Our “Why”The reason why we serve God and his church never changes. But we’re quick to forget that when circumstances become uncomfortable, discouraging or overwhelming. It’s easy to allow uncomfortable change or a lack of affirmation to be the reasons why we give up. These moments reveal the real “why” that we’re holding onto in our service. There are times where we may be legitimately exhausted and need to scale back or take a break to find our comfort and energy in him through rest. There are times when it’s legitimate to ask others in our church to help encourage us as we serve. But often, when we’re disgruntled and tired and feeling like giving up, what we need is to remind ourselves of Jesus’ love and find our purpose in serving him again, to keep going.
To live for Jesus—to give everything you have to him and to serve him with all that you are—is the only rational response to his mercy and grace.
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So, when you are the only person picking up the bulletins from the floor after the Sunday service or stacking chairs when everyone else has left; when you’re driving home after preaching your heart out and no one has thanked you; when the young people start to say they’re bored with your youth meeting; when you’ve spent hours making a meal for people in church and no one turns up; or when you’re just tired of serving and giving and you start to ask the question: why am I doing this?— remember Romans 12:1. The why behind your service is God’s mercy. The “why” behind your service is Jesus, who, in love for you, gave up everything for you.
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Editor’s Note:* Taken from The Great Dechurching* by Jim Davis and Michael Graham. Copyright © 2023 by James Davis and Michael S. Graham. Used by permission of Zondervan. harpercollinschristian.comThe Christian life is holistic. Our beliefs create belonging and dictate behavior. To prioritize one or two of these elements over the others is to fundamentally miss some part of the Christian faith. In fact, it is impossible to hold any two at the exclusion of the third. If we claim to believe and belong but our behavior is lacking, our faith is dead according to James 2. Our behavior shows a shortcoming in our belief. The apostle Paul, in his letter to the church in Corinth, addressed the issue of a man who claimed to be a believer and belonged to the church but was sleeping with his stepmother. Paul made it clear that this behavior should not be tolerated. He went so far as to tell the church that this man needed to be cast out in order to feel the conviction of his sin and repent.
Belief, Belonging, and Behavior are ConnectedIf we claim to believe and behave but do not belong, we become a lone ranger Christian. While we have a category for shut-ins and other challenging circumstances, the Bible seems fairly clear that we are a people who gather together physically. Our lack of belonging is in itself a behavioral issue. The author of Hebrews tells us not to neglect meeting together. In every city where the gospel was preached in Acts, the new believers were connected to a local church. We are given dozens of “one anothers” in Scripture that can only be carried out as we belong to a local church. When we neglect the Bible’s exhortations to belong, we can become stagnant and dull in our faith.
If we claim to belong and behave but do not hold to the fundamental beliefs of our faith, we don’t belong to the faith. That may be fine for the Elks Lodge, but Paul, writing to the church in Corinth, said, “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me” (1 Cor. 15:3–8). The very thing that creates Christian belonging is our belief.
Jesus has brought us into his mission for the redemption of his people and each of us individually as local churches play a divinely vital role.
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Our task in reaching out to the dechurched is about more than displaying the inconsistencies in our friends’ lives. Our task is to display the richness of what Jesus offers his people in believing a gospel that creates a sense of belonging we can experience nowhere but in the church and a behavior that will allow us to live in line with and more fully experience the God who created us.
A Hopeful Future Can Require Hard DecisionsA hard reality we’ll need to face is that some churches can pivot and reorganize to embody belief, belonging, and behavior as we were designed to, but others cannot. But that doesn’t mean there is no hope. There are many ways churches can bless the kingdom in unexpected ways. For every three churches that closed in 2019, a new one started. That may seem like losing math to many, but new churches have new life. Church plants are often much more effective at reaching the lost than older churches. In a Lifeway study making this claim, Ed Stetzer, who was at that time executive director of Lifeway Research, said, “In winning new converts to Christ, church plants are light-years ahead of the average church because of their focus on reaching the unchurched.” New believers are often the only way a new church can survive.
If your church is a stable, older church, are you engaged in planting new churches in your area? Are you not only willing but also planning to give money and people to that end? If your church seems unable to make this pivot, might it be better to bless a young church plant by bringing them into your established facility to worship when your church is not meeting? Or would you consider even giving them your building and joining them?
The Christian life is holistic. Our beliefs create belonging and dictate behavior.
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Let me contrast two dying churches in our area that represent many other churches I know personally. Church A had its heyday just twenty-five years ago as it ran five worship services on the weekend and welcomed more than two thousand people each week. Now, as deficiencies have grown in the areas of belief, belonging, and behavior, the church has dwindled to about one hundred on Sunday. Church B was never as large as church A, but it has also taken a downward turn for the past twenty years. Church B has deficiencies in what they believe, but their belonging (even if they are small) seems to be quite strong. The leadership of church A seems to have its head in the sand as people continue to leave. They own their building outright and have endowments to pay a basic staff, but the church’s future is clear. The congregation will continue to leave and die, commercial developers will come, and the church that used to be a light in the city will fade out completely.
Church B on the other hand, who also owns a great facility, has acknowledged that it cannot make the shifts necessary to continue, and they have invited a young, thriving church plant to use and eventually take over their facilities. The dying church, in its last breath, is giving this new church what it needs to live a long life. All may seem lost if our vision is dominated by our own small kingdom, but so much is gained when we see our local church in view of God’s large kingdom. Churches can win even in death.
Our task in reaching the dechurched is to display the richness of what Jesus offers his people in believing a gospel that creates a sense of belonging we can experience nowhere but in the church.
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Over two thousand years ago, as Jesus died on the cross, all seemed lost to his disciples. They felt like they had wasted three years. They went back to the lives they knew before Jesus. It would be hard to imagine the loss, defeat, and confusion they felt. But what looked like the ultimate defeat was all a part of Jesus’ plan for victory. Three days later, they would see that. The same Jesus who resurrected from the dead and promised to be with us always now resides in us in the form of his Holy Spirit. Jesus declared that the gates of hell will not prevail against the church.
As hopeful as this data is, our hope is in Jesus, in his power, and in his glory. Jesus has brought us into his mission for the redemption of his people and each of us individually as local churches play a divinely vital role. There is hope. It comes through both individual and corporate introspection. It requires coming alongside the dechurched as friends, not projects. It requires an examination of the belief, belonging, and behavior in our churches. It requires a kingdom perspective. But we believe deeply that if we do these things, there is much to hope for, and this season of loss could contribute to some of the greatest fruit in the American church to date.
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“Identity is something we receive from Christ, rather than take from others.” Rather than fighting for a self-focused identity, how might we rest in our identity found in Christ?
In this video, Dr. Dwayne Bond and Adam Stahr discuss the important distinctions of a gospel-shaped identity and offer some practical help for pastors and Christians alike.
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“For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear what they want to hear” (2 Tim. 4:3, CSB).
I don’t think I’ll get much disagreement with this statement, “The time has come when people have multiplied teachers for themselves to scratch their itchy ears.” While this is true for all generations, our culture has mastered the art of echo-chamber living. Immediately before and after these prophetic words in 2 Timothy, the Apostle Paul solemnly charges his young protege Timothy with a contextual call to action for ministry.
Pastors and church planters are happy to follow his first challenge, “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season” (2 Tim. 4:2). Most consider this our primary task. We contend for the faith, stand for the truth, say the hard things, and usually do so with the “great patience” Paul exhorts.
The source of our humility is that we contributed nothing to our salvation. Jesus did it all.
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But too many of us ignore or give only a tacit nod to Paul’s final instruction to “do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (2 Tim. 4:5). The directive couldn’t be more straightforward—do the work of an evangelist.
Paul’s instruction means Timothy wasn’t a natural evangelist. He was no Philip. But Paul still called him to evangelistic work. This calling is true for pastors and church planters today, regardless of our perceived natural giftings. We live in a culture that multiplies teachers who tell us only what we want to hear, which means we need men and women who will do the work of an evangelist—even if they aren’t naturally gifted in that way.
So what does that work look like in a post-Christian, deconstructing, ex-vangelical age? It looks like intentional gospel humility.
Lead with IntentionLet’s not forget that one of the job requirements of a pastor in Jesus’s church is to “have a good reputation among outsiders” (1 Tim. 3:7). Often, we think the way to avoid disgrace and the devil’s trap is to avoid outsiders. Paul would beg to differ. In pastoral ministry, you must be around outsiders! You must be so close to them that they actually know you and can speak to your character. You must follow Jesus’s lead as a “friend of sinners” (Matt. 11:19).
But this isn’t always easy and may not come naturally to some. It takes intentionality to place yourself into the world instead of hiding behind the door of your church or home. Those far from Christ are not banging on our doors or filling our inboxes. We need to go to them.
One of the best ways I’ve found to kickstart this mindset may seem terrifying, but it works: talk with a stranger about Jesus. Wake up in the morning and ask God to bring someone across your path to talk with that day. I’ve learned from experience that this is a prayer God loves to answer. And when you meet that person in a coffee shop or on a walk through your neighborhood, now you have the chance to say “yes” to the opportunity he has provided you.
Lead with Humility As we intentionally pursue outsiders, we must do so with humility. Those of us in Reformed circles are not well known for this character trait, although it’s critical to our lives and ministry. But if we believe salvation comes from grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, as revealed by Scripture alone, to the glory of God alone, we shouldn’t have a modicum of arrogance.
Unless we’re intentionally humble, the world will not listen to anything we say. We become white noise in an immense sea of white noise. Our culture has become increasingly militant and polemic. It doesn’t matter where you stand in the political arena or the culture wars; everyone is deemed a fundamentalist now.
We live in a culture that multiplies teachers who tell us only what we want to hear, which means we need men and women who will do the work of an evangelist.
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The current cultural landscape makes humility and grace the most countercultural thing we can preach and model in our churches and lives. We must “act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person” (Col. 4:5–6).
Of course, all of these efforts flow from the gospel. The source of our humility is that we contributed nothing to our salvation. Jesus did it all. We are merely recipients of his mercy and grace. He is the one who has raised us up and seated us with himself (Eph. 2:6).
Pastors, church planters, and ministry leaders, let’s get out of our bubbles of comfort and do the work of an evangelist—leading with intentional, gospel humility.
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The Village Green Collective is a collaboration of 10 churches with a heartbeat to see churches planted in small-town New England. They’re committed to training and sending church planters to serve in smaller contexts, and they partner with Acts 29 to ensure planters are properly equipped and assessed.
Listen below to learn more about small-town church planting in New England from Justin Anderson and Paul Gordon, pastor at Terra Nova Church in North Adams, Massachusetts.
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Editor’s Note:* This article is an excerpt from Faithfully Present* by Adam Ramsey. In the book, Adam explores the human limitations of time and place in a thoughtful, and sometimes witty way. He encourages his readers to embrace these limits and shows that there is joy to be found in the here and now, even as we look forward to “time unlimited in a place uncursed.” One of the most important skills in speaking—whether face to face or on a stage—is knowing the importance of when not to. Let’s call it the art of pausing. The difference between a powerful sentence and mere noise, or between a joke that hits home and one that flies over people’s heads, often comes down to the use of a pause: an intentional space between words that gives weight to the message of those words.
The Unceasing DoerHave you ever been in a conversation with someone who really likes to talk? You know who I’m talking about. The kind of person who enjoys talking so much that they don’t ever seem to stop. Those whose lips spill words like a waterfall spills the river: unceasingly. No breaks. No full stops or periods. There are barely even commas. Just an ever-flowing sequence of sounds until you either interject or they are called away. The extroverts find themselves a little frustrated by such people because they can barely get a word in. The introverts find themselves mildly mortified, perhaps tuning out ever so slightly and subconsciously wondering, “When did they last take a breath? Are they going to stop? Is God punishing me?!”
An inability to stop talking could stem from the pride of never wanting to listen to others; or perhaps it’s more of a naive carelessness that simply lacks self-awareness; or maybe it’s nervousness, because, to some of us, silence feels awkward and scary. Whatever the reason, the absence of pauses reveals an overestimation of the importance of a person’s own voice. Without pauses, our words blur together into a long, dull drone.
When it comes to our activity, the ability to pause, to cease, to simply be, is a mark of humility because it acknowledges the limitations that God has woven into our humanity.
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And what an unceasing talker sounds like, an unceasing doer looks like. Always producing, always working, always doing, always planning, always moving—a person for whom busyness is a drug and productivity is lord.
The God of ProductivityThe world you and I inhabit is a world of noise and speed and sweat, ruled by a tyrant named Productivity. The god of Productivity weighs us with the measure of our last performance; you are no more than the sum of what you produce. Yet when our value is tied to our output, to stop producing means to stop mattering. Perhaps that’s why stillness feels so alien to us. But, like all idols, regardless of what Productivity promises, it will demand exceedingly more than it gives. We are promised success but at the cost of our families; we are promised meaningful accomplishment but permitted no time to gratefully enjoy it; we are promised fullness of life at the expense of depleting our energy, our adrenal glands and our joy.
If we are what we do, then we must rarely be not-doing. As expectations around our output have increased, so too have expectations for our availability. The persistent pings of emails, messages, social-media interactions and news alerts from the devices in our pockets has corrupted our collective minds into believing that fullness of life is one of constant connectivity. Write this. Like this. Click this. Engage with this. Respond to this. Notice this. Learn this. On average, we now pick up our smartphones 81,500 times each year, or roughly once every 4.3 minutes of our waking lives. And the result is that more and more people are either forgetting or refusing to disconnect. Many of us tend to believe that stopping to rest is an admission of failure. Our heart wonders, “If I’m not achieving or producing or performing… then am I failing?” But stopping to rest is not an admission of failure. It is an admission of humanity.
PauseYou are not a machine but a human. And we are each learning to be humans by learning not only what God has called us to do but also what he has called us to not do. I am not unlimited, so I need to prioritise rest. I am not omnipotent, so I need to prioritise prayer. I am not omniscient, so I need to learn to listen. I am not omnipresent, so I need to stop trying to be everywhere for everyone and instead become comfortable with rhythms indispensable to healthy humanity.
Pausing when God calls us to pause is never wasted time.
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What I want you to see is that when it comes to our activity, the ability to pause, to cease, to simply be, is a mark of humility because it acknowledges the limitations that God has woven into our humanity. It is in this way that pausing is a mark of maturity. When we were young, we never wanted to stop—which is why bedtime with small children so frequently feels like battling a mythological Hydra; one child is successfully put down, but two more rise up to take their place. For children often see the pause of rest as missing out—as wasted time. But pausing when God calls us to pause is never wasted time.
It is in the stopping—the pauses between our words—that our voices gain impact. It is in the stopping—the pauses between our work—that our lives gain impact. For it is in our pauses that we acknowledge that our time belongs to God.
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What does the future of mission look like for churches and Christians today? In this video from the 2023 Dallas Advance Conference, hear Matt Chandler discuss the importance of being a mission-focused church and offer ways to practically employ mission in our everyday lives. Stay tuned for an engaging Q&A session at the end.
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Whether you are a female on staff or volunteer leading a ministry, whether you are a pastors’ wife or an assistant, allow Hebrews 12:1–3 to bolster your confidence in your role as a woman and encourage your commitment to both the work and the people you work alongside.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.”
As female ministers of the gospel, how are we called to run this race specific to our role? What do we lay down? God calls us to lay two things aside—both “weight” and “sin that clings so closely.” So let’s bifurcate this and put every hard thing we face into two categories: weight and sin.
What We’re FacingThere is burden and encumbrance in ministry. There is also depravity and brokenness.
My experience as a woman in leadership is that there’s little talk about the unique weight that comes with our ministry. Often, the substance of what we talk about in many reformed circles is only about sin and the opportunities for repentance and confession. But in Hebrews 12:1, it’s clear there’s something else: there is weight that isn’t sin. What you’re facing might be challenging because it’s simply a weight.
God invites us to look to Jesus without ceasing as we run the race of ministry.
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Here are some of the things that I have found to be weight:
- I have felt disappointed when I have not been considered for roles because it’s a pastoral role.
- I’ve been unsure how to dress in a way that doesn’t distract from my leadership but also doesn’t define it.
- I never know if I’m speaking up too much or not enough. I second-guess myself when I step out of many meetings.
These are some of the things that have been sinful:
- I have burned with jealousy against the younger generation—women specifically—who are raised to take my place in ministry.
- I have complained to my husband or closest friend instead of confronting people who have sinned against me.
- I have let the fear of man control my voice in meetings.
- I’ve carried judgment towards my bosses for decisions that I disagree with.
The truth of Hebrews 12:1–3 has led me to understand both sin and weight. Not only does it give perspective, but God goes on to tell us to lay these things aside and run “with endurance” (Heb. 12:1). This doesn’t mean “drop it off at the beginning to never see it again.” It’s a daily act of setting aside both sin and weight and running with endurance.
Look to JesusWe aren’t running for the sake of running. We’re called to look to Jesus.
Jesus is acquainted with our suffering. His ideas were questioned. His identity was questioned. Jesus was betrayed and misunderstood. Can you relate? God invites us to look to Jesus without ceasing as we run the race of ministry.
Here are a few observations to consider.
- Some of us are good at talking about the weight and the sin. We read all the sources that remind us of church hurt and forget to look to Jesus.
- Some are cynical and ignore God’s call not to grow weary. Has your faint-heartedness turned into despair or cynicism?
- Maybe you’re like me, and your faint-heartedness turned into bitter roots. For many women, burnout isn’t going to be what takes us out of ministry—it will be bitterness.
Women, I hope this for the sake of health in your ministry and for the next generation. Many have become obsessed with the weight and the sins of church leadership. We have a generation that’s told if they could just solve the issue of church hurt, then we’d all be able to run our races.
What is at risk if female church leaders cannot acknowledge both the weight and sin that entangles? We risk an ambiguous and chaotic view of the church for the next generation of women. Our silence will lead our daughters to believe what the world tells them—that men are the enemy, male authority is evil, and they must fight for their voice to be heard, not the Word of God. There is too much at stake for us to be silent.
You are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. Lay aside the weight and the sin that clings so closely. Look to Jesus and run your race.
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In 2022, Emergence Church in Totowa, New Jersey, embarked on a special season of sharing the gospel. Together, each member devoted time and prayer to reaching their unbelieving friends and neighbors. The church fasted and prayed together, and that year they saw hundreds of people come to know Jesus and be baptized.
Listen below to hear Justin Anderson and Ryan Baitzel, lead pastor at Emergence Church, discuss practical evangelism in the local church.
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Last week, we posted a video where we interviewed Mike Sullivan as a follow-up to a talk he gave at a local gathering of Acts 29 pastors in the Northeast. We love Mike and his heart for reaching the lost in his community and are glad Emmaus City Church is in the network.
Since posting, we have received feedback that our video appeared to minimize the severity of sin, and that our interview lacked the clarity needed to publicly communicate biblical truth on such a critically important issue.
Upon further reflection, we agree, and have removed the video from our website.
If you’ve been to any of our events this year, you’ve heard us say that the future of Acts 29 will be characterized by Theological Clarity. But at the end of the day, this video was theologically unclear.
Acts 29 has always—and will always—hold to a historically orthodox view on gender and human sexuality.
We apologize for the video, and are committed to improving our efforts to resource pastors and planters for effective ministry.
– The Acts 29 Team
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Church planting movements are a subject of much discussion in missiology. There are many who think it is a horrible practice while others say it is a Holy Spirit driven movement. This seminar is not designed to say who is right, but will focus on the background, motivations and where we are at this moment on the issue. The goal is to see how this movement formed so that we can cultivate a more robust theological discussion concerning the pros and cons of this approach to church planting and missions.
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What’s it like to plant a church in the town you grew up in? Tim Kimberley moved away from his hometown after high school and spent 20 years living in larger cities. He felt it was impossible to come back home and serve in ministry. But the Holy Spirit began working on his heart, and he soon realized, “God does big things in small places, too.”
Listen below to hear David Pinckney and Tim Kimberley discuss the advantages of church planting in your hometown.
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“Church multiplication is about planting when it’s right, not easy.”
Those words are from Mike Mazzye, pastor at Renovation Church in North Syracuse, New York. In 2021, their church sent a team led by church planter Bernie Elliot to nearby Baldwinsville, New York, to plant Covenant Church.
There are natural challenges that come with church planting, as with any new endeavor. With the proper support, training, and prayerful guidance, planting a new church is exciting and promising—but it certainly isn’t easy. The support of sending churches is crucial but also sacrificial.
SendingThe entrance of Renovation Church in North Syracuse, New York.
Mike and his team planted Renovation Church in 2013, and he said he “never planned to grow a huge church.” This might seem counterintuitive to some, as we see many churches with thousands of attendees each week, but that isn’t the reality for most. No matter the size, missional church planting is about faithfully obeying Christ and his gospel. New churches are planted to share this life-changing truth and invite others to the healing and hopeful message of the gospel.
Renovation Church was almost ten years old when they started planning to plant a new church, and they had around 100 members. The process was slow and thoughtful—it wasn’t established overnight. Their team began praying about the possibility of planting in the neighboring town of Baldwinsville, which was already home to a few people making the drive to North Syracuse. They mobilized current families and members and asked them to consider joining the church planting effort.
Bernie and his family came alongside Renovation as they officially began planning the launch of Covenant Church in Baldwinsville, New York. Their groundwork wasn’t hasty. Neither Mike nor Bernie were new to church planting, as Bernie was part of the sending church for Renovation. It was important to them that they send a strong core team with mature believers. They were laying a foundation with wisdom and care, and nearly 18 months later, Covenant Church held its first service.
Sacrifice Renovation sent around 30 members from their congregation to join Covenant in Baldwinsville. This was an immense blessing for Covenant—to begin their planting journey with a strong group of Christians primed to disciple newcomers. It was a solid and healthy start for their church but didn’t come without sacrifice.
Mike recalls a Sunday after Covenant launched when he looked around and saw empty seats once filled with beloved friends. These friends were still on mission with Renovation, but it looked different now. When asked if this discouraged him, Mike didn’t hesitate to answer, “No.” His congregation shrunk by nearly a third. Although difficult and uncertain, there was peace—they knew it was supposed to be this way.
This is what it looks like to plant healthy churches. You can establish teams, garner community support, and raise money, but your efforts must be primed with discipleship and prayer. Mike, Bernie, and their respective congregations know that having “big numbers” on a Sunday morning is not the goal. They serve, worship, preach, and pray together to glorify God and reach their unbelieving neighbors.
“Church multiplication is about planting when it’s right, not easy.” –Mike Mazzye
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Covenant Church in Baldwinsville, New York.
Almost a year after planting, Covenant has grown to a weekly attendance of over a hundred. Likewise, Renovation now has around 100 people joining them on Sundays. What began as one church with a prayer to plant is now two churches, reaching two cities with double the number of people. They stepped out on faith, and God added with abundance. Mike and Bernie say they’re already praying about another area near them needing a gospel-centered church.
Missional multiplication may be costly, but it’s a call we can’t ignore. Renovation sacrificed time, resources, and people to ensure Covenant had a healthy start. Covenant will likely do the same for a new church plant one day. By God’s grace, the cycle will continue—for the good of communities around the world and the glory of God.
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I grew up in Flint, Michigan, and am now a church planter in the city. As a lifelong Flint resident, I see a different city today than it used to be. When you drive down the street, you see abandoned buildings and houses in need of demolition. Even still, I’m convinced there’s hope. Through Christ alone—there’s hope for Flint.
Growing up, I had no interest in religion and certainly didn’t think I would be planting a church in my hometown someday, but God had other plans. As a young man, I joined the Marine Corps to stay out of trouble. When I returned home, my cousin invited me to attend church with him. God had been working on my heart, and that night, I responded with repentance. Since that moment I’ve been walking with the Lord.
There are plenty of people out here who need to hear the truth, and we aim to raise up leaders and disciples to go tell the good news of Jesus.
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My wife and I were faithfully serving at a church in town when the Flint water crisis happened. It was a difficult time for our city and church, but it did provide the opportunity for me to connect with Acts 29. We partnered with Acts 29 churches that were seeking to support Flint during the water crisis and eventually joined a training cohort.
Living in Flint, you hear a lot of tales of hopelessness. With our church, Christ Our Hope, I wanted to plant a church that points a neighborhood and community to Jesus Christ. There are plenty of people out here who need to hear the truth, and we aim to raise up leaders and disciples to go tell the good news of Jesus. We look forward to seeing a community full of darkness change into a community full of light. It’s only through Jesus that we’ll see this happen, and we trust that he won’t fail the people of Flint.
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Why plant new churches? If you aren’t in the United States, you might not be asking this question. There isn’t a church on every corner in Iran or Uganda or China. And there may not be many healthy, gospel-preaching churches around you if you’re in Brazil, England, or Mexico.
Planting new churches in those countries might seem more obvious and necessary—and our missions efforts should be church-planting efforts! But for now, I want to ask why we should plant new churches down the street from our churches and even in seemingly church-saturated nations and cities.
Churches Closing & Population GrowingIn 2018 a study called The Great Opportunity was done on churches in America: “Since many churches have a lifespan of about 70 to 100 years, and since many of the Baby Boomer churches were planted in the early 1950s, we expect a significant wave of church closures in the near future. Church planting is near an all-time low on a per-capita basis; we need to triple church planting within the next five to ten years to meet the need.”
Lifeway Research confirmed they were right the following year: “In 2019, approximately 3,000 Protestant churches were started in the U.S., but 4,500 Protestant churches closed.” Just five years before, those numbers were reversed. And the pandemic certainly didn’t help—the numbers coming in 2024 will be worse.
New churches must learn how to evangelize in the current cultural moment. As society changes, so do the needs and questions of the people.
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Granted, some churches need to close. They aren’t biblically faithful, and Jesus rightfully snuffs their lampstand out (see Rev. 2–3). Or, this is where church revitalization becomes a great gospel alternative to church planting—God calling some folks to step into a dying church to bring new life and ministry. But there still are not enough biblically faithful churches to reach the lost. More churches are being uprooted than planted.
Changing Cultural Tides & Bold EvangelismEstablished churches (and established Christians) are typically more, well, established. They’ve done church a certain way for too long, and any cultural shifts present a missional roadblock to the established church.
Perhaps they don’t ruffle cultural feathers or stir any political pots because they aren’t really in that conversation—they’re doing church. They were planted during a different time, in a different kind of garden, with different types of weeds. This is a challenge to any established church, and they should fight to stay on mission in the changing cultural tides while holding onto the unchanging truth of the gospel.
But new churches must learn how to evangelize in the current cultural moment. As society changes, so do the needs and questions of the people. Cultural shifts require new churches planted around different kinds of weeds that can speak the gospel into new contexts.
Too many church plants have found themselves colonized by the culture, never actually reaching it.
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For example, when we started 12 years ago, questions around gender, women in leadership, abortion, etc., were understood to be debated. But now people are surprised to hear there even is a debate! They assume what they learn from the culture is the norm. Twelve years ago, churches might have spoken of the immorality of the culture around us, but now, the culture around us thinks we are immoral!
Beware, though, in an effort to reach the culture, many churches have found themselves reached by the culture. The stiff, traditional, old, fundamentalist church up the road might be a stick in the gospel mission mud, but they’ve stuck to their guns all these years and are still faithful to the Word, at least. Too many church plants have found themselves colonized by the culture, never actually reaching it. Don’t let the world gentrify your spiritual heart after you move into the neighborhood with your missional cultural engagement. It’s the light that overcomes the darkness, not the other way around.
Geographic Intentionality & UrbanizationAccording to the United Nations, 68% of the world’s population will live in urban areas by 2050. This trend is not limited to the United States—there’s a global movement to the city. God is moving people around, and the church must move, too.
Of course, God also loves the suburbs and rural areas. And we’ve seen a huge benefit to planting from the city into the surrounding neighborhoods and towns. Geographic intentionality and contextualized ministry make gospel work more effective.
As our younger members married and started having kids, they would move out from center-city Fort Worth, sent into new neighborhoods on mission—strollers and car seats in tow. They traded their bars and coffee shops for soccer games and PTA meetings—but their gospel witness never changed.
Geographic intentionality and contextualized ministry make gospel work more effective.
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Planting churches in suburban and rural areas is both necessary and effective in reaching the whole family. Each church can now minister in a contextualized way determined by the needs of the people they reach—but infused with the missional DNA of the sending church planted in the heart of the city. However, planting new churches in cities is still the greatest need.
God loves people, and cities have a lot of people. And those people are the ones stirring the waters that change cultural tides. In every sphere—business, art, education, government, media, finance, tech—the city is its upstream home, flowing out to the rest of the world.
So we plant churches because more are needed to keep up with church closures and population growth; we plant new churches because they are typically more effective in reaching a radically changing culture. And we plant churches to be intentional to contextualize our gospel witness to the whole world, especially in cities where there is the most need and opportunity.
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Local church pastors have a responsibility to engage and address the surrounding culture. Faithfully engaging culture aids in your evangelism, discipleship, and effectiveness in communicating biblical truth. Bob Thune poses this helpful question for pastors to consider, “What are the narratives that are shaping the people I’m trying to disciple?” Identifying and learning about those narratives can be time-consuming and overwhelming, but it’s important work that should be at the forefront of our minds as leaders.
In this video, hear from Justin Anderson and Bob Thune, lead pastor of Coram Deo Church in Omaha, Nebraska, as they discuss cultural apologetics.
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After a roller-coaster week of ministry, a seasoned church member asked how I was doing. Without hesitation, I answered, “Grieving yet always rejoicing.” I spent the next few minutes explaining...
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Why is leadership development important for church planters and pastors? Developing leaders is an extension of discipleship, and it’s an important part of the growth process for all ministry practitioners....
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“Each generation of the church in each setting has the responsibility of communicating the gospel in understandable terms, considering the language and thought-forms of that setting.” – Francis Schaeffer Apologetic...
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Is there a strategic benefit to church planting in big cities? There are plenty of questions surrounding the hardships of planting in cities, but what about the advantages? In this...
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Pastors and church planters, you don’t need to work 60 hours a week. It’s not good for you, your family, or your church. And the best part is, it isn’t...
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People are searching for life in all sorts of things today, trying to fill the eternal void in their hearts. And we know this life is a person whose name...
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Our Creator made humans in his image as intellectual beings. When we see a problem or recognize where improvement is needed, we have the ability to make corrective adjustments. But...
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Vašek Andrs is an Acts 29 church planter in the Czech Republic. He planted KOSTEL Jinak, which means “a different kind of church.” This different kind of church is made...
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In this recording of Bob Thune’s main session teaching at the Acts 29 Advance Conference in Omaha, Nebraska, he provides helpful cultural analysis for church planters. He discusses where the...
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Most leaders would express a desire to follow the pattern of Jesus, who was “meek” and “humble of heart,” but do we genuinely embody his example? Here are two ways...
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People’s anxiety is at an all-time high, yet hope is at an all-time low. Now hardly seems like the time to invest in church planting, start new initiatives, or to...
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You may have noticed that May was Mental Health Awareness Month. I’m glad we can direct our collective attention to important issues like this, but when the calendar rolls over...
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“We need to be wise and discerning, but there has to be some kind of a gospel radicality about it. Are we going to look the same as the world...
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We believe church planting is one of the most faithful ways for churches to fulfill the Great Commission. But church planting isn’t easy, and we often don’t know where to...
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The missional partnership between Eternal City Church in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, and University Community Church (UCC) in Gulu, Uganda, happened providentially. In 2017, an Eternal City congregation member visited UCC and...
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Acts 29 is a missional organization. We exist to plant churches worldwide, collaborating with over 700 churches globally to make Jesus known in a variety of diverse contexts. We’re united...
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Parenting is a journey many of us are privileged to be on. We experience the heights of joy and love as well as anxiety, disappointment, and grief at various stages...
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Buildings are incredible tools for ministry. But often, they need a few tweaks to make them more effective for your church’s mission. Here are six questions every church planter should...
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Christian leadership has always been fraught with challenges, no matter the cultural context. Sin, people, and organizational complexity are common obstacles to a pastor’s leadership effectiveness. In this session from...
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Acts 29 Asia Pacific: Online Training
Each month our region gathers for online training with helpful voices from around the world, which concludes with an interactive time of Q&A.
In November of 2022, Jeff Vanderstelt spoke on gospel fluency.
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Acts 29 Asia Pacific: Online Training
Each month our region gathers for online training with helpful voices from around the world, which concludes with an interactive time of Q&A.
In October of 2022, Scott Zeller talked with the Asia Pacific region about developing church partnerships that advance the gospel and encourage the whole body.
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“Next year, there will be empty chairs in this room.”
I remember hearing those words at a pastor’s conference in my 20s. The speaker was reminding us that leaders who are more gifted and better trained often crash and burn. I knew I didn’t want to be one of those—an empty chair.
Over the last few years, there have been moments when I was concerned I might be. Not because of moral failure (though I’m not beyond destroying my life in sin), but because of two pressures Moses confronts in Numbers 20: grief and grumbling. Every leader will face these. Some leaders will be sidelined by them.
After years of leading God’s people, Moses commits a grievous sin. As a result, he will not be going into the Promised Land. God’s people will go in, but Moses has to settle for a view of the land from the top of Mt. Pisgah (Deut. 34). Let’s look at these two pressures from Numbers 20, and consider how to faithfully avoid their derailment of pastoral ministry.
1. GriefMoses loses his sister, Miriam (Num. 20:1). It’s dangerous to psychoanalyze biblical characters, but we can at least say that Moses faced a similar grief to others who lose family members. It’s substantial grief.
If we don’t learn to grieve losses and lead grumbling people, we’re at risk of making ministry mistakes with dire consequences.
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But she’s not just his sister. Miriam has been an ally for him, leading the women to sing after their deliverance through the Red Sea in Exodus 15. And though they had conflict (Num. 12), Moses has never led God’s people without Miriam in his life. This is a significant loss. Moses is fully responsible for the choices that follow, but we must be aware of the effects of grief on his life and decisions.
2. GrumblingGrumbling isn’t new for Moses. God’s people were barely through the Red Sea before they started complaining (Ex. 15). Though God provides in a miraculous way, the people continue to grumble and complain.
In Numbers 11, Moses tells God, “If this is what it’s going to be like to lead your people, just take my life” (paraphrase). The grumbling of God’s people grates on the soul of a leader. We don’t need to underestimate the cumulative damage of grumbling on a leader.
This takes us to Moses at the rock. Moses is grieving; the people are grumbling. So Moses prays (Num. 20:6). God tells him to take the staff, assemble the people, and speak to the rock to yield water. Moses obeys, but rather than simply speaking to the rock, Moses strikes it twice and says to the people, “Shall we bring water for you out of this rock?”
Effects of Grief and GrumblingCertainly, Moses is disobedient in striking the rock, but more than that, why did he say “we”? When did Moses join God in bringing water from rocks? He didn’t trust God or uphold him as holy in the eyes of the people (Num. 20:12). Moses not only disobeyed God’s clear command, he robbed God of glory. And it cost him the Promised Land.
Moses is completely responsible for his sin, but we would be wise to notice the occasion for it. Grief and grumbling can dramatically affect the best of leaders. Leaders must learn to grieve losses. If we don’t, we’ll be prone to leadership mistakes that could be costly.
Leaders need thick skin, tender hearts, and sober minds to lead through the grumbling that will come.
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Leaders must also learn to lead and love grumbling people. Every leader of God’s people in God’s Word dealt with grumbling people. Leaders need thick skin, tender hearts, and sober minds to lead through the grumbling that will come. We’ve got to be leaders who can listen to the grumble while loving the grumblers. If we don’t learn to grieve losses and lead grumbling people, we’re at risk of making ministry mistakes with dire consequences.
Preventative MaintenanceBecause we know these times of grief and grumbling are coming, it’s wise to have a healthy rhythm so we’re in a healthy place. Here are four suggestions:
- Daily time with God – Time to read his Word and pray. Time to bring your heart before the Lord.
- Weekly Sabbath – Time to take a break. Turn off the phone. Entrust yourself and your ministry to God’s capable hands.
- Monthly day away – An extended time for you to pray, think, and process your life and ministry.
- Yearly prayer retreat – At least once a year, I take extended time away to pray, rest, and process what God is doing in my life. I love the unhurried time in God’s Word, to think about my calling, and to enjoy space to create as the Lord leads.
This preventative maintenance helps create emotional margin so that when times of grief and grumbling come, we are in a healthier place to deal and process. There are many things that can sideline leaders. I’ve seen far too many empty chairs. Grief and grumbling sidelined Moses. Don’t let them sideline you.
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Preaching is hard.
We do a leadership development program at our church with 25 future leaders, and around the same time every year, those students come to me expressing their thankfulness, even their sympathy. This always happens during the preaching portion of the semester when they have to write a sermon, and suddenly realize how hard it is.
Preachers, what we do is difficult and demanding. An Acts 29 pastor friend who wears a Whoop device told me that preaching a sermon is the strain equivalent of running a 5k. It’s exhausting.
It’s also eternally important. Lost people are listening. We must remember the privilege we have to share the words of life with them. Here are a few tips on how you can increase the effectiveness of your preaching, especially among the lost.
1. Preach the Word of ChristThere are multiple views on what the Bible is. But we hold to the verbal plenary view, which states that all Scripture is the literal Word of God (2 Tim. 3:14–17; 2 Pet. 1:16–21). Our job is to help believers and unbelievers understand what God has already spoken.
I grew up in a Muslim family, going to mosque every Friday. If I were to take you to hear the Imam speak, would you be shocked if he opened up the Quran and started teaching from it? Of course not! You’re at a mosque. Why should pastors be nervous about explicitly teaching the Bible when unbelievers come to their church? Preach Christ. And do it boldly.
2. Preach the Christ of the WordIt’s easy to preach sermons that become the Christian version of Aesop’s fables—be brave like David; be devoted to Jesus like Mary; be generous like the Macedonian church. But the point of our sermons isn’t to give good advice; it’s to spread good news. You can teach the stories of the Bible without teaching the story of the Bible. A life-changing sermon must include the life-changer in it.
The point of our sermons isn’t to give good advice; it’s to spread good news.
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A group of American pastors traveled to London in the 1880s to learn from some of the great English pastors of the day. On their first Sunday there, they heard a famous preacher who pastored a church of 4,000 members. They listened to his preaching and marveled, “What a great preacher!” The next Sunday, they attended the Metropolitan Tabernacle in central London to hear Charles Spurgeon preach. After hearing his sermon, they proclaimed, “What a great Savior!” Preach Christ.
3. Preach to Who You Want to ComeWhen you swim through the biblical text and simultaneously address the unbeliever’s doubts, the Christians listening are thinking, I wish my atheist friend was with me to hear this. When you regularly address the Muslim’s questions in your sermons, people start bringing their Muslim friends.
Don’t give the weakest version of their argument either. Give a fair, strong version; and then engage. Quick hitters like, “Budda died saying, ‘Strive unceasingly;’ Jesus died saying, ‘It is finished,’” go a long way in connecting with your unbelieving audience.
4. Preach the Gospel into CulturePaul engaged culture on Mars Hill. We should do likewise in our sermons. I often quote famous figures to reinforce my points: “J Cole has a song called, Pride is the Devil, and he’s rapping about the point James makes in James 4:6.”
Tim Keller says he regularly tries to quote universally respected figures in society—like MLK, Gandhi, and the New York Times—to show that culture is inevitably influenced by the gospel. This further connects your preaching, and the Bible, to unbelievers visiting your church.
5. Preach the Hard StuffDon’t skip over the hard stuff. Slow down when you get to election, homosexuality, racism, and the roles of men and women. People want to know what the Bible says about these things. As you explain the text, bring up objections and interact with them.
Don’t skip over the hard stuff. Slow down when you get to election, homosexuality, racism, and the roles of men and women. People want to know what the Bible says about these things.
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I try to make hard-hitting statements that reveal how much unbelievers unknowingly agree with the Bible. “You may not be a Christian, but you don’t believe people are naturally good. You believe in total depravity. How do I know this? Because you locked your car when you got here this morning.” Don’t take the bite out of the Bible; show people how true it is.
6. Preach from WeaknessPeople would rather listen to someone who’s always real than someone who’s always right. This is why Paul preached from weakness. “I’m the worst of sinners, I’m the least of the apostles, I’m content with weakness.”
Follow his model. I recently preached Ephesians one on spiritual blessings and said, “I’m struggling to feel blessed right now.” When I preached Romans eight, that all things work together for good, I shared my struggle to believe that truth as my mom is slowly dying from Alzheimer’s.
When I publicly acknowledge the ways I struggle and doubt, and how the gospel lifts me up, people always seem to connect with that. The gospel is more powerful coming not just from you, but through you.
7. Preach with Relevant ApplicationsSometimes, the difference between a good sermon and a great sermon is in your application. Give your applications depth and breadth. Cover a lot of ground and different demographics. Speak the truths of the text over a tired mom, an anxious student, a rebellious adult, a lost father, etc.
People would rather listen to someone who’s always real than someone who’s always right.
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And don’t be so general that it doesn’t hit. “God is loving” doesn’t reach the soul as much as, “I know you’re trying to prove you’re worthy of love through your grades, your work, or your reputation, but the gospel says the only person whose opinion matters accepts and loves you.”
By God’s grace, may our preaching, however weak and weary, lead to many knowing and loving the Savior more.
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In 2018, my father was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia—a rare form of dementia now made famous due to Bruce Willis’s tragic diagnosis. In my father’s case, it began with the increasing inability to recall words and has now led to him being left with only a few short phrases and even fewer concepts.
This has been a painful disease for him and for all who love him. It has also sharpened my gratitude for the God-given gift of remembrance.
Church planters are called to remember many things as we toil in ministry for the sake of the gospel. One passage that’s helpful is 2 Timothy 2:8–13:
“Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself.”
I’d like to point out three truths this passage exhorts us to remember as we plant churches worldwide together.
Remember Jesus Christ Crucified and RisenThis first point may seem so obvious that it doesn’t require saying, but we know in our hearts this is not the case. If it was, why would the Scriptures call us to “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead” and the “salvation that is in Christ Jesus?” Church planter, remember that every Sunday churches gather around the world to remember this very thing: Jesus died in our place and was raised for our salvation. This is the message we preach as we plant churches worldwide for the glory of God.
Jesus calls us to commemorate the true and final Passover and himself as the true Passover Lamb when he said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” We must remember Jesus Christ risen from the dead and proclaim that gospel message to those in our churches as a matter of first importance.
Church planter, remember that every Sunday churches gather around the world to remember this very thing: Jesus died in our place and was raised for our salvation.
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One of the most joyful moments Jesus gave me with my father in recent years happened in the summer of 2022 at our church’s baptism service. My mom was explaining to him that we were celebrating baptisms, a concept he no longer understood. So she patiently explained that people would be brought under the water to display their union with Christ in his death, and brought out of the water to display being raised with Christ. To which my dad exclaimed, “Yes, Jesus has been raised!” I tear up even now thinking about that, and I rejoice that God gave him the ability in that moment to remember Jesus Christ rose from the dead.
Remember God’s Word Is Not BoundPaul writes that though he is bound in chains awaiting his inevitable execution, God’s Word is not bound! This is a vital truth for planters to remember. No matter the circumstances God has us—whether our churches are thriving or languishing, whether our families are joyful or hurting, whether we are healthy or sick, whether we are seeing unity or division—God’s Word isn’t bound. It’s moving forward. Let us cling to this, Christ is building his church and doing so through the preaching of a powerful gospel through weak people.
Remember God Is FaithfulPaul’s closing words in this passage are, “If we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself.” What a life-changing truth worthy of remembering! Our faithfulness is not and has never been the point. It’s the faithfulness of God that carries us and keeps us in himself.
Christ is building his church and doing so through the preaching of a powerful gospel through weak people.
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As church planters, we should be devoted to faithfulness, which is far more important than fruitfulness, but let’s also remember that we, apart from Christ, can do nothing. It is only by his grace and mercy working in our lives that we can plant churches and finish our race.
Let us put these truths in the forefront of our minds, while we are able to do so. One of the hard realities that my father’s diagnosis has shown me is that none of us are guaranteed a nice, comfortable retirement with all our faculties intact. Yet the Scriptures are clear that God has a purpose in all he does. So I know he has chosen to sanctify my father (and each of us who are caring for him) through this terrible disease.
May we all, by grace, continue to remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, and all the other beautiful truths of the gospel as we boldly preach them to our congregations, because the Word of God is not bound and God is faithful.
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There are many good things we could be doing with our time and talents, but planting churches worldwide is our shared mission that we believe is most deserving of our energy. This eternally significant work changes the world one transformed life at a time.
But this work is challenging. To plant missionally effective churches that endure, we train up and send out pastors and church leaders who are equipped and prepared for the challenges of ministry.
Check out this video to hear Justin Anderson, Dr. Dwayne Bond, and Tyler Jones discuss what Acts 29 does as a church-planting organization.
The post Acts 29 Identity: What We Do appeared first on Acts 29.
An initial comparison of preaching and counseling might make one think they’re on opposite ends of the ministry spectrum. One is done in public, the other in private. One is mostly a monologue, the other is mostly a dialogue (hopefully). Good preachers are typically thought of as dynamic orators, while good counselors are described as patient listeners.
But upon further analysis, the differences aren’t nearly as drastic. There isn’t one personality type that makes for a good preacher or a good counselor. Introverts can be excellent preachers; extroverts can be wonderful counselors.
We shouldn’t think of preaching and counseling like apples and oranges. Many skills that make for great preaching are transferable to the counseling room. I think they’re more like applesauce and apple butter—different variations of the same substance. In this way, preaching and counseling are two forms of discipleship. Preaching is macro-level, whereas counseling is micro-level, and both are working to bring about maturity in Christ (Col. 1:28).
In light of these similarities, here are three ways pastors can learn counseling from preaching.
1. Good preaching and good counseling prioritize patience and listening.Good preaching patiently considers a passage of Scripture during the preparation phase, then proclaims its truth to the congregation. Good counseling patiently listens to a counselee and then proclaims the truth of God’s Word into their situation. It takes patience to study and understand Scripture so you can teach it to others.
Preaching and counseling are two forms of discipleship. Preaching is macro-level, whereas counseling is micro-level, and both are working to bring about maturity in Christ.
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Rushed sermon prep (failing to adequately “listen” to the text) can lead to misunderstanding God’s Word. If you’ve developed the skill of patiently pouring over the Bible during sermon prep, you’ve developed an important foundation for counseling. It takes patience to listen well enough to understand another’s problems.
Counselors who rush to interpret and provide advice will likely fail to grasp the heart of their counselee. Proverbs 18:13 and James 1:19 both highlight the importance of listening well. If you’re a pastor who preaches on a regular basis, the skill of patiently listening to God’s Word is transferable to the counseling room. Ask the Lord to help you understand the heart of those you meet with, just like he helps you understand his Word. Preaching and counseling both require patience and reliance on God.
2. Good preaching and good counseling connect our hearts to God’s Word.
Good preaching brings the Word of God to the hearts of the congregation. Good counseling takes the heart of the counselee to the Word of God. Whether engaging in macro or micro discipleship, the primacy of God’s Word is paramount. A friend once said, “You win them to what you win them with.” If the point of a sermon is to make people feel good about themselves, then our churches will be filled with spiritually shallow Christians who believe they’re at the center of the universe. If we win them with self-focus, we win them to self-focus.
Psalm 1 teaches that those who delight in God’s Word and meditate on it day and night are “like a tree planted by streams of water that yield its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers” (Ps. 1:2–3). Human flourishing happens when we soak up the Scriptures.
Good preaching will leave the congregation hungering for more. Good counseling is no different. The heart of the hurting counselee needs to feast on the life-giving, life-sustaining power of the Bible. Psalm 119 reminds us of the importance of giving ourselves to God’s Word and letting it heal and restore us. “If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction” (Ps. 119:92). Whether preaching or counseling, pastors must remember their most important job is to bring people to Jesus through his Word.
3. Good preaching and good counseling blend broad truths with specific applications.Good preaching starts with understanding a passage’s contextual and broad theological themes, then works to narrow in on specific applications. Good counseling begins with the specific problems of a counselee, then seeks to connect them to the broad theological themes of Scripture.
Whether preaching or counseling, pastors must remember their most important job is to bring people to Jesus through his Word.
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Good preaching helps the congregation understand why a passage is important in light of the grand story of God’s Word. While the starting place in counseling is different, the methods are similar. The entry point into someone’s life in counseling will likely be a particular set of problems. But the only way to truly understand what to think and do about those problems is to see how the Bible describes and explains them.
Helping someone build a theology of suffering could be crucial to their counseling journey. Starting by understanding specific hurts, pastors can carefully lay out a biblical understanding of why people suffer and how God is working to bring suffering to an end. Where preaching starts broad and narrows in, counseling starts narrow and widens out.
While some pastors may not be in formal counseling every week, faithful shepherding ministry should always involve sitting with hurting people and helping them learn how to follow Jesus. By God’s grace, pastors can grow in their ability to care for his flock, regardless of their natural giftings or ministry preferences. This is more than attainable for church planters and pastors, as some of the skills used in preaching ministry can be adapted for effective counseling.
The post 3 Ways Pastors Learn Counseling from Preaching appeared first on Acts 29.
Pastors are generalists. They are knowledgeable and skilled in a variety of different areas: preaching, theology, culture, counseling, and so on. It’s OK to be a generalist pastor. And it’s good to be busy with the things of the Lord.
But there is a danger in this. The greater the variety of your responsibilities, the greater the busyness of your ministry. The greater the busyness of your ministry, the greater the temptation to neglect the most important thing—your heart.
I experienced this recently. I sat down on a Sunday evening and looked at the week ahead. My ministry schedule for the week was typical—some counseling, sermon prep, fundraising, meetings, and discipleship. Nothing out of the ordinary. But I was anxious and overwhelmed, and it was bleeding into my relationships. When my wife pointed this out, I knew I had to carve out time with the Lord to re-calibrate.
I set aside a four-hour block to seek the Lord in Word and prayer. During that time, he providentially brought to mind a verse I’d read many times before. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”
The Spirit diagnosed me in that moment. The problem wasn’t my schedule; it was my heart. I had failed to keep it. “The heart” is biblical shorthand for the inner life—the mind, emotions, and will. It drives everything. This short verse has three parts for pastors to consider regarding our primary work: what to do (keep your heart), how to do it (with all vigilance), and why you must do it (for from it flow the springs of life).
Keep Your HeartTo keep means to cultivate, protect, guard, and pay careful attention to your heart. Naturally, this is how we treat our most prized possessions. If we don’t guard and protect them, they will be stolen or damaged. If we don’t cultivate them with loving care, they will whither. And this is what God commands (not suggests) we do with our hearts. When I wrestled with Proverbs 4:23, I realized how focused I’d become on cultivating the external things of my life and ministry at the expense of my inner life.
Keeping the heart is not a call to self-centered introspection but Jesus-centered self-awareness. We pay careful attention to our inner life so that we may rightly apply the fullness of Christ and his work to our hearts. This is the primary work God has called you to, pastor. You may be a generalist in many areas, but you must be a specialist in keeping the heart.
Keeping the heart is not a call to self-centered introspection but Jesus-centered self-awareness. We pay careful attention to our inner life so that we may rightly apply the fullness of Christ and his work to our hearts.
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With All VigilanceHow do we go about this work? With all vigilance—carefully, persistently, and diligently as our top priority. Pastors and church planters understand vigilance. We’re vigilant fundraisers, diligent missionaries, and persistent disciple-makers. We love Paul’s imagery of ministers as good soldiers, skilled athletes, and hard-working farmers (2 Tim. 2:1–7). But we can’t forget that such vigilance must begin in our souls so we may be strengthened by the grace of Christ Jesus and guard our own life and doctrine (2 Tim. 2:1, 1 Tim. 4:16).
Practically, such vigilance takes more than a quiet time and a Bible-reading plan. On my four-hour mini-retreat, I realized I’d neglected to seek accountability from trusted brothers. I needed to invite others in to reveal blind spots in my life and ask me tough questions. Vigilant heart-keeping means carving out regular times for confession and repentance. It may mean taking retreats away from ministry to work on your heart. You may even need a counselor to help you. Whatever it takes, be vigilant.
The Springs of LifeEverything you think, say, and do is connected to the condition of your inner life. This is why vigilant heart-keeping is essential; apart from abiding in Christ, we can do nothing of eternal and lasting significance (John 15:5). If the heart is not rooted in Christ and his love, the winds of hardship will blow us away (Ps. 1). The pride of our hearts will deceive us (Obad. 1:3).
The greater the busyness of your ministry, the greater the temptation to neglect the most important thing—your heart.
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As I was convicted by the Spirit for my heart-keeping failure, I was simultaneously comforted by this truth: heart-keeping is not ultimately dependent upon me. I know how quickly the well would dry up if this were true. But Jesus promised in John 7:38, “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”
In the weeks following my heart recalibration, my circumstances didn’t change much. The ups and downs of life and ministry continued. But I walked with a renewed realization that when I attach the conduit of my heart to Christ by faith, the spring of his Spirit flows through me into every area of my life.
If we cultivate our inner life, we will be prepared to face whatever comes our way—all of the highs and lows of life and ministry, with a humble resolve. Pastor, keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.
The post The Pastor’s Primary Work of Keeping His Heart appeared first on Acts 29.
Several years ago, I was talking with a local police officer at an event. He shared the various challenges and rewards of his work in our city. The experiences ranged from noise violations to arrests and apprehension of those breaking the law. I had young children, and his references to teenage antics that brought long-range consequences had me curious.
I asked him, “What did he notice that kept kids from engaging in risky behavior in their teen years?” His answer was surprising. He said the rhythm of regular family dinners was simple but profound in shaping kids. The students who experienced time around the table at home had long-term benefits and were well-adjusted.
I’ve never forgotten his wise advice. The familiarity of a meal with people who love you is stabilizing. Your senses are activated as you walk into a home—hearing, smelling, touching, tasting, and seeing. Memories are stamped through time at the dinner table.
In a simple statement, the wise police officer referenced the unseen and formational experiences of many kids. The experience of belonging, nourishment, and relational connection are just a few ways nurture goes beyond the food itself. Sharing stories, listening, and being listened to profoundly influence who we become.
When we share communion, our churches testify of the grace and promise of Christ.
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The church experiences a different kind of meal. For an outsider, it doesn’t look like much—but it holds the very essence of our faith. Participation of believers in the Lord’s Supper is a mark of the church and has endured since Jesus first instituted it with his disciples (Matt. 26:26–28). Jesus held the bread and wine, symbols of his body and blood, and called us to partake in remembrance. Centuries later, the substance of his command holds promise and forms us to Christ.
Communion is expressed in the liturgy of churches differently. The timing, frequency, and way the Lord’s Supper is served are all freedom matters. What is consistent is the meaning behind the simple elements. Church planters and pastors, are you inviting people to partake and consider the depth of the communion table?
Spending time around the dinner table may be an ordinary rhythm, but it holds memory and shapes us for the better. The same is true for the Lord’s Supper. Consider the importance of our regular practice of communion through these three ideas.
RememberJesus’s command regarding communion is to “do this in remembrance of me.” Taking the elements as a regular practice invites us to recall the reality and necessity of Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross for our sins. It’s looking back to the past to (once again) revel in the present forgiveness we enjoy today. Christ’s covering of our sins abounds amid our stumbling flesh and failures.
We remember, confess, and receive the forgiveness only God can grant because of his Son. We remember not to be brought down but encouraged by God’s love and his present faithfulness. For the church planter, pastor, and ministry leader, it’s important to link God’s goodness with our repentance. We can do this through regular remembrance in communion.
NourishAs we eat the bread and drink the cup, we’re recognizing Jesus is the bread of life (John 6:35). These symbols of his body and blood teach us that fullness comes from Jesus alone. In him, we don’t hunger or thirst but find complete satisfaction and rest. The communion meal reminds us that “Christ is the only food of our soul” (John Calvin).
Spending time around the dinner table may be an ordinary rhythm, but it holds memory and shapes us for the better. The same is true for the Lord’s Supper.
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This embodied act recalibrates us to our trustworthy source and asks us to surrender all other competing comforts. In our surrender, we receive. The elements don’t provide physical nourishment, but they point us to Jesus—and he’s all we need for fulfillment.
ProclaimTaking the elements is a corporate event meant for the family of God. It’s a unifying act that brings all believers to a moment of declaring the gospel together. For this same reason, it’s important to humbly guard the table. Those who don’t yet see Christ as their only hope are meant to reflect and consider but not come, as they would declare something untrue. We take these words seriously: “As often as you eat and drink, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” (1 Cor. 11:26).
Our testimony empowers us to remember that whatever life has before us, the story isn’t over. He’s coming again, and all who believe are welcome. It’s important for pastors and leaders to graciously notice those who do not come to the communion table. When approaching those who have abstained with love and humility, you care well for the people God entrusted you to shepherd.
There’s more to a meal than meets the eye. Each time we participate in the Lord’s Supper, we have the opportunity to reflect with humble hearts. When we share communion, our churches testify of the grace and promise of Christ. All praise to Christ for the mystery and provision found at his table. May we take it seriously and not miss what God is doing among our brothers and sisters are we partake in this sacred meal.
The post How a Meal Can Change Your Family (And Your Church) appeared first on Acts 29.
Chris Davidson planted Merkinch Free Church in a historically rich area of Inverness, Scotland, in February 2023. Their church longs to bring the hope of Jesus to the hurting, weary, and needy—a tangible need for most who walk through their doors. The church is a safe haven for many people struggling with poverty, substance use, and unsafe home environments.
Merkinch is one of the oldest areas in Inverness and is home to around 5,000 people. Chris describes Merkinch as warm and welcoming, but it remains one of the most impoverished areas in Inverness. It’s ranked as the eighth most deprived area in Scotland. The gospel need is great in Merkinch—and this church plant is working hard to share the good news of Jesus with all who are willing to listen.
Meeting People Where They AreMerkinch Free Church officially launched with a church family made up of new believers, people who had moved to the area to see a gospel church planted, and those from the community that wanted a local church. Their average attendance for a Sunday service is around 40 people, but only about 15 of them are Christians. This presents a real need for mission-focused discipleship and evangelism.
Their small congregation meets on Sundays, and they offer other opportunities to gather throughout the week. On Thursdays, they open their doors for a few hours as a cafe for the community and offer a free hot drink to anyone in need; they advertise it as a bacon roll and “banter,” a Scottish word for a fun, free chat.
In small and simple ways, they serve the people of Merkinch while maintaining a focus on sharing the gospel. Their hospitality is a gateway for welcoming others into their family of faith, and their presence in the community helps foster trust, which enables them to share the gospel message.
This sort of generosity is more than just philanthropy—it's gospel-centered community.
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Many people in Merkinch didn’t grow up in a church environment and have little knowledge of God or the Bible. Those who do have a church history are often adverse to Christianity because of past wounds from unhealthy churches. Chris says it isn’t unusual for him to have to stop in the middle of a sermon and answer questions. Sometimes people will raise their hands, but most of the time they’ll just shout their questions. This has led the church to build a time in the service for people to freely ask questions and hear a response. Chris takes it in stride—knowing it’s a gift that people feel safe enough in that environment to even ask questions.
He says this may not be for everyone, but it’s a welcomed challenge for their church. They’re sharing the good news of Jesus in a way that’s true to Scripture, but also relevant to those in their community.
Part of the CommunityChris and his team encourage church members to live in or near the impoverished area of Merkinch so they can offer a tangible, gospel presence in the area. When they meet new people at church, it’s often neighbors and friends they see during the week, which makes conversation and relationships easier to navigate. Merkinch, like most places in the Scottish Highlands, is post-secular in culture and in great need of churches to share the gospel of Christ. Chris and the members of his church are determined to faithfully carry that message to those around them.
One of their core values is to see that “all members will never go through life with unmet needs.” This is reminiscent of Acts 2:45, when the first-century church sold their possessions and belongings to ensure everyone had all they needed. While the members of Merkinch Free Church may not be selling everything, they’re surely sold out for seeing the gospel permeate their city. This sort of generosity is more than just philanthropy—it’s gospel-centered community.
The church is a safe haven for many people struggling with poverty, substance use, and unsafe home environments.
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As Merkinch Free Church grows, they’re focused on caring for their community and discipling new believers. They continue to pray for new conversions and opportunities for their members to grow in faith and knowledge. Through Acts 29, they’ve connected with two partner churches in the US that provide financial support and encouragement. Chris said their Acts 29 missional partners “feel more like family because we share a deep desire for global mission.” We long to see more churches planted like Merkinch Free Church, who make a lasting impact in their community, whether it be down the street or around the world.
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Church planting has always been hard, and more difficult days are ahead. Many evangelical denominations are experiencing a significant decline; church closures are outpacing church planting. So what will church planting look like in 2033? In 2083?
In this recording of Tyler Jones’s main session teaching at the Acts 29 Advance Conference in Raleigh, North Carolina, he identifies four currents sweeping the nation and ways to reshape how we plant effective churches in our cultural climate.
Click on the video below to watch this conference session as Tyler encourages pastors about the future of church planting.
The post The Future of Church Planting appeared first on Acts 29.
Editor’s Note:* This is an excerpt from Church Out Here: Insights from Small-Town Churches* and is used with permission. They say culture is created in big cities and flows downstream to our small towns over time. Growing up, my friends and I would joke, “If our state is ten years ‘behind the times,’ we’re behind by at least a century.” As a teenager, this felt like a curse because so few of the bands I wanted to see live ever included West Virginia as a stop in their tour. Now as a parent of four, this has felt more like a blessing. For better or for worse, it might take longer for the latest cultural trends and ideas that blow up the headlines to show up in our homes, schools, and churches in small towns. But they still arrive.
Thyatira was the least impressive and least significant of the seven cities mentioned in Revelation, yet the letter to this church is the longest of all seven. Our small towns are not an afterthought to Jesus, and neither are you as you labor to make him known there. It might sound strange, but I find the situation in Thyatira deeply encouraging because it shows what we’re facing in our small towns today is not new!
Jesus’s message to the church at Thyatira extends to our churches as well. When culture invades, Christians and churches can react in unhelpful ways which miss the opportunity to make more (and better) disciples of Jesus. Jesus’s words to Thyatira help us see and avoid these four common reactions to an invading culture.
1. RetreatThe first unhelpful reaction to invading culture is for us to withdraw deeper into our churches and relationships that remain unchanged. This approach says, “with all the crazy out there, let’s just turn off the computers, hole up in our churches, watch The Andy Griffith Show reruns, and pretend we live in Mayberry.” While retreat can make sense (Proverbs says the prudent sees danger and hides himself), such fearful retreat ignores the danger of unfaithfulness to our marching orders from Jesus. In Thyatira, Jesus said, “I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance. Hold fast what you have until I come” (Rev. 2:19, 25).
When our churches neglect discipling people, our culture does not.
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He called that small church to endure in their good works of faithful love and witness in the city, not to retreat from the very ones to whom they were called. The Great Commission is a command to “go” make disciples, even if the place to which we’re going looks increasingly more like Babylon than Mayberry—and even if, instead of being celebrated for our faith, we might be crucified.
2. CompromiseWhen the wave of culture sweeps in denying the goodness of gender, marriage, and sexual difference that God created, one reaction is to hop on that wave and pretend the Bible can somehow be twisted to affirm whatever the culture decided was true ten minutes ago. Compromise says, “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em!”
Sanding down all the ways the Bible conflicts with our culture may keep peace with others, but it will cost us our peace with God. No one can meet the real Jesus if we contort him into a god of our own culture’s liking. Such compromise is a posture of defeat that results in disobedience to Jesus and an impotent church. That’s why Jesus lovingly called the church in Thyatira to refuse to tolerate bad Bible teaching and sexual immorality.
To display the glory of God, our churches must treasure a beauty our world does not yet see, and renounce many evils our world still cherishes.
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However great the pushback we encounter, we’ll never advance the gospel by denying God’s good Word and design. To display the glory of God, our churches must treasure a beauty our world does not yet see, and renounce many evils our world still cherishes.
3. Political IdolatryAnother unhelpful reaction to invading culture is to exchange our hope in the gospel for hope in political saviors. When Christians see political leaders pushing harmful ideologies into their small towns, some are tempted to “fight fire with fire” and begin heralding political reform as their primary cause. Political legislation at its best may restrain moral evil, but we have seen and know the gospel is the only power of God to transform hearts. Some in the church at Thyatira embraced idolatry (Rev. 2:20); when we seek our salvation in political leaders, we do the same. Putting our hope in politics is an enticing, but ultimately insufficient solution. Jesus alone is the true Savior and king we’ve been commissioned to herald.
The Great Commission is a command to “go” make disciples, even if the place to which we’re going looks increasingly more like Babylon than Mayberry.
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4. AssumingA fourth unhelpful reaction when the culture invades is to take the fabled ostrich approach of sticking our heads in the sand. I had friends who were raised by well-meaning but oblivious grandparents who looked the other way while their grandkids got into all sorts of dangerous stuff. As pastors, we can make the same mistake if we continue trucking along with the same old application and strategies as though no one in our community is facing idols and ideologies currently washing over the culture at large.
But when our churches neglect discipling people, our culture does not. Jesus was aware of what was happening in Thyatira, both in the city and in the church. He names the sins and idolatry of his day, and he wants the pastors and churches there to take notice and act accordingly.
It would be inappropriate to let our preaching calendar be set by our newsfeed. However, it would be pastoral malpractice to ignore the questions and struggles many in our churches and cities are hearing and facing. Hymn writer Elizabeth Charles wisely warned, “If I profess, with the loudest voice and the clearest exposition, every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christianity.”
The post How Small-Town Churches Engage When the Culture Invades appeared first on Acts 29.
Editor’s Note:* This article is adapted from a talk given at Acts 29’s Help for the Journey conference in Spain in 2022. You can read part one and part two here.It’s often said that the church planter is like a Swiss Army knife—he takes on many forms to complete different tasks. We’re required to do so many things, especially in the beginning, and we get quite good at multitasking. There’s a “can do” mentality to the church planter, which can be very helpful in times of stress. But that mentality can also lead to an unhealthy understanding of power. When we’re doing everything for everyone, we come to think we’re really that* important.
So when our churches begin to experience disorder, we often take it personally. It’s true that much is required of the church planter and pastor, but believing we’re the ones holding this all together is a deceitful lie. Our ministries and churches do not thrive because we’re great leaders, they thrive by the power and grace of God. We have a role to play in that, but it’s just a role—we’re not in charge, therefore we have nothing to prove.
Here are two observations from Psalm 103 to encourage you to turn from the idol of power and rest in God’s grace.
God Offers PardonNo matter what we do or how many times we fail, God never leaves us. Take note of David’s words in Psalm 103:8–10:
“The LORD is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.”
God is slow to anger and abounds in steadfast love. His covenantal faithfulness never wavers, even when our trust in him does. We can be great leaders, husbands, friends, pastors, and planters, but inevitably, we will make mistakes. When failure arrives at your doorstep, how do you respond? Do you wonder what you could’ve done differently and long for a better outcome? Do you respond with self-loathing and pity?
Church planter, pastor, and ministry leader—it’s OK to fail. But what you do in light of your failure is important.
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Often, we spend so much time dissecting our shortcomings rather than resting in God’s great mercy and grace. Failure doesn’t have to hang over your shoulder, taunting you as you try to move forward. God offers pardon to the sinner and to the sufferer. He longs to give you rest. You have nothing to prove because God has proven his faithfulness to be all you need.
God Remembers and CaresNot only are we released from our sin and shame, but we’re also beloved and remembered by God. David continues this thought in Psalm 103:13–14:
“As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.
For he knows our frame;
he remembers that we are dust.”
We’re often tempted to rest in our accomplishments, but Psalm 103 reminds us how incredibly small we really are. We’re likened to dust and grass and mere flowers in a large field. God rules and reigns far above what we can even comprehend. He knows us because he made us. He delights in us because he loves us and wants to show compassion. God cares for us, even when we resist it.
Today, we live in a culture that celebrates human ability. We’re encouraged to live our best lives no matter the cost, and to do whatever it takes to succeed. Our happiness is of top priority, and failure shouldn’t stop us from having everything we want. But the truth we find in Scripture offers so much more than this false idea of happiness.
Often, we spend so much time dissecting our shortcomings rather than resting in God’s great mercy and grace.
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As Christians, it’s OK to be weak because, in our shortcomings, the strength of Christ takes center stage. It’s OK to be small and insignificant because we have a great and merciful Father in heaven.
Church planter, pastor, and ministry leader—it’s OK to fail. But what you do in light of your failure is important. Will you turn inward in pride, looking for a way out? Or will you seek the goodness of God through prayer and his Word? May we be people who recognize the idol of pride in our lives and long to humbly submit ourselves to our merciful and gracious God.
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Acts 29 has five core values: church planting, theological definition, contextual evangelism, missional collaboration, and global ambition. Each of these shapes and impacts our mission to plant churches worldwide.
Check out this video to see Tony Merida, Doug Logan, and Jeff Medders discuss our values as a church-planting organization.
The post Acts 29 Identity: What We Value appeared first on Acts 29.
Editor’s Note:* This excerpt is from Dwight Bernier’s Primed to Plant* (GCD Books, 2023) and is used with permission. If your main role is to proclaim the gospel, then you are the one most in need of the gospel! And, if you are going to plant, pastor, or lead a church, you are going to need to become a ninja in relation to gospel application. The Spirit said that he would help with that. He is really good at helping you put to death the sin and anti-God tendencies or desires within you while also igniting new affections for Jesus.
You will have to believe the gospel regarding approval. You are not the sum total of your success or failure. Because of Jesus, the Father says that you are a beloved child and in Christ; he is pleased with you. Get used to that. You are secure because of Jesus’s death and resurrection.
You will have to believe the gospel regarding comfort. You are called to the God of all comfort. You have all the comfort you need in him. You don’t need to seek out the lush privileges that this world has to offer to dull some of the pain you experience. A moment of raw one hundred proof comfort found only in Christ will delight the soul in ways that no intoxicating substance ever could.
You will have to believe the gospel regarding control. The moment you take your game plan and involve actual people, then everything will change! They will not do things the way you want them to. Rental locations will fall through. Support won’t come in. The musicians will all get strep throat. The offering will get stolen. Crazy people will join your core group—and some of them will start dating one another. If you don’t rest your head on the pillow of the sovereign Lord, then you will try to find rest in a different gospel. You will lose your mind trying to micromanage everything so that nothing is out of your grip. But you serve the all-powerful and sovereign Lord who was doing just fine before you came along. Control is an illusion. Give it up.
If we are to plant, pastor, or lead a church, then we must help our people grow in the freedom of the gospel. We need to help them understand that their identity does not waver and depend on whether they are married or single, have a job, make a lot of money, own or rent, have degrees, or have dropped out of school. The beauty of the gospel is that all those formerly “primary” identities are now put on the back burner. They no longer define us. Sure, we might use them to reach people relationally, or let them know we understand them, but they are no longer where we turn to get our most essential and fundamental joy.
We need to make a deal with ourselves that we will keep preaching the gospel—when we feel successful and when we get defeated; when all the numbers are pointing up or down; when the groups are multiplying or shrinking.
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Christ sets his affection on us and offers it to us to bathe in, to drink from, and to be our only source of true and lasting joy!
Are you ready to help people grow in the gospel?
Are you ready to help them see that they are no longer to be identified by their sin?
Are you ready to help others fight the nagging temptation, addiction, or belief that wants to destroy them?
This is what the Spirit wants to do through your proclamation and application of the gospel. The gospel is the only way people are rescued. The gospel is the only way people grow. The gospel is sufficient for our every need.
Of course, there are other things to focus on in church planting. But the gospel should be the lens through which we view all things. Because in the end, there are some things that just don’t matter very much.
The church is not about how many people came.
The church is not about how well you preached.
The church is not about the size of your offering.
The church is not about the style of music you choose to use.
The church is not about your location.
The church is not about your small groups, missional communities, or whatever trendy thing you call them.
The church is about the Father and the reality that he is moving, active, present, and rescuing people out of the kingdom of darkness.
The church is about Jesus continuing to remind the powers of hell where they belong (under his dominion), and that they don’t have any property in his kingdom.
The church is about the Spirit empowering believers to be turned loose in a strategic area with the message of a king who loves his enemies and wants to make them his family.
We need to make a deal with ourselves that we will keep preaching the gospel—when we feel successful and when we get defeated; when all the numbers are pointing up or down; when the groups are multiplying or shrinking.
If you are thinking about planting a church, you are going to need that gospel swagger. It’s not a boast in self, but in Christ.
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The gospel boldly reminds us of our truest identity that cannot be taken away. We cannot be snatched out of the hand of the Father. The Son is ruling and reigning over everything that could stand between his love and his chosen people. The Spirit is the down payment of the promise made. We can’t lose, and we can’t be lost.
When we are so free, so loose, and so confident that our God is going to be victorious, get all the glory, work all things together for our good, and move his church forward—then we are going to be bold and courageous.
If you are thinking about planting a church, you are going to need that gospel swagger. It’s not a boast in self, but in Christ. Jesus has worked, is working, and will continue working on our behalf. He’ll do so for his glory for eternity. We can walk with humble confidence in any situation, knowing that he is going to accomplish all that he has planned to do.
We cannot move on from this gospel. There is nothing better.
The post The Real Gospel in Your Heart and in Your Church appeared first on Acts 29.
Paul Fernandes grew up in Belleville, Illinois, and never imagined he’d be planting a church there someday. It wasn’t until he was a young man, alone at a movie theater watching The Passion of Christ, that he began to think about faith.
That experience stayed with him, and after a brutal fight with a family member, he hit rock bottom. He was confused and hurt; longing for support and understanding. But amid his despair, the faith he’d been pondering became reality. Paul called out to God and believed the gospel for the first time. He was forever changed—and he vowed to dedicate his life to leading others to the God who rescued him.
Life-Changing LossPaul was a youth pastor for eight years and loved serving in that capacity. It allowed him to travel worldwide for missional work, which ignited an interest in global ministry. His life and job were great, and he was comfortable. But in that comfort, he grew restless, knowing there was something else on the horizon for his family’s ministry. He assumed that would mean moving overseas or to a larger city.
It’s not that Paul didn’t believe his hometown needed the gospel—of course, he did. He just wasn’t convinced that was a place for him and his family to plant a church. However, it was his older brother who poignantly told him, “Remember, Belleville needs help, too.”
He began to see Belleville in a new light and realized the great number of people there, like his brother, who were hurting and in need of the gospel.
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Paul’s life was changed when his brother tragically passed away. He recalled, “It was really hard being in ministry and losing someone that you love.” Paul and his family were considering their next ministry move, and the sudden death of his brother affected him deeply. He began to see Belleville in a new light and realized the great number of people there, like his brother, who were hurting and in need of the gospel.
A Heart for the CommunityPaul never forgot his brother’s words about Belleville, and it eventually led him to plant in his hometown. He connected with local Acts 29 pastors for guidance and started talking through what church planting in Belleville would look like. Shortly after, he and his wife began the assessment process.
His church was set to launch in 2020 but had to delay. This was difficult but proved worth it; they secured significant funding from Acts 29 and other donors, which laid a solid foundation for what would become Living Hope Church.
We work together as a missional network to plant gospel-centered churches because we believe this is the most effective way to make disciples of Jesus.
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Living Hope Church is reaching Belleville for Christ. Whether it’s serving at a chili cook-off or organizing prayer walks, they’re visibly present in their community. Paul says they’re dedicated to seeing more churches planted in their city and around the world because people who are hurting need more places to call home.
This is how we change the world—one life at a time, one community at a time, as local churches proclaim the gospel. We work together as a missional network to plant gospel-centered churches because we believe this is the most effective way to make disciples of Jesus.
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Imagine you’re a church planter, pastor, or ministry leader in a context with limited resources (this may not be a stretch for some of you). You probably don’t have any staff members or volunteers with counseling experience or training. Now picture someone from your church coming to you for help working through a difficult situation. What do you do? Is your first impulse to dig in with them, or do you feel overwhelmed and under-equipped to help them process their emotions?
Processing emotions doesn’t always require professional help. While there is certainly a time to involve and utilize the resources professional help can provide, you don’t need an expert (or have to be an expert) to process something. I’ve met with many church leaders who knew they needed help but didn’t know where to start. Here are four questions to equip you in guiding someone through processing difficult situations and emotions.
1. What happened?Taking the time to talk or write about what you’ve experienced is important. One common misconception goes like this: “I can’t change what happened, so why does it matter if I talk about it or not?” A basic understanding of anthropology reminds us that a distinguishing characteristic of being human is the ability to speak. I have seen many individuals think they need counseling to work through something difficult, only to discover they feel much better after one conversation. Why? Because they took the time to verbalize their experience.
Pastors and ministry leaders should never underestimate the power of being present, listening, and asking good questions. We manifest God’s presence as we sit with and listen to hurting people.
2. What are you feeling?You may know people who wear their emotions on their sleeves. You never have to guess what’s going on with them because it’s written all over their faces. For others, this is a difficult part of the journey—many struggle to accurately describe what they feel. One of the reasons for this is the complicated nature of emotions. Grief often mixes with anger. Sadness can mix with hope. Psalm 13 starts with, “How long, O LORD,” and ends with, “I will sing to the LORD, because he has dealt bountifully with me.” Sorting out what we feel is important.
Pastors and ministry leaders should never underestimate the power of being present, listening, and asking good questions. We manifest God’s presence as we sit with and listen to hurting people.
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When helping someone process emotions, you enter into their story by understanding what they are feeling. This builds a foundation for the next step.
3. Why do you feel that way?I’ve found this step to be the most difficult for many people. It’s one thing to know what you feel; it’s quite another to understand why you feel it. “For it is not an enemy who taunts me—then I could bear it . . . But it is you, a man, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend” (Ps. 55:12–13). David isn’t hurting because he’s being taunted. He’s hurting because the taunts were from a “familiar friend.” Understanding the “why” behind hurt is critical because it draws out the depths of our hearts. “The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out” (Prov. 20:5).
Our emotions aren’t simply a product of what has happened but a result of how we think, what we’ve previously experienced, and what we believe. What do feelings or emotions reveal about what we hold dear, value, or treasure? This will be unique for each person. Two people could witness a car accident and have two different responses. One could be saddened to see others injured. The other could be saddened to see people injured but also have a wave of grief overtake them because they lost a loved one to an accident years ago. As we work to understand the “why” of what we feel, we gain a better understanding of how to respond in healthy ways.
4. How have you responded?Processing difficult experiences involves more than talking. Healthy processing requires healthy responding. “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you” (Ps. 56:3). David shows us what it looks like to respond when fear comes near. Perhaps you’ve experienced relational hurt and fear having additional conversations with the one who hurt you. Fear might tell you to avoid that person, that you will only be emotionally safe when you keep your distance. But listening to the voice of fear isn’t healthy when it doesn’t produce faithful, God-honoring responses. Additionally, trusting the voice of fear won’t produce the deep and lasting safety your heart desires.
Trust becomes a tool for healthy processing as we respond by listening to the voice of the Lord instead of the voice of fear.
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The Lord is the source of our peace and comfort. Trust becomes a tool for healthy processing as we respond by listening to the voice of the Lord instead of the voice of fear. “Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us” (Ps. 62:8). When we respond to difficult emotions in God-centered ways, we position ourselves to experience his healing mercy and grace.
As church planters, pastors, and ministry leaders, using these questions as a guide will hopefully bring clarity and encouragement for you and those you’re serving. Resist the urge to move too fast. Each question might take several conversations. The goal is not speed but patience and clarity. Above all else, use these questions to lead people to the Lord—he is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble (Ps. 46:1).
The post How to Help People Process Difficult Emotions appeared first on Acts 29.
Editor’s Note:* This article is adapted from a talk given at Acts 29’s Help for the Journey conference in Spain in 2022. You can read part one here*. Many times throughout the psalms, we read the words of a desperate leader, crying out to God amid heartache. In fact, nearly 40 percent of the psalms contain lament language. They wrote of miserable circumstances and seemed to often be living in dark times. So, why do you think the psalmists appeared depressed much of the time?
We may wonder about the weary words of the psalms, but their heartache is more prevalent in our lives today than we realize. As Christians, we should be surprised when we find ourselves living in complete abundance and ease. Psalm 31 offers a glimpse into David’s aching heart. Although he believed in God’s goodness and might, he still questioned the chaos that surrounded him. His fear often outweighed his trust and belief, and that’s the case with us, too. As we navigate the chaos that often accompanies the planting of churches, we can be tempted to fear and unbelief.
It’s easy to trust God when things are going great, but when they turn awry, this becomes more difficult. Here are two truths from Psalm 31 that encourage steadfast endurance for church planters.
God Protects YouThe word “refuge” appears four times in Psalm 31. David was fearful of his enemies’ attack and felt their approach was imminent. But he still recognized the refuge of the Lord. Also mentioned in this psalm are words like “fortress” and “rock,” signifying the strength and assurance of God’s protection. This does have theological implications, but when David wrote Psalm 31, it was much more personal and practical. He faced real physical danger, so he trusted God to be his actual refuge and fortress in the face of his enemies.
Just as David longed for protection, church planters ache for security, too. The answer to that longing is found in the cross of Christ—he took on our greatest enemy and declared us safe.
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Just as David longed for protection, church planters ache for security, too. The answer to that longing is found in the cross of Christ—he took on our greatest enemy and declared us safe. So when unkind words are hurled at you by those you trusted, take heart and abide in Christ. When enemies surround you and neighbors betray you, remember that your hope and stay is in Christ alone. We’re protected and safe in Christ, the rock of our salvation.
God Provides for You When we find ourselves in hardship, we’re tempted to look elsewhere for encouragement and provision. David acknowledges this as he wrote, “For your name’s sake you lead me and guide me” (Ps. 31:3). He knew it was both God’s protection and his provision that would deliver him. We’re often looking to other sources to lead and guide us as we launch and lead our churches, but God offers the best direction for our weary hearts.
Do you feel uncertain about the future? As church planters and pastors, we’re bound to face daunting seasons of transition in ministry. People leave your church, you may change meeting places and times, you could face strife with your community, and the list goes on. But these changes are not new to God, as he’s led you where you are for his good purposes.
We must turn away from seeking the approval of others in unhealthy ways. Our deep longing for comfort, protection, and provision can only be filled by God. When we care too much about others’ opinions, our focus moves from God to ourselves. But this isn’t the way for us. Our weakness is made perfect in his strength, and by Christ’s wounds, we are healed and protected.
Glory to Our GodNotice what David wrote in Psalm 31:21, “Blessed be the LORD, for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me when I was in a besieged city.” He reflects on God’s love four times in this psalm, and ends it with a doxology of praise. Amid the threats David faced and the enemies pursuing him, he still knew the deep love of God. He recognized that without God’s steadfast love, he didn’t stand a chance.
We’re often looking to other sources to lead and guide us as we launch and lead our churches, but God offers the best direction for our weary hearts.
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God doesn’t leave his people alone—his love abounds further than our fear and failure. David finished his psalm with an exhortation to “love the LORD, all you his saints!” (Ps. 31:23). We’re called to abide in God’s love, no matter our circumstances. In his sovereignty, God loves, protects, and provides far beyond what we think we need.
Many psalmists lamented their hardship, but they recognized that God was present through every trial. May we be church planters, pastors, and leaders who seek to glorify God no matter what comes our way.
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When you’re visiting a new church, there’s a rush of thoughts that flood your mind the moment your feet cross through the door. The potential to be seen (or not) is at the top of every newcomer’s mind. “Is this a place of belonging where I might find safety and care?” That’s a common question running through the mind of a visitor. The split-second arrival impression can set the pace of a first-time visitor’s experience and prompt their engagement or turn them away.
The landscape of church engagement has changed remarkably in recent years. It’s likely many first-time visitors are already familiar with your church because of virtual engagement through websites, online service streaming, and social media. They show up having already done their research. They were intrigued enough to come, and it’s vital we put forth an accurate and genuine experience.
The presence of a curious, warm, and accessible team ready to welcome and engage can make a big difference.
Put Yourself in Their ShoesA new member of our church was recounting an experience visiting another church in a different city, where she remained unnoticed. She walked in, sat in the service, and no one moved toward her. She left with a sour taste in her mouth, as their website indicated there was community, connection, and a faith-formed family. This proved untrue in her brief time that morning, and she moved on, never to visit again.
When putting yourself in a visitor’s shoes, it’s crucial to consider timing. Many regular attendees arrive right on time (or five minutes late). We’re in a rush to get through the door, find a seat, drop off a child or two in class, greet those we know, and that’s it. Often, the presence of an unfamiliar face isn’t even on the radar of a typical church member. Additionally, the pastor and staff are preparing to serve and lead and aren’t always present to greet a newcomer. It’s interesting that most new visitors arrive early (as opposed to regular attendees), and there’s often no one around to receive them.
We ultimately want people to encounter Jesus and know they belong with his people.
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The moment after the service ends, when the benediction is given and folks begin to leave, is also a litmus test of authenticity for new visitors. Preparations are over, the service is complete, and people relax a little. Real community is displayed as post-church plans are made, and people head into their weeks. During this time, people often linger as kids run around and adults connect with affection, kindness, and love. This kind of friendly chatter gives hope that belonging is possible.
Here are three questions to guide you as you consider how to best serve those visiting your church.
What are the first moments of connection like for a visitor?The connection cycle begins long before someone visits. It’s the invitation in the context of a relationship that brings not-yet believers to consider Jesus. They will then visit your website and public-facing platforms for information and a sense of community, tone, and beliefs. These are the windows into your church, and creating transparency, up-to-date information, and relevant language towards the ear of a newcomer can be the difference between bringing someone in and them choosing not to look inside any longer.
When they decide to come to the front door of a church, we need to plan for a warm, inviting, and balanced entry. We want people to be seen and informed, allowing space to take it all in and engage at their comfort level.
What is the experience in and through the service?Secondly, the in-service experience and the liturgy rhythm should feel like an open door to someone unfamiliar with church. The language we use, acknowledging visitors, and explaining what’s happening all help the person feel like the system is open. We ultimately want people to encounter Jesus and know they belong with his people.
Most Sunday mornings are a hustle for church planters and ministry leaders, but it’s essential we not forget to be mission-minded people.
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What follow-up happens once someone leaves the building?The ten minutes post-service is so important for informal connections. Having an easy pathway for collecting contact information is essential to establishing a relationship. We can follow their pace in communicating and be respectful, but we must not neglect following up with them. No matter their personality, people long to be seen. Receiving an email or text acknowledging their presence on that Sunday and inviting them into the next phase of connection moves a person from unknown to known.
It’s important to take time and reflect on your process of welcoming and connecting with new visitors. Most Sunday mornings are a hustle for church planters and ministry leaders, but it’s essential we not forget to be mission-minded people. Put yourself in the shoes of a newcomer to your church, and recognize the great privilege we have to receive those Jesus sends our way with gladness and care.
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Amid concerns that Christianity is declining in the US, it is undeniably growing in other parts of the world, particularly in the global South. By 2050, it’s estimated there will be 686 million Christians in Latin America. This represents a 12% growth from mid-2022. God is doing a beautiful, redemptive work in these countries, and it’s our joy to join that mission. Iglesia Bautista Adulam, an Acts 29 church in Uruguay, is experiencing this gospel growth firsthand.
Uruguay is located on the southeastern coast of South America and is home to over 3.5 million people. Facundo Luzardo, pastor of Iglesia Bautista Adulam, said Uruguay is known for being one of the most secularized countries in Latin America. Their church strives to be a community of refuge and transformation for those who need Jesus.
Recently, Pastor Facundo shared with us some inspiring things happening in their church and community. Here are 10 reasons we’re excited about church planting in Uruguay!
1. First Acts 29 Church in Uruguay! Facundo with his wife and two children
Iglesia Bautista Adulam is the first (and only) Acts 29 church in the region. They’re blessed to see all the Lord is doing in Uruguay, and hopeful to see more Acts 29 churches in the future.
2. Church RevitalizationFacundo and his family came to Iglesia Bautista Adulam three years ago for church revitalization. God has breathed new life into the congregation, and they’re seeing incredible discipleship opportunities.
3. Growth in Church MembershipTheir church is growing! They’re excited to welcome mature Christians who left unhealthy church environments and new believers who recently came to faith in Jesus.
4. Intentional Church Planting Historically, church planting in Uruguay happens because a church is divided over conflict or by accident, so Facundo is excited to see more churches planted with intention. They’re actively teaching and planning for missional multiplication.
First assessment conference in Uruguay in October 2022
5. Financial Support of MissionariesThis small church with few resources is making it a priority to financially and prayerfully partner with church planters in other areas and support missionaries.
Historically, church planting in Uruguay happens because a church is divided over conflict or by accident, so Facundo is excited to see more churches planted with intention.
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6. Serving in a Secular ContextAlthough this can be discouraging and challenging at times, Facundo and his church try to see it as an opportunity. Lots of people need the gospel, and they are working diligently to share the good news of Jesus.
7. Partnership with Local SeminaryFacundo was invited to teach a class at a local seminary about church planting. He’s excited to see the students grow and hopes to encourage them toward ministry opportunities.
8. Theological MaturityOne of Facundo’s goals in revitalization was to see the church grow in a biblical understanding of ecclesiology. The church is increasing in theological clarity and maturity. They’re establishing a more robust membership process and laying a foundation for healthy leadership in the years to come.
9. Church Library for Discipleship They recently opened a small library for members to borrow books that aid in learning and discipleship. Facundo hopes to motivate the church to read theologically rich content.
10. Collaboration with Other ChurchesThey’re coming alongside other churches and pastors in the area for collaboration and missional partnership with one common goal—the advancement of the gospel in Uruguay.
A pastor’s conference in Uruguay
Acts 29 exists to plant churches worldwide. As we partner together in this mission, would you pray for Iglesia Bautista Adulam in Uruguay? Here are four specific requests:
- Pray for new believers in their church and for their members to be committed to discipling them.
- Pray for their current members who are going through financial troubles, for people to find jobs, and for leadership to teach good financial stewardship.
- Pray for God to send a missionary family to Uruguay to come serve in leadership alongside Facundo and his wife.
- Pray for financial partners for Pastor Facundo and his family. Facundo and his wife both work full-time outside of the church and would love to transition to full-time vocational ministry.
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As a young man starting out in ministry, I assumed that my fire and zeal would always be the same, that fruitfulness in ministry would just happen, and that I would finish. Twenty years later, I’m asking, what’s it going to take for me to finish well?
I’ve been through hardships and endured suffering. I’ve seen churches grow quickly and fall apart just as fast. I’ve watched men burn out and witnessed others melt their lives and ministry down due to moral failings or abuse of power. I can’t help but wonder, why are so many brothers failing to finish the race?
We start, but not all of us sustain. So how do we change that? I believe that the legacy of your ministry, your church, and our network depends on us being, becoming, and building faithful finishers.
Click on the video below to watch this main session teaching at the Acts 29 Advance Conference in Raleigh, North Carolina, where Brian Key identifies seven ingredients of a faithful finisher. He encourages pastors to be faithful finishers who model the character of Christ, as they proclaim the gospel of Christ, to the glory of Christ.
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When we first planted Liberti Church in Liverpool, we were full of excitement for our mission. You could say our missional furnace was burning strong. Our core team sold their homes and moved into the area. We launched our gatherings in the heart of our community and built relationships with our neighbors. We were experiencing exciting growth—but none of us could see what was around the corner.
Less than two years after we planted, the pandemic hit. It came crashing in like a wave through our young church, extinguishing almost all of our missional opportunities overnight. Fostering a church community online was difficult and limiting, but we made it through. However, when we were able to meet in person again, we found that, unfortunately, people didn’t return with the same fervor as before.
Compared to the early days of church planting when everyone seemed on fire for ministry, now the missional temperature of our church was cold. The post-pandemic need for personal comfort had bled into the culture of our church and was distracting our people from mission. I wasn’t quite sure how to remedy this problem.
Gauging the TemperatureI shared my frustration with a mentor, telling him our church had grown cold to the gospel and we weren’t experiencing any fruitful ministry. He allowed me to vent and then posed an unexpected question, “What’s the missional temperature of your home?”
I went to him seeking help on how to handle this struggle within our church, not for advice on assessing my home. But, in his wisdom, he turned my gaze to see the two cannot be separated.
Like those in our church, I’d become accustomed to personal comfort, which distracted me and my family from our gospel-driven mission. My own missional coldness had affected that of our church.
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This question from my mentor arrested me. At first, I tried to find some winsome answer that would deflect the conversation back to the problems at church, hoping maybe he would just forget about it. He didn’t forget and continued to ask me to seriously consider his question. I knew he was leading me to see that the missional temperature of a church cannot be isolated from that of its leaders. The way we lead inevitably affects our church culture. Healthy leaders model behavior that encourages a healthy community.
Grace in the Cold As I was increasingly frustrated with the lack of missional engagement in our church post-pandemic, I realized I’d lost focus, too. Like those in our church, I’d become accustomed to personal comfort, which distracted me and my family from our gospel-driven mission. My own missional coldness had affected that of our church.
For church planters and pastors, it’s easy to be overcome with guilt when our shortcomings present themselves. But I found immense grace in this cold season. Christ is at work in my weaknesses, and his strength proves perfect and unchanging in my faults. Liberti Church isn’t my church, it’s Christ’s church—and he’ll see his mission through.
Stoking the FlamesIt was the grace of Christ that breathed air into our church’s smoldering missional embers. We can plan, strategize, and mobilize all we want, but unless we see that Christ is both the focus and the fuel for our mission, we have no hope for ministry fortitude. My family prayed together, asking the Spirit to bring afresh a passion for Christ and his mission in both our marriage and our home. Our church and leaders confessed, repented, and prayed—stoking the flames to spark newfound missional engagement for our community.
We can plan, strategize, and mobilize all we want, but unless we see that Christ is both the focus and the fuel for our mission, we have no hope for ministry fortitude.
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Joy in the HeatHealthy fruit grows best in warmer climates. As the missional temperature rose in our home and church, we began to see exciting things happen around us. Our dinner table was regularly filled with unbelievers engaging with the gospel for the first time. Friends who had carried pain for decades found healing on our couch. Church members met with people in coffee shops and invited them to know Jesus. Stories like this became common for our church once again, which reignited a joy to serve on mission together.
When there’s a healthy focus on mission in the homes of leaders, you can expect the same to be true for other families in your church. Missional culture is a high priority for church planters and pastors. It’s the joy of every believer to join Christ in his mission and enjoy the fruit as we go make disciples of all nations. It’s important to assess the temperature of both your church and your home, and be honest about your findings. If you find yourself in a season of coldness, there’s grace for you. Pray that the Spirit would fan the flame and ignite a fire for missional growth.
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Editor’s Note:* This article is adapted from a talk given at Acts 29’s Help for the Journey conference in Spain in 2022.A friend of mine works with church leaders to develop their spiritual health. He often asks them, “Do you functionally* believe you have every spiritual blessing in Christ and have all you need?” This is a deeply introspective question and one the apostle Paul alludes to in the first chapter of Ephesians. But why is this question so important?
As Christians, especially church leaders, we know we’ve received every spiritual blessing in Christ. But knowing the right answer and functionally believing it to be true are two different things. Often, we seek to engineer blessings from somewhere else as our hearts wander and run after the world’s empty promises.
Our hearts idolize comfort. We’re often tricked into believing the grass is greener elsewhere in our longing to be accepted. We don’t know what to do when our comfortable lives and ministry are challenged. If we’re used to taking the path of least resistance, then when hardship arrives at our doorstep, we aren’t sure how to handle it. Pastoring and church planting offer plenty of moments of great joy and privilege, but it doesn’t come without deep challenges.
There will always be a level of discomfort in the ministry of church planting. After all, we follow a crucified king. Let’s look at two observations from Psalm 94 to help us faithfully respond when our comfort is challenged, and hardship comes our way.
God Defends His PeopleIt’s striking how many of the psalms of lament involve direct oppression from outside forces. In Psalm 94:3–6, the opponents of Israel are described as wicked, arrogant, evildoers, boastful, and murderers. They didn’t believe in God’s power or deity and sought to destroy his people.
As you face hardship, uncertainty, or anxiety, remember God defends and delivers his people. You can find comfort and joy in his steadfast love.
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Have you ever been wronged by someone and wondered if they’ll ever receive due justice for the pain they caused? It could be someone outside your church, maybe unbelievers in your town who despise your gospel message. However, those inside our flock often inflict the most harm. No matter the situation, we long for justice when people intentionally hurt us. But as the psalmist reminds us, justice is not ours to wield.
“For the Lord will not forsake his people;
he will not abandon his heritage;
for justice will return to the righteous,
and all the upright in heart will follow it” (Ps. 94:14–15).
Dear friends, those who’ve caused you harm have not gotten away with it. God knows and will handle it all in his perfect time and way. You can trust him. Remain calm amid chaos, and remember that God promises to protect his people; he promises to protect you.
God Delivers His People There are things about church planting that will always be hard. We’ll go through seasons of discomfort and pain, waiting for the suffering to subside. But one hardship blends into the next; before we know it, we’re drowning in frustration. When will we be free from pain and suffering? Who will fight for us when we can’t muster up the courage or energy to fight for ourselves?
We find an answer in Psalm 94:18, “When I thought, ‘My food slips,’ your steadfast love, O LORD, held me up.” This is a beautiful reminder that God upholds us through our pain, anxieties, and failures. He’ll never leave or forsake us, and we can trust that he’ll deliver us.
The problem with these fast fixes is that they aren’t a fix at all—they add to our anxiety rather than remedy it.
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It’s easy, however, to say we believe that God will deliver us. It’s much harder to live it out. We may read Psalm 94:18 and say we trust God’s steadfast love, but instead of turning to him, we turn to social media, online shopping, or whatever else we can find to provide quick comfort. But the problem with these fast fixes is that they aren’t a fix at all—they add to our anxiety rather than remedy it. But when we come to the Lord seeking refuge and cast our cares on him, we find his steadfast love holds us fast.
The psalmist experienced great hardship, but God’s comfort brought him joy even in the depths of his anxiety. We’re reminded in Psalm 94:22, “The Lord has become my stronghold, and my God the rock of my refuge.” It is in God, and God alone, that we find safety. We’re united to Christ—it’s the most secure place we’ll ever be.
As you face hardship, uncertainty, or anxiety, remember God defends and delivers his people. You can find comfort and joy in his steadfast love. So whatever hardships come (and they will), functionally look to him as the One who has given you everything you need in Christ. He will deliver and defend. He’s got you.
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Failing is inevitable in ministry. Every pastor or ministry leader feels inadequate at some point. Tim Keller says no matter what you do, your first 200 sermons will be terrible. Ed Stetzer said he struggled with feelings of inferiority his entire ministry. Scotty Smith admitted it wasn’t until he reached a breaking point at 50 years old that he got comfortable with his weakness.
This isn’t a unique struggle. Your missional impact feels stagnant; a member with lots of potential leaves; you underperformed last week. The temptation to quit grows the more you feel like a failure.
Whether you’re crushing it or barely hanging on, there’s no getting around that feeling that you’re not good enough to accomplish the task Jesus has given you. So if you’re going to finish your race well, you need to learn how to overcome inadequacy, perhaps even utilize it. Here are two suggestions that will help.
1. Embrace Strategic FailureMy friend Shane Shaddix says failure is so inevitable in ministry that churches should practice “strategic failure.” This means accepting that a church or a pastor can’t do everything well and strategically choosing what they will be bad at for a season.
At the beginning of our church plant, we strategically failed at kid’s ministry; it was just a rainbow cage in a corner—as if putting colors on a fence made it better. Our social media team was me, so we posted online once a month. The worship ministry was one guy with a guitar. These were all strategic failures because we had limited leaders and resources. We were willing to fail at some of the good stuff, so we didn’t fail at the essential stuff, like preaching the gospel, church membership, evangelism, etc.
Failing in a particular area doesn’t mean you’re a failure. It means you have priorities.
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The apostles strategically failed at caring for widows (Acts 6). Paul strategically failed to keep everyone on his team (Acts 15:36–41). Jesus strategically failed at keeping the big crowds (John 6:66). Even Marie Kondo, the famed cleaner who has sparked joy through books and shows on tidying up, is strategically failing right now at keeping her house clean because she has two little kids. Toddlers matter more than tidiness.
Failing in a particular area doesn’t mean you’re a failure. It means you have priorities. What areas are you willing to strategically fail in right now, so you can succeed in what matters most?
2. Go Back to the GospelI’ve felt inadequate in every season of church planting, from 10 people in a living room to a crowd of over 400 in the building we bought. There are so many things required of church planters—leading staff, communication, casting vision, fundraising, counseling, community outreach, finding real estate, etc. You may feel like you’re failing at most things, if not everything, you do. The way you handle that feeling of failure without quitting is by going back to where you started—the gospel.
Every pastor knows the gospel. But not every pastor lives in light of its truths. Peter knew and preached the gospel (to thousands!) but had to be reminded by the apostle Paul to get back to it (Gal. 2). It’s possible for us to know and preach the gospel yet not live in light of it—especially when it comes to our feelings of inferiority.
May our lives be a living example of the gospel we proclaim. Weak men and women, unintimidated by failure, saved and used by a strong Savior.
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The very starting point of our faith is embracing our failures and throwing ourselves completely on Christ’s mercy. The entire redemptive narrative of the Bible is person after person with significant flaws. From Gideon, who said, “I’m the weakest in my family.” To Paul, who said, “I’m the worst sinner.” We come from that redemptive history. And our weakness is a bleak backdrop illuminating Christ’s perfection.
Many church planters today are known for peacocking around the room. I’ve been in some green rooms and talked to some “big pastors.” It’s often the most bombastic pastors, the most inflated leaders, the ones who act like they have all the answers and no weaknesses, that are the most insecure. They’re loud and puffed up with knowledge, seeking to overcome their feelings of incompetence by making themselves look better than everyone else in the room. But this undercuts the very gospel we proclaim! We need to go back to the beginning.
Proclaim and Live the GospelThe same gospel that saves us sustains us. Every day in ministry should begin with, “I’m not good enough, God. This isn’t good enough. I underperformed here. But thank you, Jesus, for loving me and using me amid my weaknesses.” People can walk away from your ministry seeing your strength or Jesus’s strength. Let’s show them his strength. May our lives be a living example of the gospel we proclaim. Weak men and women, unintimidated by failure, saved and used by a strong Savior.
The great irony of embracing weakness in ministry is that it’s more effective. People would rather follow someone who is always real than someone who is always right.
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The gospel frees us to fail because it’s only when we collapse into an admission that we’re not good enough that we are then saved. And the great irony of embracing weakness in ministry is that it’s more effective. People would rather follow someone who is always real than someone who is always right. There is more might in your ministry when people see you don’t have it all together, but you have a Savior who does. Our weakness is the perfect megaphone for Jesus’s strength.
So let’s fail to the glory of God.
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Acts 29 exists to plant churches worldwide. We’re zealous to make disciples of Jesus in all places among all nations. One area the kingdom is advancing is Costa Rica. This Central American country, known for its beautiful beaches, rainforests, and volcanoes, is home to many people who don’t know Jesus. But one church is changing that.
Grace and Truth Church—the first Acts 29 church in Costa Rica—is boldly proclaiming the gospel, and people are hearing and responding in faith. Pastor Esteban Rojas recently shared a few ways this church is eternally impacting the people of Costa Rica. Here are 10 reasons we’re excited about church planting in Costa Rica!
1. Children Are DiscipledGrace and Truth Church launched a children’s ministry after carefully training teachers. They currently have five volunteer leaders serving 15 children, helping to shape them by God’s Word.
As these women grow in biblical literacy, they're becoming courageous disciple-makers.
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2. Teens Are DevelopedThey started a monthly youth meeting and are also equipping a young man named Juan Carlos, who aspires to pastoral ministry. Hopefully, more young adults will be captured by a vision to serve and lead churches in Costa Rica.
3. Multiculturalism Is CelebratedThe church celebrates their multiculturalism and thanks God for bringing people from El Salvador, Honduras, Chile, Nicaragua, and Colombia to join them on mission for their city.
4. Women Study the BibleThe women’s ministry continues to grow, and they have 17 sisters regularly meeting to study the Bible. As these women grow in biblical literacy, they’re becoming courageous disciple-makers.
5. New Believers Are BaptizedAs the gospel is declared and displayed by the saints of Grace and Truth Church, more people give their lives to Christ. In 2022, they baptized 13 new believers! Check out this video.
6. New Members Are Joining the MissionIn 2022, 30 new members were welcomed into Grace and Truth Church, and another 15 new candidates are attending an upcoming membership class. They are eager to reach their community with the hope of the gospel.
We’re excited for each new church planted and for each new disciple made. May we continue to grow in zeal for our mission to reach the nations for God’s glory.
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7. Church Leaders Are TrainedThey are developing several people who will be future deacons and church leaders, helping to serve the body and equip them for ministry. This is essential for the growing church to be effective in mission.
8. More People Hear the Word PreachedEach Sunday, about 65 people are being discipled in the Word. This is great, even as they outgrow their meeting space. The church is grateful for the opportunities they have to proclaim the gospel and hopes their impact will continue to increase.
9. Local Collaboration Is HappeningThey organized a conference for young people, which more than 80 people from different churches attended. They’re building a network of healthy youth groups from different churches.
10. Church Planting Is PrioritizedIn February, they held a church-planting conference in conjunction with Acts 29, with more than 100 people attending. This event focused on healthy church planting. Their goal is to catalyze a movement of healthy churches planted across Costa Rica. Representatives came from 34 different churches in the country, all ambitious to work together to plant more churches in Costa Rica.
As we partner together to plant churches worldwide, would you pray for Grace and Truth Church in Costa Rica? Here are three specific requests:
- Pray for their ministries to be successful in reaching their community for Christ.
- Pray for more leaders to be developed to help grow and lead the church.
- Pray for a bigger, more accessible meeting place to accommodate this growing church.
Acts 29 partners with churches like Grace and Truth Church in Costa Rica all over the world so more people can know and worship King Jesus. We’re excited for each new church planted and for each new disciple made. May we continue to grow in zeal for our mission to reach the nations for God’s glory.
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In 1857, the novelist Anthony Trollope wrote, “There is, perhaps, no greater hardship at present inflicted on mankind in civilized and free countries, than the necessity of listening to sermons.” He goes on to describe the “preaching clergyman” as “the bore of the age.”
Preaching has always had its haters. We see this in the Scriptures and throughout the history of the church. So, is there a future for preaching?
In this recording of Dr. Tony Merida’s main session teaching at the Acts 29 Advance Conference in Raleigh, North Carolina, he says there is a future for preaching because the theological convictions which undergird preaching are timeless. He identifies five convictions that drive one’s commitment to preach God’s Word and proposes a model for preachers to follow.
Click on the video below to watch this conference session as Tony encourages pastors to “Preach Christ from all the Scriptures, with contextual sensitivity, out of the overflow of your heart, to the hearts of people.”
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Moms often joke about the frustrations of “mom brain.” You forget where you put your coffee mug or why you walked into a room. “Mom brain” is contagious and can be caught by dads, too. I succumbed to it a few months ago as we were wading the waters of newborn life. I couldn’t remember my debit card pin for three months. While this experience was frustrating, the impact on my life was relatively low (although I’m sure we saved some money).
However, there’s a kind of forgetfulness that’s much more destructive and devastating. In Deuteronomy 8, Moses warns the Israelites about the dangers of forgetting the Lord. “And if you forget the LORD your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish” (Deut. 8:19).
Church planters practice many spiritual disciplines to enjoy God and walk in his ways. But what about remembrance? Do you view the act of remembering as a spiritual discipline? If not, consider these three observations that show how foundationally important the discipline of remembrance is.
Failings of ForgetfulnessThe Lord warned his people about the dangers of forgetting. He knew when they took possession of a rich and beautiful land, they would be tempted to forget it was God who offered provision. “Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth” (Deut. 8:17).
Have you looked around at the good things in your life and believed they are the result of your labors and efforts? Church planter, have you forgotten that the Lord has grown your church or ministry? Has your heart become puffed up within you?
Because we’re prone to forget, we must train our hearts to remember.
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Needless to say, Israel didn’t remember (Judg. 3:7). If you’re like me, you may find it easy to throw shade at them for failing to remember God’s mighty hand of deliverance. They witnessed the plagues in Egypt, walked on dry land as God parted the Red Sea, ate bread from heaven, and drank water from a rock in the wilderness. How could they forfeit God’s faithfulness?
Paul exhorts us to learn from their example. “Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction . . .. Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor. 10:11–12). How do we take heed? We remember.
Forget Not His BenefitsBecause we’re prone to forget, we must train our hearts to remember. “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s” (Ps. 103:2–5).
How often do the ruminations of your mind produce worry, stress, anxiety, or despair? We can focus on all we think we need to do and fail to remember all God has done. This is especially true in church planting, for there are often endless things to accomplish. How often do your heart and mind migrate away from the Lord and toward your ministry to-do list?
Your heart needs to remember that God has removed your transgressions “as far as the east is from the west” (Ps. 103:12). That you’ve been redeemed from the pit (Ps. 103:4), and God’s steadfast love is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him (Ps. 103:17). His love for you cannot be exhausted. His mercy for you is new each morning, and his grace for you is always enough. Forget not all his benefits.
Do This in Remembrance of MeAll of God’s benefits come to us through Jesus Christ, and all of God’s promises find their yes in him (2 Cor. 1:20). Remembering is so important that God has woven it into the very fabric of his church. The Lord’s Supper is a regular reminder of God’s grace. As we participate in this, we call to mind the life-giving work of Jesus.
We can focus on all we think we need to do and fail to remember all that God has done.
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“Do this in remembrance of me” is a template for how we should live every day. To do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus (Col. 3:17) is to remember God is worthy of the deepest affections and motivations of our hearts. To be a Christian is to practice the discipline of remembrance.
In obedience, we remember there’s greater joy in God than in sin. When we exercise trust, we remember God delivers on all that he promises. When we walk in love, we remember that giving is better than receiving. In your joy, remember every good gift comes from above. In your trials, remember that he who called you is faithful. Church planter, remind your heart to remember.
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Acts 29 exists to plant churches worldwide. Of the eight billion people in the world today, only about one-third would call themselves Christians. That means billions of people don’t know Jesus. We want people from every tribe, tongue, and nation to know and worship him. We believe that to be faithful to the Great Commission’s call to make disciples is to be passionate about church planting. This is why we plant churches worldwide.
Check out this video to hear Acts 29 president, Brian Howard, and Acts 29 vice president of church planting, Tyler Jones, discuss our identity as a church-planting organization.
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Churches have seasons marked by both joyful and difficult circumstances. Our church has been experiencing the brokenness of our world steadily showing up as a challenge. Illness, loss, surgery, bad news, relational conflict, financial challenge, and chronic pain are just a few difficulties plaguing our congregation. As these things arise, our gut-level responses join with the familiar words of the psalmist, who regularly asks, “Where are you, God?”
It’s common to blame God when things don’t go our way. The unexplainable, lousy news of a Tuesday afternoon phone call can quickly rock our declaration of Jesus as king on a Sunday morning. It’s destabilizing to be jolted from a place of relative predictability to a new reality that forces us to face our limitedness and mortality.
This experience is familiar to God’s people. Since the garden of Eden, there’s been an ongoing battle between the presence of brokenness in our world and the longing for restoration and renewal. Why must we endure hardship while God is more than able to intervene? This reflection echoes Job’s story as he laments, “For my sighing comes instead of my bread, and my groanings are poured out like water” (Job 3:24).
Lament in the presence of God is a healthy practice. It urges us not to become despairing or myopic but to look to the One who was before all things and now holds the world (Col. 1:17). As we’re oriented to God, we gain perspective, and the Spirit widens our knowledge. Asaph declares in Psalm 73:17, “Until I entered the sanctuary of God, then I understood.”
For over twenty years, gospel culture has been forged in our local church through faithful commitment to essential beliefs like the preached Word, honest confession, and commitment to Jesus having the power to save (Acts 4:12). In this season of hardship, our church has proved the gospel can be fully experienced in times of trouble just as in times of ease.
The discipline of deferring to God and seeking his will showed our powerlessness, and helped us believe and declare his goodness, no matter the circumstances.
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As difficulty and pain have visited our community, there’s been an awakening of connection in the face of deep need. I’ve seen love in action by intentionally turning my focus away from dire circumstances and observing my brothers and sisters ministering to one another. It’s been a display of God showing off his glory in tangible ways. Here are four observations I’m grateful for in this season of our church.
Vulnerability of the SuffererThe common theme in all the hard situations we’ve faced is the one in need didn’t hide. They quickly revealed their place of suffering and invited others to participate by publicly sharing their struggles with our church. Putting yourself out there is a risk, but the result allowed us to walk alongside them as they faced the unknown circumstances God ordained. God knitted our stories together so the sufferer wouldn’t walk alone and we’d unite in caring for one another.
Prayer As Foundation Our immediate response to the news of tragedy and difficulty was to get on our knees and pray. It was remembering God’s majesty and power (Ex. 15:6), his sovereignty (Ps. 147:4–5), his control (Jer. 10:12–13), his love (John 3:16), and praying in accordance with what is true of him. The discipline of deferring to God and seeking his will showed our powerlessness and helped us believe and declare his goodness, no matter the circumstances. The literal posture of kneeling our bodies before God showed our need and dependence on him alone.
In this season of hardship, our church has proved the gospel can be fully experienced in times of trouble just as in times of ease.
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Scripture-Soaked EncouragementThe love of God’s Word is foundational to the DNA of our church. Our growth in biblical literacy in recent years produced an outpouring of encouragement that wasn’t empty platitudes but filled with rich truths the Spirit brought to mind in his people. The excitement was contagious as we saw the ripple impact of God’s Word being proclaimed over the sufferer. The same passage of Scripture was often sent by different people, which built our faith as we saw the Spirit orchestrate encouragement beyond us.
Practical Needs Met The tangible expression of care through meals, rides, care baskets, gift cards, presence, treats, and comfort items showed God holding the needy. There’s delight and joy in serving. It’s a stunning expression showing we’re connected, whole beings. Caring for physical needs sets the backdrop for receiving spiritual and emotional care. Healing is an embodied experience, and seeing our community activate above and beyond showed the fullness of God’s touch.
This also proved to be a missional witness to those family and friends caring for the one suffering. Addressing their practical needs spread the aroma of Christ and has since led to many asking about the church and the way of Jesus.
We don’t wish for suffering or go looking for it, but God’s allowance of it can be the place of profound revelation. His allowance doesn’t mean he is distant. Instead, in the time of deepest need, we see a display of his glory and love, which shapes us in ways we didn’t know we needed.
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In the US, churches are closing at alarming rates. Church attendance continues to decline as the number of people who view religion as irrelevant or don’t believe in God steadily increases. Planting and sustaining evangelistic churches that make disciples of Jesus has never been more urgent.
While church planting is worthy work with eternal significance, it’s also hard work. You might assume the main reason a new church plant closes its doors is due to a lack of funding. While insufficient resources are often a factor, according to a recent ECFA study, planters whose churches closed cited “lack of an adequate core group” as the primary reason. Church planters and their families face many challenges. Having passionate, skilled, and committed teams around them drastically contributes to the sustainability of a new church.
Building a solid core team for your church plant is critical, but how is it done? I asked some pastors and leaders of Acts 29 churches to share their expertise learned after years of planting. Read their helpful tips below for identifying, developing, and growing missional core teams who plant churches worldwide.
“I think the biggest trap in identifying a core team member for a church plant is when we get distracted by a person’s gifts and competencies. Although core competencies are important for any team member, I’ve found greater success when building around the gospel character of an individual—the faith, missionality, and resilience—which make up the church’s culture in its earliest stages. Your core team stands a greater probability of remaining intact when you build around people with a desire for the gospel to be central, a genuine love for Jesus, and a repentant heart as opposed to people who have important skills. We get drunk on a person’s skillsets and assume too much about their character in church planting.”
Donny Cho: senior pastor, Metro Church
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
I think the biggest trap in identifying a core team member for a church plant is when we get distracted by a person's gifts and competencies. - Donny Cho
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“Ask Jesus for workers. Ask young people for a year. Ask professionals to relocate and retired people to use their spare time. Ask, ask, ask, ask!”
David Pinckney: mission pastor, River of Grace Church
Concord, New Hampshire
“The most important thing to have on your core team is complementary leaders. Ask yourself, ‘who do I need around me to lead this church holistically?’ Those are the leaders to target and develop.”
Justin Anderson: Acts 29 director of church planting
“We’ve planted three churches since 2019, and I’m more convinced than ever that the healthiest church plants start with a good team. We’ve made a strategic decision that we’ll never plant a solo planter again. Two are better than one, and the three-cord strand is not easily broken!”
Chris Lewis: lead pastor, Foothill Church
Glendora, California
“One of the most valuable things to look at when building your core team is not necessarily what they can accomplish/do or what they are gifted at (though these matter a lot!), but look at who they are. We found some of our most outwardly gifted people were also some of the ones who struggled the most with pride or other sin issues. Our most humble, hungry, and teachable folks are the ones who have grown the most, grown the church the most, and stuck around the longest.”
Travis Cunningham: lead pastor, Story Church
Rancho Cucamonga, California
Our most humble, hungry, and teachable folks are the ones who have grown the most, grown the church the most, and stuck around the longest. - Travis Cunningham
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“The number one thing I tell guys is that they have to develop their launch/core team to think like church planters. It’s not just them planting the church; they must develop a team of church planters. Planters today need to have the mentality that they’re developing a missionary band that is planting this church.”
Chad Clarkson: pastor of church planting, Clear Creek Community Church
League City, Texas
“One mistake many church planters make when building a core team is being content with gathering people instead of gathering the right people. You don’t just need warm bodies to pad out your numbers; you need people who are evangelistic, missional, enthusiastic, and bought in. As well as making sure you gather the right people on your core team, as the lead planter, you need to communicate your expectations with them clearly.”
Tyler St. Clair: lead pastor, Cornerstone Church
Detroit, Michigan
“When gathering a core group, it’s important to cast a wide net with a well-executed networking plan. Many church planters don’t meet or connect with enough people. The result is a core group that is too small or doesn’t accurately represent the population they’re trying to reach. To gather a group of 50, a church planter will need to connect with hundreds of people. Many have no plan for how to do this.”
Hunter Beaumont: lead pastor, Fellowship Denver Church
Denver, Colorado
“A core team gathered to plant a church should be united around the mission of church planting. Be wary of core team members primarily concerned with finding a platform for their ministry. Church planting has a communal goal.”
Will Basham: lead pastor, New Heights Church
Milton, West Virginia
“Core teams are critically important and immensely valuable, but it’s possible that many of them won’t stick with you to the end. Some won’t make it five years. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pour into or care for them. Just prepare for potential heartbreak and keep your identity secure in Jesus.”
Noel Heikkinen: pastor of teaching and church planting, Riverview Church
Holt, Michigan
Let’s set up new churches for success by maximizing their missional effectiveness through solid core teams.
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As we work together as a global network to make disciples of Jesus Christ, let us do so by giving our church plants a good start. Let’s set up new churches for success by maximizing their missional effectiveness through solid core teams. May a new story be told soon of how more churches are being planted worldwide than ever before.
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Editor’s Note:* This post is part two of a series adapted from a talk on recruitment and training, given at the Acts 29 Great Britain & Ireland Equip event in Edinburgh. You can find part one here*. In the medical world, many students are trained using the “see one, do one, teach one” method. The idea was developed by William Stewart Halstead in the late 19th century to assist in training surgeons. Halstead had students watch surgical procedures in real-time, which allowed them to visualize their studies in a way not offered by books. Once they had witnessed it, the students would try the technique under the watchful eye of an experienced surgeon. Next, the students were tasked with teaching the procedure to someone else. This relational and hands-on approach to training has proven highly effective.
Experience is an essential part of the learning process. If we want to see church planters and pastors launch and lead healthy churches, our approach to training them should be both collaborative and relational.
Collaborative Approach to Training We want to be skilled ministers of the gospel so we may effectively pastor those in our churches and reach the people in our communities. As we partner across our network to plant churches worldwide, opportunities for the hands-on style of training develop naturally.
Gathering wisdom from trusted people is important, but it’s equally important we impart this same wisdom to others.
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Professional organizations employ this collaborative approach to training, too. A great example is the ARCH Project, a global initiative involving Latin America, North America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific. They host meetings multiple times a year aimed at equipping, informing, and inspiring the mission of local churches. Another example is Acts 29’s involvement with Grimké Seminary and Crosslands, each providing excellent training opportunities for church planters, pastors, and ministry leaders.
Relational Approach to TrainingPrograms are great and helpful, but one of our greatest assets for training church planters is one another. We’re practitioners who have experience with planting churches. We’ve felt the highs and lows of ministry. Many of us know the doubt and frustration that comes with leadership. We also know the joy of celebrating milestones. We can offer accountability and guidance to one another in beneficial, emphatic ways.
Our collective experience means we all have something to offer those in the early stages of church planting. If you want to know what it takes to plant a church in a rural context, some men have done it and would happily offer guidance. If you’re interested in planting in an urban context, we have plenty of mentors who can also share their experiences. Whether rural, city, island, or even suburban—we have a network full of men and women with a wealth of ministry knowledge and experience.
An essential part of church planter training is offering relational, lived experience. Our greatest asset is found in one another. If we long to plant healthy churches in Great Britain, Ireland, and beyond, we must draw on the knowledge of our colleagues and friends. No matter your stage in ministry, there’s always opportunity to learn and grow.
Training Benefits Your ChurchI’ve directly benefited from this collaborative and relational approach to training. Over the last six months, I’ve been coached by another Acts 29 pastor who has helped me visualize my ministry with greater clarity. His wisdom has shaped how I’ve developed our leadership team and helped me grow in other areas of discernment. Our church is in the early stages of a building project, and his guidance in this endeavor has been very helpful.
Over the last six months, I’ve been coached by another Acts 29 pastor who has helped me visualize my ministry with greater clarity.
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Our training has taken place on the job, so I’m working on daily ministry tasks while learning and being supported by a mentor. It’s clear to me this experience is preparing me to, one day, help another church planter grow and lead better, too. Gathering wisdom from trusted people is important, but it’s equally important we impart this same wisdom to others.
This pastor has helped me professionally, but we’ve also cultivated a friendship. I can call him for training, support, and general wisdom. That makes me a better pastor, and our church a better witness. I hope and pray that this relational, collaborative approach to training will result in seeing healthy churches planted worldwide.
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With over 54% of Guatemalans living in poverty, the nation is considered the second poorest country in Latin America. The poorest places are often the most remote communities where the majority of the indigenous population live. Over 80% of people living in Guatemalan’s rural towns and villages live in poverty.
Hunger, poor health, and a lack of access to running water, electricity, and basic education severely impact the quality of life for most of Guatemala’s indigenous people. In the Guatemalan Highlands, people’s livelihoods and well-being are linked to the land. Most families survive day to day by growing their own food. Sadly, many indigenous children grow up malnourished.
Amid such real and overwhelming need, there is still a much deeper tragedy afflicting Guatemala’s poorest places. Unless they hear the good news of Jesus, they are separated from a holy God, with most trapped believing a false gospel and following a false religion. Without a church, they will not experience the true and lasting peace that comes from knowing God. If the gospel of Jesus Christ is going to bring hope to the rural indigenous people of the Guatemalan Highlands, then we must plant churches there.
We’re developing a fully oral apprenticeship and assessment so that men who struggle to read and have only received minimal education can still learn and grow in their biblical knowledge and church-planting competencies.
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Acts 29 is committed to planting churches worldwide. We are engaging the unreached, where Jesus is neither named nor known. This often means being willing to go to the hard places and do the hard things. So what does that look like in a place like the Guatemalan Highlands?
Gospel TransformationMitch Muñoz is a dirt bike-riding, soccer-playing, Jesus-loving missionary who moved from Texas to Guatemala’s Highlands to introduce the poor to the hope of Jesus. He lives near a village called Los Chilitos. When Mitch arrived there, he had few local contacts and didn’t speak the language, but he was completely undeterred from reaching people with the gospel.
One of the men Mitch met is a farmer named Cayetano. He came from a strong Catholic background and was initially hostile toward Mitch and the gospel. After months of praying, the Lord saved him, and Mitch began training and developing Cayetano. Even though Cayetano couldn’t read and had only a very basic education, Mitch met with him regularly to teach and disciple him.
If remote communities around the world are going to be reached, we must evangelize, disciple, and train men to plant healthy churches in hard places.
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Cayetano also participated in Acts 29’s Church in Hard Places apprenticeship, which included taking his first plane trip out of the country as he attended an intensive training in the Dominican Republic. Last year, he completed Acts 29’s first fully oral church planter assessment. Today there is a solid, healthy church gathering in the village of Los Chilitos, which Cayetano leads.
Missional InnovationIf remote communities around the world are going to be reached, we must evangelize, disciple, and train men to plant healthy churches in hard places. But when men must work in the fields all day simply to feed their families, how can we train them to plant churches? How do we assess church planters who struggle to read and have no access to the internet? How do we coach and support church planters who live in remote communities that are hard to access?
The way we train and assess must adapt, but it cannot diminish the theology we teach, the convictions we share, and the values we hold. This is why we’re developing a fully oral apprenticeship and assessment so that men who struggle to read and have only received minimal education can still learn and grow in their biblical knowledge and church-planting competencies.
Kingdom AdvancementIn Guatemala, with the help of Mitch and Cayetano, Acts 29 churches are developing church planter training for the indigenous peoples of the Guatemalan Highlands. Mitch has identified a cohort of eight potential planters from neighboring villages. In partnership with Wasilla Bible Church, an Acts 29 church in Alaska, funding is available to these men to help them pay for laborers to work in their fields while they are away each month to receive training.
Additionally, the Church in Hard Places curriculum and other resources are being translated into Spanish audiobooks as a result of funding from an Acts 29 church in Denver. These audiobooks are uploaded onto solar-powered devices and made available to the trainees. The devices allow the men to listen to the training materials while working in the fields throughout the week.
We are engaging the unreached, where Jesus is neither named nor known. This often means being willing to go to the hard places and do the hard things.
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Men from a non-literate culture struggle to answer assessment questions in writing—most have never seen or used a computer, and none have consistent access to the internet. Instead, they answer in a cohort setting where a scribe records their responses. Over two years, these men will be trained in theology, biblical studies, ecclesiology, evangelism, and church-planting strategies and will have access to over 24 books in their language.
We anticipate that over the next two years, many will complete a fully oral assessment and go on to become Acts 29 church planters. Our hope is that this model of church planter training, funded and fueled by Acts 29 churches working in partnership, will be reproduced in multiple places and languages around the globe as we seek to reach the unreached by planting churches worldwide.
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A recession is on the horizon. Interest rates are rising, and stocks could continue their downward spiral plunge. Inflation is sinking the value of your money as you read this article, and yet, as pastors, we’re called to preach the whole of God’s Word, and that includes talking about tithing.
I don’t know many pastors who love preaching on money. I know even fewer who want to do it when people are complaining about how the price of eggs has doubled. But God’s Word is clear on his people’s generosity toward the church. Tithing isn’t dependent on the current economic climate. Our tithes say more about our relationship with God than our relationship with our wallet.
Here are five reasons Christians must be tithing to their local church, even amid swirling economic times.
1. Tithing Is ScripturalTithing 10% was the consistent pattern in the Old Testament. Every Israelite considered the first 10% of their income the Lord’s. Their tithes went to the temple and funded the Levites, the OT form of what we call pastors today. Proverbs 3:9 says tithing 10% of our income is a way we honor the Lord. And God says in Malachi 3:8 that refusing to tithe is “robbing from him.”
Do you trust him? Then invest your money in what eternally matters, and see Jesus take his rightful place as master over your life, including your wallet.
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Even Jesus affirmed tithing. He told the Pharisees, “You tithe mint and dill and cumin, but have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others” (Matt. 23:23). Translation: tithing is important; you ought to do it. But don’t forget the more significant stuff. Jesus affirmed tithing as the norm for his people. That should be enough, but it’s not our only reason.
2. Tithing Is CovenantalThe most common rebuttal against tithing today is: “We’re in the new covenant, so I’m not required to tithe, just to be generous.” This is like saying, “I’m not required to take a Sabbath, just to rest regularly.” The problem with that argument is that the new covenant always surpasses the requirements of the old covenant.
Our tithes say more about our relationship with God than our relationship with our wallet.
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The old covenant said, “Do not commit adultery.” Under the new covenant, Jesus says that if you lust after a woman in your heart, you’ve already committed adultery (Matt. 5:28). So if the old covenant required tithing, do you think the new covenant demands less? Absolutely not! Tithing should be the bare minimum. We should be far surpassing it.
3. Tithing Is PracticalChurch attendance is declining. So are church budgets. Every church planter I know is scrambling for fundraising help. But most churches don’t have a money problem; they have a generosity problem. Here’s what I mean: If just ten church members tithed, that would basically equal 100% of a salary. A good question for pastors to consider is: If every Christian in my church gave the percentage I’m giving, what would my church’s budget look like? If Christians don’t tithe, churches won’t thrive.
4. Tithing Is ChristologicalIsn’t it great news that Christ spared no expense for us? Jesus didn’t just give us 10% of his wealth. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich” (2 Cor. 8:9). Jesus left the sprawling Beverly Hills of heaven to descend to the slums of earth to take on your spiritual debt, so he could give you his spiritual inheritance that will not spoil or lose value. That’s incredibly generous. Giving 10% of my income to what Christ loves most in the universe—his church—is the least I can do in response to his grace.
5. Tithing Is SpiritualEveryone gives to what they love: restaurants, golf, fishing, fashion, etc. Are you tithing to your first love? Tithing affirms Jesus’s lordship in your life. It’s your way of saying, “God, you will always get my first and my best.”
Your money best reflects what you worship. That’s why Jesus talked about money more than he talked about anything else. If someone looked at your bank statement, would they be able to say, “Jesus is their first love?” For many, their bank account reveals how much they love themselves. That’s why John Wesley said, “The last part of a man to be converted is his pocketbook.”
Tithing affirms Jesus’s lordship in your life. It’s your way of saying, “God, you will always get my first and my best.”
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Is there grace for the Christian not tithing? Of course. But grace compels us to do good works; it doesn’t enable us to ignore God’s commands. And I know only one command where he says, “Test me in this” (Mal. 3:10). Do you trust him? Then invest your money in what eternally matters, and see Jesus take his rightful place as master over your life, including your wallet.
Pastors, are you not only preaching this but modeling it? Are you filling people’s hearts with such love for Jesus that it loosens greed’s grip on their lives? When tithing becomes a no-brainer for Christians, church plants will thrive in ways that change our communities and our culture for God’s great glory.
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I grew up in a church that presented a European Jesus that seemed steeped in tribalism and moralism while ignoring the cultural concerns I faced as an African American in the inner city. So at 13, I rejected the church and chose not to be part of what I believed was a “white man’s religion.”
But I was rejecting a cultural Jesus, not a biblical one. Thankfully, the real Christ redeemed my rebellious heart at 19 years old and saved me. Now, as a pastor in Detroit, a major misconception I routinely encounter from African Americans is their belief that Christianity is a “white man’s religion.”
What they believe is that it possesses European origins designed to keep non-white people spiritually and personally oppressed by its tenets. As Dr. Ernest Cleo Grant ll mentions in his article, “You’ve probably heard the rhetoric: blacks only became Christians through the violent coercion of their masters who used the religion as a means of control.” But this doesn’t line up with the biblical narrative or church history. It’s clear to every Bible reader that church history has its roots in various countries, including Asia and Africa.
It's clear to every Bible reader that church history has its roots in various countries, including Asia and Africa.
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Gospel roots were planted in Africa at the very conception of Christ’s church. After being beaten for hours, Jesus was aided by a man from Northern Africa named Simon of Cyrene (Mark 15:21), and we know there were people from Egypt and Cyrene present when the Holy Spirit fell at Pentecost (Acts 2). It’s assumed these African men and women responded in faith to the gospel and carried the message back home because later in Acts, we see people of African descent believing the gospel and even stepping into church leadership (Acts 8; 9).
Exposing the fallacy that Christianity is a “white man’s religion” is mission-critical in communities like mine in inner-city Detroit because black and brown people are turning from Jesus and embracing false beliefs. Here are three examples from church history that prove how Jesus has been working in and through people of all nations, which includes people of African descent.
Athanasius of AlexandriaAthanasius was a theologian, ecclesiastical statesman, deacon, and chief defender of Christian orthodoxy. Born in 293, Athanasius was labeled “Black Dwarf” and exiled five times by four Roman emperors due to his staunch commitment to biblical orthodoxy. He was the bishop of Alexandria for 45 years and spent 17 of those in exile. Known for confronting Arianism, a doctrine denying Christ’s deity, he was instrumental in creating the Nicene Creed. Athanasius is considered a father of the apologetic ministry.
Like Athanasius fighting off heresy and contending for sound doctrine, we can't be passive as we plant and pastor churches.
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In all cultural contexts, apologetics is needed, and this is painstakingly true for the inner city, where many false messiahs and cults are thriving. Apologetics goes hand in hand with advancing the gospel in my city. Like Athanasius fighting off heresy and contending for sound doctrine, we can’t be passive as we plant and pastor churches. We must proactively learn the oppositions, alternative identities, idols, and false ideologies of the people in our communities to address them with the gospel effectively.
Bishop Richard Allen“The plain and simple gospel suits best for any people.” This is a quote from one of my heroes, Richard Allen. He was born into slavery, presumably in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on February 14, 1760. Allen was a leader of the Underground Railroad, church planter, and writer. He and his companion Absalom Jones staged the first sit-in by blacks on American soil in 1787 at St. George United Methodist Church in Philadelphia. They prayed in the “white only” section of the church and refused to move. After being physically removed from St. George and excommunicated, Allen and Jones later started the first African American denomination, the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
Bishop Allen served tirelessly in Philadelphia in 1793 when a yellow fever epidemic broke out. Many people, both black and white, were dying, and thousands more fled the city seeking refuge. As yellow fever enveloped Philadelphia, city officials approached Allen and asked if the black community could serve as nurses to the suffering and help bury the dead. Despite experiencing immense racism and discrimination, Allen and others extended Christlike brotherly love by serving the sick and collecting deceased bodies.
Christianity is not a tribal deity for any single ethnicity to claim ownership. Christ has all authority and has always been for all nations.
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Lemuel HaynesLemuel Haynes, the abandoned child of an African father and a white woman of respectable ancestry, was born in 1753 in West Hartford, Connecticut. Five months after his birth, Haynes was sold into slavery until the age of 21. Armed with only a rudimentary formal education, Haynes developed a passion for books, especially the Bible and books on theology. Since childhood, he frequently conducted services at the town parish, sometimes reading his own sermons. When his indenture ended in 1774, Haynes enlisted as a “minuteman” in the local militia and fought in the American Revolutionary War.
Despite being born into slavery, Lemuel Haynes became the first ordained African American minister in 1785. He shattered the cultural restrictions of the day by becoming the first person of African descent to serve as the pastor of a white congregation, Hemlock Church of Torrington, Connecticut. Haynes was also the first black to receive an honorary master’s degree in 1804 and authored several books. His amazing story vividly displays how the gospel crosses every cultural boundary to glorify Christ.
These men represent just a glimpse of the many known and unknown black leaders of Christ’s church throughout history. Christianity is not a tribal deity for any single ethnicity to claim ownership. Christ has all authority and has always been for all nations.
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Suffering has a unique way of bringing questions about meaning and purpose to the forefront of our minds. In a fallen world, no one can avoid thinking deeply about the reality of suffering. Perhaps the chief question is, “Why does a good God allow his children to experience suffering and hardship?” I’m sure you’ve asked it. So how have you answered it?
Let’s consider the question of God’s goodness and explore a better definition that represents his good purposes for our lives.
Is God Actually Good?For some, reconciling the tension between suffering and God’s goodness seems impossible. What are we to believe when everything we experience seems to point either to God’s inability to help or, worse, his lack of love for us? Part of the struggle we face is learning to see with the eyes of faith. Because we walk by faith and not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7), it’s imperative to train our spiritual eyes to see beyond our circumstances. Seeing God’s goodness requires spiritual discernment.
Consider how “eyes of faith” help us reconcile suffering and goodness in a non-spiritual situation. If you’ve ever received physical therapy, you understand what is painful isn’t always bad. You allow the therapist to subject you to pain because you believe she’s working for your good. You have faith in the process, even though it hurts. While you might be tempted to doubt the therapist’s intentions at the height of your discomfort and pain, you’d never judge her effectiveness based on how you feel during a session. You would, however, rejoice when the hours of grueling work cause the strength in your legs to return. You’d praise the therapist and tell others about her good work.
Defining Good Like GodWhat if our struggle to believe in God’s goodness has nothing to do with God or the circumstances of our suffering? Maybe, it has more to do with how we understand and define goodness. Romans 8:28 is often quoted to remedy unexplained suffering, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” We long for the peace and assurance in this promise. But amid suffering, it’s easy to think, “How is my situation good?”
God doesn’t define good based on our experiences; he does so based on his purposes.
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Our ability to understand and apply God’s Word requires we read verses within their context. Understanding the context of Romans 8:28 requires an eschatological lens, which Paul provided a few verses earlier. “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Rom. 8:18). But we also need the clarity found in Romans 8:29: “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”
God doesn’t define good based on our experiences; he does so based on his purposes. And his purpose is that we’d be conformed to the image of his Son. Proverbs 16:25 tells us, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” If we define goodness apart from God’s glorious purposes, we’ll end up tasting death instead of life. All things work together for good for those who are called according to God’s purposes because God’s purpose is to conform those he called into the image of Jesus. It’s only in the unfolding of God’s purposes that we truly understand what is good.
No Greater GoodConsider the goodness of God in the death of Lazarus. From the perspective of Mary and Martha, the delay of Jesus was anything but good. If Jesus loved Lazarus, why did he wait to come to Bethany until after Lazarus died? In this situation, the greater good was found in witnessing God’s glory with their own eyes as Jesus raised Lazarus from the grave. Believing in the resurrection of the dead is one thing. Understanding that Jesus is the resurrection is quite another. Jesus allowed their grief so they could rightly witness his glory. Why? Because Jesus was their greatest good.
When we define goodness apart from Jesus, we fail to see all the ways God proves he is good, especially in our suffering.
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When we define goodness apart from Jesus, we fail to see all the ways God proves he is good, especially in our suffering. Nothing will stop God from sanctifying and glorifying you. There is no trial, no suffering, no oppression, no enemy, no disease, and no sin that can thwart the God of heaven and earth. God will finish what he started (Phil. 1:6). This is why Paul can say all things work for good because God is using everything to make us like Jesus, who is our greatest good.
Our struggle to believe in God’s goodness in the face of suffering is part of the tension and difficulty of living by faith. We’ll never eliminate these questions, but we can feast on the glorious reality that God is making us like Jesus. May your heart find peace in believing God will fulfill his good purposes in your life as you become more like Christ.
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Brad and Lindsay Sturm grew up outside the Chicago area and married shortly after high school. They both attended Moody Bible Institute and upon graduating, focused on church planting in Central Mexico. They spent nearly a decade there serving a local church before moving back to the States and landing in Maryland. They worked alongside a church in Maryland as they considered what their next move might be. After a lot of prayer and planning, their sending church commended Brad to pastor an existing church in McGrath, Alaska.
It was important to Brad and his sending church to ensure they weren’t going into this endeavor alone. There was already a team of people serving in McGrath, they just needed stable leadership to continue developing the ministry. Brad and Lindsay felt confident in moving their family of nine to serve the church in McGrath, so they made the move in 2018.
Landing (and Staying) in Rural Alaska McGrath is a rural town in the Alaskan Interior with a population of less than 300 people. They’re situated on the Kuskokwim River and are nearly 250 miles from the nearest road. Like many towns in the area, McGrath is only accessible by snow machine or airplane. The locals are used to this way of life, but it’s an adjustment for newcomers.
When Brad and his family arrived at their new home, they were unpacking a large moving box of their belongings. Brad was excited when a neighbor approached them, thinking this was a great opportunity to introduce himself and his family. The woman was cordial but had only one reason to talk to the Sturm family. She asked them if she could have their storage box container when they’d had enough of Alaska and decided to leave in a few months.
They have a deep conviction about serving in rural Alaska. To them, it isn’t a project; it’s home.
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Brad hadn’t been in town even a day, and his legitimacy was already being questioned. Not because of his character or reputation but because it’s all the town of McGrath knew. Outsiders didn’t last. The winters are brutally cold and long, transportation is difficult, and for a few months out of the year, they have short days and a lot of darkness. Isolation is inevitable, so you must be prepared to combat it. But this was a welcomed challenge for Brad and his family. They have a deep conviction about serving in rural Alaska. To them, it isn’t a project; it’s home.
Building a Unified and Missional CommunityIn a city of less than 300 people, McGrath Community Church has around 50 members, and they’re slowly growing. They’re one of the only churches in town, so different faith backgrounds and beliefs are all melded together. Brad said this was a challenge, for sure, but it presented a great opportunity to paint a picture of gospel unity. Neighbors who may disagree on some issues still find a way to serve God and be in fellowship together. When Brad first arrived at McGrath Community Church, he didn’t immediately change or “revamp” anything; his main focus was building relationships and ensuring his people were unified in the true gospel.
Brad, Lindsay, and their seven children.
Even though Brad and his family have a wonderful group of people they’re serving alongside to reach the lost in McGrath, he desired more missional allies, so he connected with an Acts 29 church in Wasilla, Alaska. He’d heard of Wasilla Bible Church from two of the members whom he’d met previously during the state’s annual Iron Dog Race. The race follows the historic Iditarod Trail and happens to run right through McGrath.
The Iron Dog team from Wasilla Bible Church (affectionately called the “Sons of Thunder”) is well known for their ministry. They meet with children and families in the towns they visit during the race and share the gospel. Through this connection, Brad was invited to attend a gathering at Wasilla Bible Church which focused on prayer and connection for pastors. This was Brad’s formal introduction to Acts 29, and he left highly encouraged.
A Missional Vision for Remote AlaskaNot long after, Brad and his family began the assessment process with Acts 29. He said the partnership was a natural fit for many reasons, the primary being Acts 29’s focus on equipping churches to minister effectively in their context. McGrath Community Church officially became a missional partner with Acts 29 in December 2022. They remain focused on serving their local community while reaching out to other small towns around them.
There are many rural communities in the Alaskan Interior that have little to no Christian community—some don’t even have an established church.
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There are many rural communities in the Alaskan Interior that have little to no Christian community—some don’t even have an established church. Brad and many others in Alaska are working toward their vision to see the gospel proclaimed in these areas as churches are planted for the glory of God.
Growing up outside of Chicago and then serving in Mexico, Brad and Lindsay hadn’t planned to move to rural Alaska, but in God’s sovereignty, it’s now their joy to serve the community of McGrath. Acts 29 partners with people like the Sturms to reach the lost, whether it be by snow machine or airplane, so that people in need of hearing the gospel may one day join the great multitude in worshiping King Jesus.
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The passing of time is inevitable. As minutes tick forward and days progress, there’s an onward moving pace that’s inescapable. It can feel slow when underwhelming or necessary tasks are before you or as you’re waiting for difficult news. That same block of time can race by at lightning speed during a date with someone you love, your favorite activity, or work that captivates you. Time progresses, and we get to live through it.
As time passes, growth happens. The natural world reflects this as we watch the planting of a seed turn into a sprout and, ultimately, a beautiful flower. The nurturing elements of water, sun, and warmth join with time to result in growth. This is also evident when you haven’t seen a child for a substantial amount of time. “My, look at you. How you’ve grown!” are often the first words spoken by a distant aunt or friend who hasn’t seen a child lately. Growth is part of the human experience.
Christians have an invitation that intentionally moves our growth toward wisdom. Our surrender to Jesus changes our path after we confess that he is Lord and believe in our hearts that he has risen (Rom. 10:9). We’re no longer living for ourselves; we belong to the Lord (Rom. 14:8). Being united with Christ and sealed with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13), we can know God. The privileged position of a son or daughter of the king gives us access to the Father (2 Cor. 6:18). This access opens a world of opportunity not just to exist but to be formed so that our lives look more and more like Jesus.
How often are we pursuing wisdom? We’re not meant to coast through our lives or merely survive without engaging wholeheartedly. Now, there are seasons when we’re bombarded with circumstantial challenges that make getting through the day a significant victory. But those are time-limited and still have opportunities to gain a more profound knowledge of God. God consistently calls us in his Word to ask for wisdom, as he generously supplies it to all without reproach (James 1:5).
The entire canon of Scripture is growing our understanding of God and equipping us to not only know the will of God but actually do it.
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As you ponder what growth looks like in your life, consider these three questions about the nature of wisdom.
What Is Wisdom?The Bible gives us insight into this question. Wisdom is explicitly personified in Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes, but that’s just part of the story. The entire canon of Scripture is growing our understanding of God and equipping us to not only know the will of God but actually do it. As Christians, we’re encouraged to live out God’s purposes by making daily decisions that align with God’s law. Wisdom is the capacity to assess, discern, contemplate, and act rightly by the power of the Spirit. Our actions in wisdom are the application and reflection of what we know to be true about the gospel of Christ.
Where Does Wisdom Begin?Proverbs 9:10 tells us, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” So to define wisdom, you first need to identify its source. Looking in awe and reverence to God as the source of wisdom orients us to be with the One who freely gives it (Prov. 2:6).
In Job 28:12, the question is asked, “But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?” There’s a sense in this passage that wisdom is hidden and not in plain sight, but the answer comes in Job 28:23, “God understands the way to it, and he knows its place.”
God is the source, originator, and creator of wisdom. When we trust God, we find wisdom freely offered in our surrender.
How Do I Pursue Wisdom?The pursuit of wisdom is the pursuit of God. As we intentionally immerse ourselves in his Word and story, we’re transformed to see the world as he sees it. This takes humility and a willingness to lay down our desires and come alive to righteousness. It’s in this place that the sanctifying work of transformation happens.
The pursuit of wisdom is the pursuit of God. As we intentionally immerse ourselves in his Word and story, we’re transformed to see the world as he sees it.
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The steady, gospel-fueled devotion of abiding in Jesus will bear fruit (John 15:4). Coasting through life or just surviving doesn’t carry that same promise. We often hear of regret from those who’ve gone before us; how time just slipped away. This is the way of the fool who trusts in his mind (Prov. 28:26), and there’s consistent warning of this in Scripture.
We have the power of God through the indwelling of the Spirit to “not walk as unwise, but as wise” (Eph. 5:15). May we, believers in Jesus, be quietly devoted to knowing God and growing in wisdom. This brings glory to God and is good for us—it moves us outward as people-loving, discerning, culture-penetrating lights to a world in need.
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In the movie Mission Impossible, US government operative (Tom Cruise) becomes the prime murder suspect in a covert operation gone wrong. He recruits a hacker (Ving Rhames) to help him sneak into a heavily guarded CIA building to retrieve a confidential computer file that will prove his innocence. At the movie’s spin, Rhames turns to Cruise with a crucial question: “you really think we can do this?!” The plan is absurd. The mission is impossible.
In a previous article, we were reminded that the Great Commission, though non-negotiable, is more than a notion. Christ left his church with the task of disciple-making among every nation and generation, which man, no matter his wisdom and strategy, cannot accomplish on his own. For our mission to be anything but impossible, it cannot hang on the successes and failures of fallen humanity. Good news: it doesn’t. Christ has the mission, his mission has a church, and his church has his promise, power, and presence abiding with us to accomplish the work.
Promise“Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mark 16:16).
The Great Commission was first delivered to the doubtful and fearful disciples. They’d seen their rabbi—the One claiming to be the Christ whose kingdom, rule, and reign are eternal—executed. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all recount eleven insecure disciples who’ve become uncertain about the things of the kingdom (Mark 16:14; Matt. 28:17; Luke 24:37,41; Acts 1:6). It’s under these circumstances that the Lord appears to reassure them of his unstoppable mission to save the world.
For our mission to be anything but impossible, it cannot hang on the successes and failures of fallen humanity. Good news: it doesn’t.
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The success of Christ’s mission rests on his eternal decree that it will be accomplished. The promise of salvation for all who believe both assures and ensures the gospel’s advancement in the world. There’s no question in our commission. We can take the command to make disciples to the ends of the earth with confidence because we can take confidence in Christ’s Word when he promises, “whoever believes and is baptized will be saved.” For thousands of years, across thousands of miles of land and sea, and in thousands of tribes and tongues . . . everywhere Christ has been named and called on, salvation has come as the Holy Spirit gives life to those otherwise dead in sin; just as Christ promised.
This is not all the Lord has promised us. He has also guaranteed our mission’s success through the deposit of his Holy Spirit.
Power“I am sending the promise of my Father upon you . . . you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses” (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8).
Our church is planting gospel seeds in some of the hardest soil in the US. Our region made #9 on this list not because of its poverty and crime but due largely to its prosperity and comfort. If we’re to make disciples of Jesus in this context, we need the power of God declared and demonstrated by Spirit-filled believers. What happened at Pentecost, and still happens at new birth, is the empowering of Christians to take the gospel to the ends of the earth.
By the promise, power, and presence of God, we plant churches worldwide.
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Satan’s strongholds from post-fall to post-modernity, to a society filled with post-Christianity, are overcome by a new humanity filled with God’s Spirit and obedient to his direction. Our success with the Great Commission hinges on the Holy Ghost—whom we have as promised, and we are empowered by him to carry out. We may need to relearn what surrender and obedience to him mean, but one thing is certain: though he left us on earth, our Lord has never left his church.
Presence“I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20).
It has been argued whether or not the Great Commission was for the church or for those first disciples. Doubters and skeptics—like the Millennial masses from my previous article, have been quick to pardon themselves from the command to make disciples. To this, I offer a cautionary truth I learned early on in my journey toward obedience to his calling: if you don’t take the assignment, you’d have to leave the assurance also. The promise of Jesus’s abiding presence is given to all disciples who “Go therefore!” If you’d like to drop the go, you should seriously doubt the guarantee.
But God! Jesus left us with more than a commission; he also gave us confidence. We have the abiding presence of “the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26).
Jesus left us with more than a commission; he also gave us confidence.
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At Mission Impossible’s spin, Rhames asks Cruise, “you really think we can do this?!” Cruise replies, “we’re going to do it.” Planters, leaders, and members of our beloved network: by the promise, power, and presence of God, we plant churches worldwide. When doubt sets in, like it did with the first disciples, when fear comes, when confusion arises, and you’re faced with the question, “you really think we can do this?” Take courage. God is with us. We’re going to do it.
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I have a love-hate relationship with platforms. They’re a useful tool for reaching people with an important message. But we’re bombarded with pressure to build a platform and an audience, which can be a double-edged sword for believers. While we genuinely want to share the gospel with others, we don’t want to be consumed with numbers and the size of our reach.
I try to see the platform as an opportunity for an altar. It’s giving of myself in a sacrificial way to the reach God has provided. An altar is a place of offering, sacrifice, humility, and dependence. The gift that is brought is intended for another. Conversely, a platform is an elevated place of leadership in some form. It’s a space where messages are communicated, songs are performed, and challenges are issued. A place where we may be tempted to think we are the gift being offered to others.
Ultimately, both altars and platforms, as with all things, are for God’s glory. So how can ministry leaders keep our hearts in the right place as our influence grows and we’re tempted to forget the sweetness of the early and small days of serving a few gladly? Here are three ways to view your platform as an altar.
1. Remember Your CallingReflecting on the initial reasons for entering ministry can be valuable. Don’t forget to remember the ways God provided for this opportunity in the first place. This immediately brings my mind to Abraham and Isaac. In Genesis 22, God calls Abraham to the ultimate act of obedience and sacrifice: he asks him to offer up his son. Not just any son either, the son he was promised, the son he waited for, and the son that God provided. Yet Abraham acted in obedience and trust.
Chances are, when you first started in ministry, there was a healthy amount of obedience and trust needed. Bring that to mind and revisit the ways God provided during the early days.
Seeing the platform as an altar is a reminder to obey and trust.
2. Tend with Good StewardshipScripture reminds us that with great responsibility, there is greater accountability (Luke 12:48). Abraham had wood, flame, and a knife—three instruments of harm to his son yet tools of obedience to his Father. Those items must have felt as heavy as boulders, and the weight of burden felt both right and wrong at the same time. Isaac wonders where the lamb is that they’re preparing to offer, and Abraham simply says in faith that God would provide.
Seeing the platform as an altar is a reminder to obey and trust.
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Abraham understands this tension between the weight and wonder of responsibility. Between burden and blessing. Abraham carried tools that could harm or help. Likewise, we walk cautiously with the platforms God gives because we can use them for glory or greed.
Seeing the platform as an altar is asking for wisdom in rightly caring for the audience and the message he gives.
3. Cancel ComparisonSometimes the way platforms are given seems backward in our society. Someone with high name recognition gets a book deal (whether they’re a good writer or not), and their platform grows, while a great writer may lack opportunities because they’re unknown. This scenario is ripe for comparison and jealousy.
Comparison is a thief, and one obvious example of this is in church planting. A younger church has more people and their own building already. An older church may be struggling and feel like they should be farther along than they are. Another church’s meeting space looks much better than ours, or their children’s program is exactly what we’ve been working so hard to achieve yet unable to accomplish. Might we be tempted to look at the numbers, the sphere of influence, or the size of the impact that we perceive to validate our ministry?
Seeing the platform as an altar is looking to God alone for validation and approval.
Remember the son and the SonAbraham’s platform came through his son. He had the opportunity to be remembered throughout church history for his faith, his numerous descendants, and his obedience. Not only did his platform come through his son, it came through the ultimate surrender and laying down of the very one who brought opportunity and hope. Abraham modeled what it looks like for the platform to become an altar.
Seeing the platform as an altar is looking to God alone for validation and approval.
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What would it look like to step down from our platforms and rightfully put Jesus there as we bow in humility, lifting him up? To think of those stages as altars of worship, surrender, humility, offering, and obedience. We have only to look to the Lamb of God, who did this very thing for us. He came down to us, became the ultimate sacrifice, and paid our debt. He lived his life in worship, surrender, humility, offering, and obedience. Our privilege now is to invite others into this paradoxical kingdom where things seem upside down. To give of ourselves as a living sacrifice.
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In 2011, Kevin Scott went from pastoring a large church in California to church planting on the East Coast. As his family and core team prepared to move to Boston, they closely studied the story of the Samaritan woman at the well from John 4. Jesus met the woman on a normal day while she was visiting a place she’d been to many times. It wasn’t just a case of being in the right place at the right time—it took intentionality. The well was the natural gathering place of the community. If you wanted to see or talk to people, the well was the best place to be.
The Samaritan woman is one of the first missionaries we encounter in the New Testament. She is converted to following Christ and then urges those in her town to do the same. John 4:39 says, “many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony.”
The natural well of your community isn’t something to avoid but to embrace and leverage for the advancement of the gospel.
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Jesus waited for her to come to the well and simply started a conversation. He used this ordinary meeting place to his advantage. What’s the gathering place in your community? How do people spend their time, and how might you engage them in their context? Kevin and his team knew these questions would be the driving force of their vision and mission. With this in mind, they planted Church at the Well and established The Well Coffee House.
Church Planting and Coffee HousesWhen considering Boston, Kevin learned that coffee shops were a popular gathering place for Bostonians. Their church seized this opportunity. Through prayer and hard work, they opened a coffee house that operates during the week and hosts their church on Sundays. This dual-purpose space is both a business and a church, and they support one another organically. The Well Coffee House is a nonprofit; their business is modeled to directly support Church at the Well.
People who work in the coffee shop are able to serve the community in a natural, accessible way. They’re located in a busy area of the city, so they’re highly visible and serve a broad range of people. One Sunday, a woman decided to check out their church after being invited during her visit to the coffee shop. She’d never attended a church service before and wasn’t sure what to expect. Shortly after her first visit, she came to know Jesus and gave her life to serving him. This woman had never set foot in a church before. She went looking for a good cup of coffee and ended up finding Jesus. Just like the Samaritan woman, she was met in her context on her terms, and was then invited to taste and see the goodness of God.
This woman had never set foot in a church before. She went looking for a good cup of coffee and ended up finding Jesus.
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A coffee shop won’t work for every town, but the missional concept is one worth considering. Kevin said, “what we need to understand is that if cities are going to be reached, it’s going to be through building relationships and seeing the church actually become relevant to the people living there.” In church planting, it’s important to nurture the vision God has given you for your city. But as Kevin advises, the means by which that vision is accomplished should be held loosely. The natural well of your community isn’t something to avoid but to embrace and leverage for the advancement of the gospel.
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You’re standing before Jesus. He’s assessing your life and ministry. You want to show him your biggest accomplishment, so what is your ministry trophy?
If I were the apostle Paul and I was in this scenario, I’d imagine my trophy would be the book of Romans. Or perhaps my engaging, contextualized sermon to the Greeks on Mars Hill. Or that I planted a church in every major city. Or maybe that I survived a snake bite and shipwreck and kept going.
What would you show him? Jesus, look at this big crowd at my church on Sundays. Have you seen our newly renovated facility? Did you hear my latest podcast?
When we started Redemption City Church in Baltimore City five years ago, what consumed my mind was mostly stuff like:
- What kind of chairs are we going to buy? And where’s the money going to come from?
- Who is going to do set up and tear down this Sunday?
- What the heck are we going to do about the human feces in the alley?
It’s easy to get consumed with what’s urgent but not what’s most important.
The Apostle Paul’s FocusWhen we look at what the mighty apostle Paul was most proud of from his decades of ministry, it’s a lot different than what most church planters focus on, myself included. “For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy” (1 Thess. 2:19–20).
He says, it’s you. It’s people. It’s disciples he made in Thessalonica. It’s Timothy and Titus. It’s actual human beings that look and act like Jesus. Paul essentially says, “the trophy of my ministry, what I’m most excited to show King Jesus, what I spend the most time thinking about, is people.”
We make our focus not on what can be seen on a spreadsheet, but on who can be gathered around a dinner table.
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And wasn’t that also Jesus’s ministry strategy?
Jesus had three years to reach the whole world with the greatest news in the world. So what did he do? Rent out the Roman Colosseum? Secure the best worship band in town? Get a bunch of people in a room and preach a fire sermon?
He basically said, “Nah, I think I’ll get dinner with 12 guys for three years. I’ll take Peter, James, and John on a hike up a mountain and show them something glorious. I’ll have them follow me as I minister to lepers, and then I’ll send them out in pairs to preach and lead. When they come back, we’ll debrief.” The ministry strategy of Jesus and Paul was investing time and energy into people.
Let’s Make Our Focus Our PeopleIs Jesus against sermon prepping alone in your office or vision planning with your staff on a whiteboard? No. But I do think we’d be shocked by how much less time he’d spend doing these tasks and how much more time he’d spend developing real, embodied people.
That’s why Paul says in Ephesians 4:12 that the minister’s job isn’t to do ministry; it’s to equip others to do ministry. It’s to spend time pouring into people. He tells Timothy later to entrust what he’s been taught to faithful men who will teach others also (2 Tim. 2:2). Then what did Timothy (who was following Jesus and Paul) do? He developed more people through meals, counseling, evangelizing, training, and hanging for the purpose of multiplication.
And now the baton has been passed to you. Here are some helpful questions to reflect on as you consider your ministry strategy:
- Does your calendar value people over programs? Do you set aside the best time on your calendar for the primary ministry strategy (developing people) of Paul and Jesus?
- Are your sermons information downloads or a specific biblical challenge with clear applications for your people? Are you teaching them that they are spiritual contributors, not spiritual consumers?
- Are you asking, “what kind of people are we developing?” Not just, “how many people are here?”
- Do your systems, structures, and discipleship pipelines have a plan to develop the next Timothy or Lydia? If Pagan Pete showed up at your church this Sunday, willing to do whatever you asked for the next three years, is there a clear process to develop him into Planter Pete?
- Does your personal and church budget set aside time and money to invest in developing people? Policies like five percent of every dollar you receive go into future church plants, or five hours of your week go into discipling the next church planter in your congregation.
We make our focus not on what can be seen on a spreadsheet but on who can be gathered around a dinner table. We do this because we have a king who was uninspired by crowds and ambivalent about buildings, but had a fire in his eyes when he saw sinners.
Are you asking, “what kind of people are we developing?” Not just, “how many people are here?”
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Jesus saw you, pursued you, and gave his all to you. Why? Because in his very heart is a love and focus for people. He was so committed to you and to your development that he was willing to go to the cross. Go be that for the people in your church. Take the love Jesus has given you and pour it into the people around you. And let the people you develop and multiply be your hope, and joy, and crown.
The post Questions to Ask As You Develop Your Ministry Strategy appeared first on Acts 29.
Editor’s Note:* This article is an excerpt from Truly, Truly, I Say to You: Meditations on the Words of Jesus from the Gospel of John*. Released with permission by The Good Book Company.If you knew you only had one night left on earth, and you’re anything like me, it’s probably fair to say that “foot washing” wouldn’t make the bucket list of how you wanted to use those precious final hours. But on the eve of his crucifixion—the greatest act of sacrificial love the world would ever see—Jesus visibly demonstrates to his disciples what he had earlier taught them:
“Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:43–45).
Humility is the way of the kingdom of Jesus. The greatness that Christians are to aspire to is the greatness of servanthood that Jesus himself embraced. The surprising glory that marked his first night in this world—as he entered humanity via the humility of a dirty manger—would be the same type of glory that would mark his final night, as he washed the dirty feet of eleven disciples and one traitor. It is the glory of stooping.
Your ability to serve others around you is directly proportional to your awareness of how greatly Jesus has served you.
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And by the same time the following evening, Jesus would have stooped even lower in sacrificial love. By the same time the next day, his body—whipped and broken and pierced and bloody—would have been carried lifeless down from the cross and laid in a rich man’s tomb. This is what John meant when he said, “Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end” (John 13:1).
But that’s tomorrow. Tonight, he still has much he wants to teach them. In fact, the next five chapters of John’s Gospel (13–17) are exclusively dedicated to the instruction and prayers of Jesus for his followers. Yet before the Passover meal begins, Jesus rises from the table, strips down to his underwear and ties a towel around his waist. He literally takes the form of a servant. And he makes his way around the room with a basin of water, washing the feet of these men—feet caked with dust and dirt and everything else that a sandal-wearing people in an agrarian culture would have picked up after a day of traveling on foot. The way John tells the story seems to imply that each of these men are stunned into silence.
Everyone, except Peter (no surprise there!). Peter recoils and cries, “Lord, do you wash my feet? You shall never wash my feet!” (John 13:6, 8, emphasis added). His shock at the thought of the Messiah performing such a humiliating act of service for him personally is a commendable theological instinct. That’s not the way this is meant to work Jesus! Humanity serves God, not the other way around. What kind of Messiah—what kind of King—does servant-work? This doesn’t make any sense! Peter was right to think this was all backward and undeserved. But that’s what grace is.
The only thing we contribute to our salvation is our outstretched dirty feet in need of washing.
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Jesus looks at Peter and says, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me” (John 13:8). You see, Jesus was giving more than just an example of servanthood that he called his followers to walk in. He was foreshadowing the spiritual cleansing that was about to come through the shedding of his blood, prophesied in Isaiah 1:18: “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” If Jesus had said, “Unless you prove yourself worthy, unless you show yourself to be a morally impressive person—unless you clean up your act—you have no share with me,” then Christianity would not be good news at all. But Jesus says, in effect, “I must wash you.” How humbling. The only thing we contribute to our salvation is our outstretched dirty feet in need of washing.
Where do we find the power to live lives marked by the greatness of servanthood? Only by looking again and again and again to what we ourselves have received from Jesus. Your ability to extend grace to and serve others around you is directly proportional to your awareness of how greatly Jesus has shown grace to you and served you—and how he continues to do so.
If Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, then none of his disciples are above serving others. And if Jesus washed the feet of his own betrayer, then there is no one you know in this world who is beneath being served. So let’s embrace the glory of stooping, pressing onward to the day when we hear those precious words from our Savior, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21).
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We know lies are destructive. When thinking about the devastation they cause, it’s easy to focus on the liar as the one creating the mess. But the belief of lies leads to ruin and destruction, too. It’s just as important to avoid being deceived by lies as it is not to tell them.
In Genesis 3, we’re introduced to the “age of self,” when humanity chose to believe a lie over God’s promises. Times change, but we’re faced with this same problem today.
Here are three lies we tend to believe in a culture that teaches us to look within for what we need, and guidance to help direct our focus on God rather than ourselves.
1. The lie of self-love“I just need to love myself better. If I did a better job of loving myself, I would feel better about myself and be able to love others better, too.”
There’s a growing popularity around the idea of self-care. But there’s a difference between self-care and self-love. While eating, resting, and other habits of self-care are disciplines of stewarding your body created by God, the lie of self-love convinces us that our self-esteem and love for others hinges on our ability to love ourselves first.
The lie of self-love convinces us that our self-esteem and love for others hinges on our ability to love ourselves first.
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The Scriptures, however, teach something radically different. Paul tells Timothy to avoid “lovers of self” (2 Tim. 3:1-5). Furthermore, our ability to love others doesn’t flow from our love of self. Rather, it’s the overflow of God’s love for us and a reflection of our love for God. We love because we are loved by God, not ourselves (1 John 4:19). God’s love for us frees us to love him and others (Matt. 22:37–40). Instead of trying harder to love yourself, ask God to help you believe he offers all the love you’ll ever need.
2. The lie of self-grace“I just need to be more gracious to myself. If I had more grace for myself, I wouldn’t feel so defeated all the time.”
Similar to how we understand love, we’re called to receive the grace of God through Jesus and to be conduits of his grace to those around us. If you rely on being gracious to yourself, what happens when you are exhausted? What happens when you have poured yourself out in ministry or family or work and have nothing else to give? Thankfully, God’s grace is a well that won’t run dry. As John tells us, “For from his fullness we have received grace upon grace” (John 1:16). At best, the idea of being gracious to yourself is a misunderstanding of the grace of God. At worst, it’s an idolatrous effort to find worth, value, and satisfaction apart from God.
3. The lie of self-forgiveness“I just need to do a better job of forgiving myself. I know I can’t be perfect, and if I could learn how to forgive myself better, I wouldn’t have to bear the weight of all this guilt every day.”
While there might be a right recognition of sin, the lie of self-forgiveness blinds us to the depth of our sin. David’s confession about sinning against God shows us that God is the chiefly offended party (Ps. 51:4). If we’ve sinned against God, why would we look to ourselves for forgiveness? A guilty conscience can only be washed clean by pardon from a holy, gracious God. The lie of self-forgiveness stems from a lack of belief in God’s forgiveness.
Fighting the Lies of SelfWhat should we do when we or someone we love believes these lies? Start by asking questions. It’s easy to jump to conclusions, but we must be patient and remember the human heart is complex and hard to know (Prov. 20:5).
Believing the promises of God allows us to see lies for what they are—temporary and destructive substitutes.
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With every lie we believe, we’re failing to acknowledge what’s true. Adam and Eve believed the lie of the serpent, and they failed to believe the promises of God. If we fail to believe that God loves us, then we’ll be more likely to believe satisfaction and joy can be found apart from him. Believing the promises of God allows us to see lies for what they are—temporary and destructive substitutes. Seeing clearly allows us to rest in God’s love, grace, and forgiveness instead of fruitlessly working to manufacture it on our own.
From Self-Focused to God-FocusedThe lies of self-love, self-grace, and self-forgiveness have something in common—they search within to find what’s only available from above. The more we look to ourselves for well-being, meaning, and satisfaction, the more susceptible we are to believing these lies. Although these lies manifest in unique ways in our culture, they are as old as Eden.
When you feel unlovable, reject the lie of self-love. Remember, you’re beautifully and wonderfully made by your heavenly Father. He loves you more than you could ever love yourself. When you fail, reject the lie of self-grace. Remember, God created you in Christ Jesus for good works. Not even your failures can thwart his plans for you. When you sin, reject the lie of self-forgiveness. Remember, God removed your sin as far as “the east is from the west” (Ps. 103:12). Instead of laboring to bring peace to your own heart, rest in the everlasting peace bought by the blood of Jesus.
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Editor’s Note: This post is part one of a series adapted from a talk on recruitment and training, given at the Acts 29 Great Britain & Ireland Equip event in Edinburgh.For those who are church planters, I’d like for you to consider this question: “Why did you plant a church?” Think about your answer, and carry it with you as you read.
If I had to bet money on your answer, I definitely wouldn’t put it on the lucrative income, career advancement, or stress-free life that church planting provides. Rather, I’d bet the reason you got involved in church planting was to see people meet Jesus. Simply put, the reason we plant churches is because we long to see people transform from death to life.
Recruitment is an essential part of this process. If our motivation in church planting is to see people’s lives changed by the gospel, then our reason for recruitment must be the same. Acts 29 is a network that values the current work of planters and ministry leaders, while working intently to see more churches planted around the world. More churches requires more church planters.
Let’s consider the need for recruitment, and how to take action in being part of the solution.
Recognize the Need We see Jesus’s heart revealed in Matthew 9:36: “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Jesus was motivated with compassion for the lost people in those cities. This led to him telling his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Matt. 9:37–38). Jesus saw the world around him as a harvest field, and he wanted to teach his disciples to look through this lens of evangelism, too.
If we look at people with Christ-like eyes and care for people with Christ-like hearts, then we, like Jesus, will see our world as a plentiful harvest field.
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In 2022, the Evangelical Alliance published a report called Talking Jesus, which found that six percent of adults in the United Kingdom self-identify as practicing Christians. Within the Republic of Ireland, less than 0.5 percent of people are evangelical Christians—it is the least evangelized nation in the Western world. Wherever we find ourselves in Great Britain and Ireland, on average, nine out of every 10 people are lost without Jesus. They are “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd,” dead in their sins and facing an eternity in hell.
If we look at people with Christ-like eyes and care for people with Christ-like hearts, then we, like Jesus, will see our world as a plentiful harvest field. It’s never been easier for us to live evangelistically because it isn’t difficult to meet people who don’t know Jesus. Our cities and villages, estates and suburbs, towns and islands are full of people who need to hear the life-changing news of the gospel. Whatever context we find ourselves in, we’re sure to find a plentiful harvest—indeed, there is great need all around us.
Seek a Solution Through Action Seeing the need for recruitment and evangelism is a necessary first step, but it isn’t enough to make change. We must first recognize the need, and in turn, take action to seek a solution. The apostle Peter is a great example.
Peter had a nice life before he met Jesus. He had a home and was married (Matt. 8:14). It isn’t clear, but perhaps he had children? He did have a job in the family fishing business, based on the shore of the sea of Galilee (Matt. 4:18). It sounds like a decent, fulfilling life. But Peter sacrificed his comfort to follow Jesus. Why would anyone do this? Here is what Jesus said to Peter and his brother in Matthew 4:19, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They dropped what they were doing and immediately followed. They heard Jesus’s call and responded—they wanted to be part of his mission.
Whatever context we find ourselves in, we’re sure to find a plentiful harvest—indeed, there is great need all around us.
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Although thousands of years later, this is where we find ourselves, too. At Acts 29, we joyfully affirm the truth that God is sovereign over salvation. We are convinced Calvinsts. But we also believe that the church is God’s primary missional strategy in the world. We’re the ambassadors through which God makes his appeal (2 Cor. 5:20). We’re God’s sent preachers and teachers through whom people hear the gospel (Rom. 10:14). We’re the display of God’s manifold wisdom (Eph. 3:10). As God’s people, we are called to partake in God’s mission.
If we long to see more people come to know Jesus, we must aggressively recruit church planters and leaders who are willing to give their lives in service to establishing churches in places of need. At Acts 29, we plant churches worldwide, and we’d love to partner with you to carry this mission forward.
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The calendar has turned. The new year is here. There’s a bursting sense of possibility, looking ahead at all there is to come. We carry hope for change into 2023—recognizing the places of lack and failure, and desperately wanting to get it right.
We have a hardwired longing for newness. The evidence is all around us, feeding that dissatisfaction. Social media is a great example. It isn’t neutral or recreational, as it subtly employs shame and comparison on your feed through curated advertisements.
This time of year, we’re hit with the “New Year, New You” messaging that further caters our discontentment. But do you know who doesn’t need to be rebooted or reset with resolutions? The God of creation. He doesn’t shift or change (Mal. 3:6), is unmoved by the calendar reset, and his very nature is faithfulness (1 Cor. 1:9). He is holy (Lev. 11:44) and faithful to his Word, as his mission persists no matter the day’s circumstances. His consistency stands in contrast to us; yet, by his mercy, he’s invited us into a relationship through Christ’s life, death, and resurrection.
This is good news—the striving to achieve or prove ourselves can be laid down. We can receive, and therefore live, from the unchanging nature of God as we abide in him (John 15:4–5).
One of the most provocative acts in our time is to cut back on work, especially when there’s a mounting list of tasks to accomplish. But the way we demonstrate our limitedness is to keep the Sabbath, and show in action who God is.
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Our renewal isn’t up to us. It’s also not reserved just for a particular time of year. According to 1 Corinthians 5:17, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (emphasis mine). We recognize our sin and need for rescue, and as we surrender, God receives us.
Sometimes, this baseline truth is lost for those in ministry, as familiarity can often dull the power of the gospel. There’s nothing wrong with setting intentions, rebooting rhythms, or making changes in one’s life, but exploring our motivation and seeking to live from the abundance of God’s love is crucial. What if your year was marked by faithfulness, rather than a list of resolutions?
Consider these three ideas that allow for grace and flexibility when your best-made plans are inevitably interrupted.
Attend to Your Inner Life for CommunityIn his book, Life Together, Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “Let him who cannot be alone beware of community.” The personal work of the soul before God in prayer, confession, and worship is essential when engaging with others. There’s a vulnerability in getting quiet and being alone before the Lord that reveals places in our souls needing attention. The Spirit faithfully convicts and loves us when we’ve created space to listen.
This inner soul work readies us to engage in community. When we’re attuned to the Spirit’s work in our lives, we’re humbly open to what he may be doing in others. Seek to create space in your days that propels you toward meaningful relationships with others.
Create Rhythms of Rest to Honor GodOne of the most provocative acts in our time is to cut back on work, especially when there’s a mounting list of tasks to accomplish. But the way we demonstrate our limitedness is to keep the Sabbath, and show in action who God is. It’s an act of faith to cease labor. The practice takes us off the throne of our lives and reorders us under the mighty hand of God (1 Pet. 5:6–7).
In this new year, consider the invitation to embody God’s love through simple practices that bring light and life to all.
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Pastoring and ministering on the day which others are resting often presents a challenge in a ministry leader’s schedule of observing the Sabbath. Seek to shift your weeks and months to demonstrate what you preach and teach this year about rest—there is no greater witness than integrity in action.
Look for Beauty Amid the MundaneChristians have the capacity for imagination as we ponder all that is to come for eternity. We have everyday moments threaded with God’s goodness, and a demonstration of his kindness when no one is looking. He is in our midst (Ps. 46:5) as the kingdom breaks into our world, calling us not to forget that in time all will be made new (Rev. 21:4). It’s a discipline to see and carry this holy imagination as you go about your days. Immersing yourself in the story of God through his Word while striving to see his presence every day will draw you deeper into all that is real and true in Christ.
There’s a lot of hype to make this the best year ever. It might be your best year, or in God’s providence you could find yourself in suffering and disappointment. No matter what happens in 2023, may you be assured of God’s faithfulness. In this new year, consider the invitation to embody God’s love through simple practices that bring light and life to all.
The post 3 Marks of Faithfulness in the New Year appeared first on Acts 29.
In John 20, we read about Jesus’s resurrection. Right after John gives this account, he leads into John 21 with encouragement and hope. It’s a chapter full of kindness, and we see the beauty of Jesus as he gently tends to his disciples. He even has a gracious interaction with Peter, forgiving him for his denial and commissioning him to service.
There’s much to glean from John 21. Jesus demonstrates his bodily resurrection with a lakeside barbecue—this is how he feeds and forgives his followers, before sending them to tend his sheep (John 21:16). That’s a great lesson for church planters and pastors to remember. We must first receive from Christ before we go and minister for Christ.
It’s important to note the description Jesus gives when sending his disciples on mission. He doesn’t direct them to go feed their sheep—he tells them, “Feed my sheep” (John 21:17). They weren’t Peter’s sheep, or John’s. They aren’t yours or mine either; they belong to Jesus.
This is a helpful reminder for church planters and pastors. The church you have the privilege of serving? It’s not yours. It’s Jesus’s church. Full of his sheep. Remember that as you love and serve them. What a privilege to be involved in tending and caring for Jesus’s beloved.
Comparison Steals Our JoyAfter Jesus commissions Peter, you’d think he would offer a gracious response and get going on his way. But we read otherwise in John 21:20–21:
“Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, ‘Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?’ When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, ‘Lord, what about this man?’”
Remember, your calling is to tend and feed Jesus’s sheep, not compare your assignment to that of someone else.
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Peter is playing the comparison game, and Jesus’s response to him is direct when he says, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” (John 21:22). This makes it clear that the calling for each pastor is the same, while different. We’re the same in that we’re to be nourished by Jesus before serving his sheep. But we’re different in that each of our callings is unique. Peter receives his commission, and yet, is still looking around wondering about the potential ministry of others.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of comparison. This often leads to competition, which can certainly prove unhealthy in ministry. We may admire the competency of others, and we bury our inadequacies in jealousy. Or maybe we see how well another church appears to be doing, and wonder, how did they make that happen? These thoughts are unproductive and can lead to harm.
Comparison is the thief of joy. It’s so easy for us to act as Peter did, especially in inexperience. We may recognize and receive our commission from Jesus, but we can’t help looking around to see what everyone else is doing, too.
Think about this in your own life and ministry. It’s easy to judge what everyone else is doing and assume it’s better—this may be especially true for new church planters. Imagine yourself as Peter. Who are the “Johns” of your world? Those you look to and ask, what will they get in comparison to what I’ve received? When unchecked, these questions breed discontentment.
Follow JesusNo matter the ministry of others, pastor, it’s OK to do you. In fact, it’s good for you to follow your own path and giftings because only you can do the work God has set aside for you. Jesus called you to be the person you are in the context you’re in. Keep going! You don’t have to look around at others asking what Jesus has planned for them. That’s not up to you—it’s between them and God. Remember, your calling is to tend and feed Jesus’s sheep, not compare your assignment to that of someone else.
The church you have the privilege of serving? It’s not yours. It’s Jesus’s church.
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Jesus called Peter to obedience and devotion when he said, “You follow me!” He has called us to this, too. Throughout John 21, Jesus reminds us to keep our eyes off others and fixed on him. We’re encouraged to stop comparing and competing, to put away discontentment, and follow him. May we do so with fervor and devotion.
The post Pastor, Stop Comparing and Competing appeared first on Acts 29.
Editor’s Note:* This article is an adapted extract from Gather by Tony Merida. What makes gathering as the church special? How does this influence the way we approach church life? Read the book to learn more, and use the free small group kit* to dig deeper into this topic with your church. The goal of all preaching in corporate worship is the same as every other aspect of the gathering: to exalt Christ.
Hearing God’s Word preached to us does not happen after worship. It is worship. The whole of Scripture speaks to us of the Lord Jesus (Luke 24:27, 44-45), and so good preaching exposes the meaning of a biblical text and points people from that text to Christ, so that they may know him, worship him, and obey him.
So, when you listen to a sermon, remember that God has not given you this gift in order to leave you excited by the oratory or with a better explanation of the text, but to leave you in awe of who Jesus is and how he loves his people.
As church members, we need to challenge ourselves: do we give the same degree of attention to hearing the Word as we do to the other elements of worship?
Our Temptation During PreachingIt’s easy to sing our hearts out, to enjoy the fellowship of our church family, to be grateful that our kids are engaged by the kids’ ministry . . . but to allow ourselves to zone out during the sermon or to forget what we were shown of Jesus and his call on our lives straight after the preaching has finished.
Imagine talking to your friend or your spouse and then putting your fingers in your ears when it is their turn to talk, or listening in such a half-hearted way that five minutes later you have forgotten what they shared with you. That would not go well!
The goal of all preaching in corporate worship is the same as every other aspect of the gathering: to exalt Christ.
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Likewise, be sure not only to praise God for faithful, Christ-exalting preaching but to pray that the Spirit will help you listen to it, respond to it, and remember and be changed by it.
Preaching Is a Long-Established Pattern in Public WorshipRight from the start, Christians have prioritized the exposition of Scripture in their assemblies. After talking about public prayer in corporate worship in 1 Tim. 2:1-8, Paul has this to say about the public reading and exposition of Scripture in corporate worship: “Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching” (1 Tim. 4:13).
In his commentary on 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus, R. Kent Hughes comments, “This simple sentence is a landmark text in defining the major work of the pastor and the worship of the church.” This verse highlights biblical authority, and it displays a biblical pattern of exposition in corporate worship.
The word translated with the English phrase “public reading of Scripture” (anagnōsis) means to read aloud in public. It is the word we find in Nehemiah, as the people gathered to hear God’s Word in a massive assembly (Neh. 8:8), and in Jesus’s sermon in Nazareth, as he reads from Isaiah and explains it (Luke 4:16).
Listen with a Humble HeartChurches today carry on this rich tradition as we read the Scriptures publicly and then hear them explained and applied in the assembly. God builds his people by his Word. He sanctifies us through his truth (John 17:17). It is one of the primary ways in which we behold the glory of Christ and experience spiritual renewal (2 Cor. 3:18–4:6).
So, listen to the sermon with a humble heart, expecting that God will change you through the preaching of his Word.
Hearing God’s Word preached to us does not happen after worship. It is worship.
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In Do You Believe? Paul Tripp states:
“You cannot sit under the teaching of the Word of God with an open and willing heart and remain the same. In teaching you, it recreates you in the likeness of the one who made you and gifted you . . .. The Bible is God’s constant curriculum, and it has no graduation ceremony. No matter how long you have been a Christian, you will need its instruction today as much as you needed it on your first day as an infant Christian.”
How we listen to the Word matters! If we listen to the Word humbly and eagerly, we will experience transformation (see Luke 8:9-15; James 1:21). We can experience that vivid image in the prophet Isaiah, where he says that Scripture is like the rain and snow that fall to the earth, and then says, “Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead the brier shall come up the myrtle” (Isa. 55:13).
The post Don’t Just Read Your Bible, Hear It Preached appeared first on Acts 29.
Editor’s Note:* This article is a short extract from Welcome by Jen Oshman. What does being welcoming look like in the church? How can we learn from the church throughout history how to extend the welcome of Christ? Read the book to learn more, and use the free small group kit* to dig deeper into this topic with your church. It has been said, “The church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints.” I think the quote originates from a Dear Abby syndicated column. It’s a striking word picture as it calls to mind images of people who are unwell but want to get better—people who acknowledge their sickness, are humbled by it, and have placed themselves in the hands of others who might help them.
Closely related to the word “hospital,” is the word “hospitality.” The root of both is the Latin noun hospes, meaning “one who provides lodging or entertainment for a guest or visitor.”
Hospitals provide hospitality to the sick so that they might become healthy and whole. And that is exactly what God calls us to do as the church.
The Church As a Hospital for the UnwellBoth the Old and New Testaments command those who belong to the Lord to generously provide hospitality. And not only are we to practice hospitality, but we are to do so in a way that—if necessary—administers aid and care to the sick.
The prophet Isaiah says true fasting is “to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter” (Isa. 58:7). Paul tells Titus that an elder must be hospitable (Titus 1:8).
While in the home of a prominent Pharisee, Jesus commands, “When you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous” (Luke 14:13–14). And the apostle Peter urges the church to “offer hospitality to one another without grumbling” (1 Pet. 4:9).
The Sick Aren’t Just Those Outside the ChurchOver and over the Bible commands the church to open wide our doors to the hungry, the poor, the wanderer, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and to one another. What we might easily dismiss or forget, though, is that we, the church, are the hungry, the poor, the wanderer, the crippled, the lame, and the blind:
“When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw [Jesus] eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: ‘Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ On hearing this, Jesus said to them, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners’” (Mark 2:16–17).
We who gather in church are the sick in need of a doctor. We are the sinners in need of a Savior.
Hospitals provide hospitality to the sick so that they might become healthy and whole. And that is exactly what God calls us to do as the church.
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To be sure, by God’s immeasurable love and grace, we who are in Christ are redeemed. We are now new creations, and God lives inside of us, but we have not yet reached perfection. We still wage war against our own flesh. We will not be without sin until we reach heaven. We are still in need of, even as we are required to give, the hospitality of a hospital. And praise God—that is exactly what Jesus’s mission provides for us.
Showing Hospitality to AllIn our wealthy Western context, it can be easy to lose sight of the reality that Jesus came for the sick and the poor, the oppressed and the hurting. Even in the church we can drift toward self-sufficiency and fool ourselves into thinking that we’re just fine. But Jesus’s mission was one of rescue and healing—and it’s one that you and I and the whole world need, no matter how materially comfortable we are.
The Gospel of Luke tells how Jesus began his public ministry by preaching in the synagogue in his hometown of Nazareth. One Sabbath, he read from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah, written hundreds of years before, saying:
The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor (Luke 4:18–19).
Jesus rolled up the scroll and, with the eyes of everyone in the synagogue fastened on him, declared, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21). Jesus was proclaiming to the synagogue worshipers that he was God and that his mission was to bring good news, to bring freedom, and to bring healing. The gospel is good news! The gifts of our God are very good.
Breaking Stereotypes of the Church As a Museum for SaintsSo then, when we gather to worship our God, we too should be marked by this kind of goodness. And yet the stereotype of the church is that we are grumpy. Or snobby. Perhaps a crowd of curmudgeons. Or a country club with weekly meetings.
We are not always or even often associated with proclaiming good news to the poor, or drawing near to prisoners to set them free, or befriending the blind to bring them sight. While it’s only a stereotype, we should be honest in admitting that stereotypes do originate somewhere. So think for a moment about the conversations you’ve had with other believers this past week. Or consider your immediate thoughts when an outsider came into your church. To what extent did they reflect the gracious invitation of our Savior? Let’s be honest about some of our ugly tendencies and reflexes, and ask the Lord to help us joyfully make space for everyone he draws near to.
We who gather in church are the sick in need of a doctor. We are the sinners in need of a Savior.
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When Jesus said, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,” he was pronouncing that he was the anointed one of God. He understood his mission as the promised Messiah. He was pronouncing to his community that God had come down, as he said he would, and that he had come to save the lost and heal the sick.
This is who our God is. And Jesus says to us Christians, “Follow me.” This mission, then, of good news and freedom and healing, is ours too.
The post Hospitality Can Change Your Church appeared first on Acts 29.
Editor’s Note:* This article is a short extract from Belong by Barnabas Piper. How is a ‘gospel culture’ developed? What other elements of church life are essential for your church being a place of belonging? Read the book to learn more, and use the free small group kit* to dig deeper into this topic with your church. One of the kindest things you can say about friends is that “they feel like family.” It’s a statement of trust, closeness, identity, and responsibility. When we describe friends this way we are reflecting something beautiful about God’s design and desire for humanity, that familial relationships are meant to be near and dear to us. We were made to be part of a family.
Made for FamilyWe see this shown from the earliest pages of the Bible, where God made Adam and Eve for each other and commissioned them to be fruitful and multiply, that is, have a family. We see it when God tells Abraham that through his offspring all the nations of the earth would be blessed (Gen. 12:1–3). We see it when God establishes the people of Israel as twelve tribes, the offspring of twelve brothers (Gen. 49:1–28). The Bible uses familial language and descriptions throughout because they are the most foundational relational reality we have.
It also becomes clear throughout the Bible that God’s idea of family extends far beyond biology. Someone else defines our closest, most meaningful relationships: Jesus Christ. Jesus himself said, “Who are my mother and my brothers? . . . Whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother” (Mark 3:33, 35). When his disciples asked him to teach them to pray, Jesus said, “When you pray, say Father . . . ” (Luke 11:2; my emphasis).
In these two brief exchanges, Jesus is expanding and defining what it truly means to be family. He points to those who faithfully walk with him and calls them his family. We know that Jesus is the Son of God, but he then points at his Father and tells us to talk to him as our Father.
The Bible doesn’t say we are like a family; it says we are family.
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Consider Romans 8:14–17: “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”
Heirs with ChristAll who believe in Christ have “received the Spirit of adoption as sons.” We are children of God, and this is why Christ called us family. We are heirs with him. This changes everything about what it means to be in a family. For those with healthy, close families it lifts their eyes to an even greater reality. For those whose families are utterly dysfunctional, who are lonely, abandoned, orphaned, or divorced, it is a warm invitation into real family. In God’s family, we share Christ’s familial rights and standing in the eyes of God, and that means we will inherit the glories and riches of the heavenly kingdom.
But this family is not merely about a status or a right. It’s about affection.
I know a few men and women who were adopted as children and legally became members of a family. They shared in the citizenship, the rights, and the last will and testament of their adoptive families. But some of them never received the love and affection that children should. Being adopted left them feeling like outsiders, like projects, like they didn’t belong. This is not the case for believers in the family of God. Later in Romans 8:38–39 we read, “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” When we are adopted through the work of Jesus Christ into the family of God, we receive unconditional, immovable, eternal love as God’s children. We could not be more loved. This is what adoption is supposed to look like.
Children of GodAdoption and family are not mere metaphors to help us understand how we relate as Christians. The Bible doesn’t say we are like a family; it says we are family. Receiving the Holy Spirit transforms us, we become new people, and that means we are no longer strangers, enemies, or rivals. We are brothers and sisters in Christ. We are children of God. Mark 10:29–30 explains what that means for us:
“Jesus said, ‘Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.’”
When we are adopted through the work of Jesus Christ into the family of God, we receive unconditional, immovable, eternal love as God’s children. We could not be more loved.
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Family with a PromiseBelonging to the family of God is not just an identity change—it comes with a promise. Even if following Jesus separated you from your family of origin (and following Jesus can be that costly) or if you do not have family with whom you are close, in the church you gain a family exponentially, what Jesus called “a hundredfold.” You become part of a family marked by the sacrifice and humility and love of Jesus Christ. We get it wrong often. We sin against one another. We hurt one another. But, as my friend Sam Allberry reminds us, “The blood of Jesus is thicker than the blood of biology.” We have the unfailing love of God, proven by the sacrifice of Jesus, so we can freely repent and be forgiven and grow with one another as children of God. In Christ, we belong to a new and eternal family.
The post We’re Made for a Church Family appeared first on Acts 29.
The movie, A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens is a classic. Ebenezer Scrooge, a ruthless businessman, is visited on the night of Christmas Eve by his old associate Jacob Marley. Marley confronted Scrooge about his life choices and warned him that three other spirits would visit that night—the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future.
Ministry brings its own ghosts along the way. This is why Advent is so important. As Fleming Rutledge said, “Advent teaches us to delay Christmas in order to experience it truly when it finally comes. Advent is designed to show that the meaning of Christmas is diminished to the vanishing point if we are not willing to take a fearless inventory of the darkness.”
Just as Scrooge was confronted with his past, present, and future, we face the same realities today. We must acknowledge their importance and diligently work through the things that may be haunting us.
The Ghosts of Co-laborersScrooge was terrified of Marley. It’s easy for us to feel the same way toward former friends in ministry. Relational breaks with people who have meant a lot to us in ministry are anguishing. But this is nothing new.
Paul and Barnabas started their church-planting ministry together but reached a breaking point in Acts 15 over John Mark and the direction of their ministry. Luke, the author of Acts, called this a “sharp disagreement” (Acts 15:39). It must have been a painful break, but both Paul and Barnabas continued their ministries for the sake of the gospel. Paul didn’t let the ghosts of past disagreements lead him to bitterness.
We can’t allow voices from the past to occupy our minds rent-free, but ignoring the ghosts of the past isn’t the pathway to freedom from their haunting, either.
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By the end of his ministry, he showed a deep tenderness toward Mark (2 Tim. 4:11). If you’ve been haunted by the strain of former relationships, ask God to grant you the same generosity of heart to extend to those who you once labored alongside.
The Ghosts of the PastIf you’re human, you’ve messed up. The ghosts of our past haunt us as we carry deep shame about our shortcomings. Like Scrooge in his old schoolroom, the past can invade our dreams like instant replays of events and conversations. We can’t allow voices from the past to occupy our minds rent-free, but ignoring the ghosts of the past isn’t the pathway to freedom from their haunting, either. As we look back, we need to see both the dark valleys and the bright light of God’s grace along the way. In time we can join Paul in saying, “By the grace of God, I am what I am” (1 Cor. 15:10).
The Ghosts of the PresentScrooge was shown a complete picture of the world around him and was left powerless to change it. In ministry, our ghosts of the present are our own inadequacy, insecurities, and lack of control. We’re haunted by the present when we constantly revisit and question our calling. We may be inadequate in some areas, and we’re certainly powerless to change many things in life, but these truths are actually good news in light of the gospel. It’s in our weakness that we hear the voice of Christ saying, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). Especially as church planters and pastors, may we continue to preach the Word both in season and out of season (2 Tim. 4:1–5).
The Ghosts of the FutureThe most fearsome of the ghosts that appeared to Scrooge was the ghost of the future, shrouded in darkness and mystery. The past few years have proven that all of our plans must be held loosely. As James wrote, “What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes” (James 4:14). As a younger church planter, I had lots of plans and believed most of them would work out. Life, ministry, experience, pandemics, and disappointments temper that into wisdom. Staring into the dark void of the future gives us the desperation to call on God to move, trusting that he is sovereign and good.
The only hope we have to avoid being the stingy, bah-humbug Scrooge is to embrace our call as Ebenezers.
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One of the most crippling aspects of the future is pondering potential. People try to offer encouragement by saying, “God has big things ahead for you!” But that often backfires when we feel it hasn’t come to pass. What feels good in the early days of ministry can become a curse later—making us feel like we never fully lived up to our potential. We must not forget that Jesus is the true vine, and we are just branches that bear no fruit apart from him.
Our joy is found not in our ministry success or impact, but in knowing that our names are written in heaven (Luke 10:20), and we’re known as children of God. As we face the ghosts of ministry behind and ahead of us, let’s remember to take a fearless inventory of the darkness. Ebenezer is the name for a stone of remembrance, a marker of God’s faithfulness. The only hope we have to avoid being the stingy, bah-humbug Scrooge is to embrace our call as Ebenezers. We’re tangible representations of God’s faithfulness who are characterized by love and generosity, and we carry this truth with us as we face our own ghosts.
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There was a multitude of books available in 2022 for people seeking encouragement, advice or personal development and you are guaranteed to find a book that speaks to your heart amongst classics and current bestsellers. For a wider perspective though, how about the books our Acts 29 Europe pastors read? In this blog we’ll explore the books that helped shape their minds, encouraged their hearts and developed their ministries. So, let’s take a look at the books our pastors read in 2022!
Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God, by Tim Keller
“Can’t anyone teach me how to pray?” Millions of people today are asking the same question. There is a sense of the necessity of prayer – we have to pray. But how?’
Prayer is central to Christian faith; indeed, as Timothy Keller notes in his introduction, it is the main way we experience deep change. Yet so many people struggle with prayer – a struggle that the author himself has shared. This wise and inspiring book is the fruit of those struggles, offering a real and glorious vision of what it can mean to seek God in prayer.
Keller begins by giving a theological underpinning of what prayer actually is – both conversation and encounter with a personal God – before describing how we can learn to pray, and then deepen that prayer. Finally he gives detailed, practical suggestions on how to make prayer a part of the reality of daily life.
Called to Be Saints: An Invitation to Christian Maturity, by Gordon T. Smith
Evangelicals are known for their emphasis on conversion. But what about life after conversion and beyond justification?
Desperately needed is a comprehensive theology of the Christian life from beginning to end, along with the means of formation and transformation. In Called to Be Saints, Gordon Smith draws on a distinguished lifetime of reflecting on these themes to offer us a theologically rich account of our participation in the life of Christ.
Both profound and practical, this book is a trinitarian theology of holiness that encompasses both justification and sanctification, both union with Christ and communion with God. Smith unfolds how and why Christians are called to become wise people, do good work, love others and enjoy rightly ordered affections.
If holiness is the ongoing journey of becoming mature in Christ, then there is no better guide than Smith. Christians in every walk of life will find this a rich resource for learning what it means to “grow up in every way . . . into Christ” (Ephesians 4:15).
Elders: Developing Elders & Revitalizing Teams: Developing elders and revitalizing teams, by PJ Smyth
In Elders, PJ shares how to build healthy, happy and effective eldership teams that get the best out of the leader and the team. This book is ideal for training potential elders and revitalising existing teams of elders.
PJ has been developing elders for many years. He has planted and led churches in Zimbabwe, South Africa and the USA, and leads the Advance Movement of churches. He is the author of Crossing the Line of Faith, Through the waters of Baptism and How the Gospel Moves from Friend to Friend. He lives in the greater Washington D.C. area with his wife Ashleigh, and three sons.
“This is the best book on eldership I have ever read.” Andrew Wilson, Author of Spirit and Sacrament.
“Theologically rigorous. Eminently practical. Incisive and persuasive.” Sam Storms, Bridgeway Church, Oklahoma.
“A book built on scripture and honed in the trenches of real-life ministry.” Larry Osborne, Author of Sticky Church.
“This is one of the best books I’ve read on eldership in the local church.” Josh Kouri, Frontline Church, Oklahoma.
The Gospel for Disordered Lives by Kristin L. Kellen, Rob Green, and Robert D. Jones
The gospel of Jesus Christ—the heartbeat of the Bible—brings life-changing hope and power to real people with real problems. Inspired by that conviction, The Gospel for Disordered Lives provides an introductory guide to the theory and practice of Christ-centred biblical counselling. Intended to serve as a foundational textbook for students in Christian colleges, universities, seminaries, and graduate schools, the book also provides a useful overview that working counselors can reference in their ministry contexts. Additionally, it can serve pastors and current counselling practitioners as a helpful refresher and a resource for common counselling problems.
Lies We Are Told, the Truth We Must Hold, by Sharon James
We are surrounded by lies. They are incorporated into the worldview of our culture. We daily absorb them, and these lies can have deadly effects on individuals, societies and whole civilisations.
Sharon James investigates the origins of some of these lies and looks at how we have got to the point where ‘my truth’ is as valid as ‘your truth’, and absolute truth is an outdated way of thinking. In examining the evidence of history, she highlights the consequences of applying dangerous untruths. She also looks at how Christians often respond to the culture’s lies – in silence, acquiescence or celebration of them – and why these responses can be as harmful as the lies themselves.
In the second part she turns to the truth which leads to real liberation and justice. She shows why we don’t need to be ashamed of Christ, or intimidated by the claims of those who are militantly opposed to the Bible.
This book aims to equip Christians to navigate the minefield of current claims. To understand our inherent human significance, to know genuine freedom, and to work for real justice, we need to know the truth.
God’s Unfaithful Wife: A Biblical Theology of Spiritual Adultery, by Ray Ortlund
The biblical theme of spiritual adultery stands in all its bluntness for a deeply offensive sin – the unfaithfulness of God’s covenant people in departing from Yahweh, their husband, and going after false gods.
Dr Ortlund begins by showing how the Genesis version of human marriage provides the logic and coherent network of meanings for the story of Israel’s relationship with Yaweh. He traces the theme of marital unfaithfulness, first through the historical books of the Old Testament and then through the prophets, particularly Hosea, Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Turning to the New Testament, he shows how the sad story of Israel’s harlotry is transcended by the vision of ultimate reality in Christ and his church, the Bridegroom and the Bride.
This beautifully written book is marked by careful exegesis and deep sensitivity. It is a rare thing – a work of scholarship which calls the reader to love God with an ardour that suffuses all of life.
Faithful Leaders and the Things That Matter Most, by Rico Tice
“Well done good and faithful servant.” Every ministry leader wants to hear these words when they meet their Lord. But what does successful ministry look like?
There are many books on leadership strategies and church structures, but this one looks at what matters most: the character and attitude of church leaders. It recognises that the spiritual health of the church leaders in large part determines the spiritual health of the congregation and therefore the success of the ministry.
In this short, punchy, challenging, and at times surprising book, Rico Tice draws on decades of experience in church leadership to call fellow pastors and others with oversight of areas of church ministry to define success biblically, fight their sin, lead themselves, and serve their churches. It will be a battle, but one worth fighting because personal holiness and godly leadership matter eternally.
A must-read on pastoral leadership for pastors, elders, worship leaders, youth leaders, and anyone else with a leadership role in church ministry.
Authentic Ministry: Serving from the Heart, by Michael Reeves
Authentic Ministry offers practical guidance and spiritual nourishment for all who serve the church. Each of the nine chapters orients readers to the “one thing [that] is necessary” (cf. Luke 10:42)-abiding in Christ-while asking and answering questions both simple and profound: What is prayer? How should I respond to suffering? Who is my friend? What is theology? What does it mean to love?
This short volume originated as a series of talks delivered to various assemblies of students, pastors-in-training, and church leaders in the UK and beyond.
No Little People, by Francis A. Schaeffer
16 Encouraging Sermons on Human Weakness and God’s Sufficiency by Francis Schaeffer
Most Christians take an honest look at themselves and conclude that their limited talents, energy, and knowledge mean that they don’t amount to much. Some even ask, can I really make a difference? Francis A. Schaeffer counters this claim with truth from the Bible, arguing that with God there is no such thing as little people.
No Little People contains sixteen sermons from Schaeffer that explore the weakness and significance of humanity in relationship to the infinite and personal God. The focus of this collection is the lasting truth of the Bible, the faithfulness of God, the sufficiency of the work of Christ, and the power of the Spirit. Readers will be encouraged by the value that God places on each person made in his image to accomplish his redemptive plan.
The Unwavering Pastor – Leading the Church with Grace in Divisive Times, by Jonathan K. Dodson
Leadership is hard. Pastoring through divisive times is even harder. How do we lead well when criticised? How do we keep loving the church when hurt by her? What does it look like to remain committed to the gospel in cultural division?
Seasoned pastor Jonathan Dodson comes alongside struggling pastors and ministry leaders to guide them into the comfort of Christ. But he doesn’t stop there. Full of wisdom drawn from 2 Timothy, this book will equip you to lead the church with grace, charity and spiritual power through divisive times.
Great for pastors and ministry leaders who need encouragement and insight, or are wrestling with their calling. Makes a thoughtful gift.
Jesus, Lover of My Soul – Fresh Pathways in Spiritual Passion, by Julian Hardyman
Delve into the riches of the Song of Songs in this succinct, joyful look at and what it reveals about the dynamic of our relationship with God – a God that the Bible describes as the lover, with us his beloved. New pathways of spiritual intimacy are illuminated by Julian Hardyman’s exploration of this beautiful piece of Scripture, showing us more fully what it is to love Christ and for him to love us. Filled with profound insight and encouragement, this is a powerful call to become more intimate in our relationship with God and experience more of his love in a way that cannot fail to transform our lives.
The Care of Souls: Cultivating a Pastor’s Heart, by Harold L. Senkbeil
Pastors care for a soul in the way a doctor cares for a body. In a time when many churches have lost sight of the real purpose of the church, The Care of Souls invites a new generation of pastors to form the godly habits and practical wisdom needed to minister to the hearts and souls of those committed to their care.
Harold Senkbeil helps remind pastors of the essential calling of the ministry: preaching and living out the Word of God while orienting others in the same direction. And he offers practical and fruitful advice—born out of his five decades as a pastor—that will benefit both new pastors and those with years in the pulpit.
Drawing on a lifetime of pastoral experience, The Care of Souls is a beautifully written treasury of proven wisdom which pastors will find themselves turning to again and again.
Managing Leadership Anxiety: Yours and Theirs, by Cuss Steve
Pastor and leadership development expert Steve Cuss explains how personal anxiety and leadership frustration is the result of not being “self-aware” and provides simple tools readers can use to do something about it.
The Case Against the Sexual Revolution: A New Guide to Sex in the 21st Century, by Louise Perry
Ditching the stuffy hang-ups and benighted sexual traditionalism of the past is an unambiguously positive thing. The sexual revolution has liberated us to enjoy a heady mixture of erotic freedom and personal autonomy. Right?
Wrong, argues Louise Perry in her provocative new book. Although it would be neither possible nor desirable to turn the clock back to a world of pre-60s sexual mores, she argues that the amoral libertinism and callous disenchantment of liberal feminism and our contemporary hypersexualised culture represent more loss than gain. The main winners from a world of rough sex, hook-up culture and ubiquitous porn – where anything goes and only consent matters – are a tiny minority of high-status men, not the women forced to accommodate the excesses of male lust. While dispensing sage advice to the generations paying the price for these excesses, she makes a passionate case for a new sexual culture built around dignity, virtue and restraint.
This counter-cultural polemic from one of the most exciting young voices in contemporary feminism should be read by all men and women uneasy about the mindless orthodoxies of our ultra-liberal era.
The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution, by Carl R. Trueman
Since the landmark Obergefell v. Hodges Supreme Court decision in 2015, sexual identity has dominated both public discourse and cultural trends—and yet, no historical phenomenon is its own cause. From Augustine to Marx, various views and perspectives have contributed to the modern understanding of self. In The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self, Carl Trueman carefully analyses the roots and development of the sexual revolution as a symptom, rather than the cause, of the human search for identity. This timely exploration of the history of thought behind the sexual revolution teaches readers about the past, brings clarity to the present, and gives guidance for the future as Christians navigate the culture’s ever-changing search for identity.
The Church: An Introduction, by Gregg R. Allison
What comes to mind when you think of the word church?
In this volume, Gregg R. Allison helps define the church and its mission by presenting an overview of the specific doctrines and practices of different churches and denominations. He lays a basic foundation for better understanding the common practices among local church communities (“mere ecclesiology”) and the ways that they diverge from one another (“more ecclesiology”). Through this systematic primer, you will come away knowing not only how various churches differ but also how they’re ultimately united as the body of Christ and the temple of the Holy Spirit.
The post Books We Read In 2022 appeared first on Acts 29.
We’re approaching a new calendar year. You may have already purchased a crisp new calendar with spiral-bound pages and empty white squares. It’s tempting to start filling the blank space with upcoming events or reminders—a visual representation of your busy and full life.
For pastors and ministry leaders, this is especially true. Most of us wear many different hats in ministry, all of which require time and commitment. It’s not bad to be busy, but if we fill our schedules too full, we leave no room for spontaneous ministry and care.
Busyness without reflection or intention will undoubtedly lead to burnout. The good news about our ever-changing schedules is that God never changes. Hebrews 13:8 reminds us that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” The unchanging truth of Jesus provides safety and rest for our overworked souls.
Instead of rapidly filling up our calendars, what would it look like to preserve some space as we enter a new year? Slowing down with intention leads to contentment and makes room for realistic expectations.
Let’s consider three ways that leaving some blank space on your calendar might create more opportunities.
1. Rest your eyes and find margin.Imagine picking up your favorite book and seeing all the margins have been deleted. Words cover every bit of the page from left to right and top to bottom. There is no space for your eyes to find rest. Wouldn’t it be difficult to read and enjoy?
Margins are important because they create space for contemplation. Filling every available inch of space is not efficient and can become counterproductive. Allow the blank spaces on your calendar to serve as a visual cue for rest. In that open time, read a beloved book or do something that brings joy—simply because you have the time. Protect your margin for rest so you can make the most of your time otherwise.
2. Reset your heart and find quiet.Blank space affects not only our eyes but our ears as well. We’re bombarded with so much noise daily, and it stretches further than just our ears. It’s easy to over-commit, especially in work and ministry. These are good things, but in excess, they become a problem. Keeping a noisy and full schedule makes it easy to forget our true identity, which is found in Christ alone.
Before you crack open that new calendar and begin writing, take some time to sit with the Lord and consider the space.
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In addition to our calendars, we’re also regularly targeted by advertising, billboards, podcasts, and social media algorithms. Finding empty spaces may be easy, but allowing those spaces to be quiet is difficult. It’s important to be intentional about what we consume. Jesus modeled this for us in Mark 1:35, “And rising very early in the morning, while it was dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.” This requires effort and discipline, but its benefits are worth it.
3. Reflect on God’s Word and find clarity.Often, our minds are crowded with so many thoughts that if someone approaches us with a simple question, we immediately respond, “I can’t even think about that right now!” When an abundance of things fills our minds, we can’t process anything thoroughly or effectively.
It’s important to spend time pondering and meditating on God’s Word. Perhaps this looks like going for a walk without headphones—just to move, think, and pray. Maybe it’s putting your phone away, closing your laptop, and sitting in silence with the Lord in your office. Our minds need time to process all that we’re doing, seeing, and hearing. Empty spaces are an opportunity to find clarity.
Scripture gives us beautiful guidance in this. An important command is given in Colossians 3:2, “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” We’re to remember this as we move through the chapter, and arrive here in verses 15–16: “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”
Pursuing margin and rest prevents us from being stretched too thin.
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The word let is used twice and implies we have a role to play. For the peace of Christ to rule our hearts and for the word of Christ to dwell richly within, we must allow it to take hold of our lives.
Blank space on our calendars allows us to be available when a crisis comes and also makes room for emotional preparedness. Pursuing margin and rest prevents us from being stretched too thin. We can model this for those in our communities as an act of shepherding and leadership.
Before you crack open that new calendar and begin writing, take some time to sit with the Lord and consider the space. Allow your eyes to rest in margin, your heart to reset in quiet, and your mind to reflect on all God has for you this year.
The post 3 Benefits to Leaving Margin in Your Schedule appeared first on Acts 29.
I have a soft spot in my heart for pastors’ wives, probably because I am one. When I speak with other wives or engage with content online, I’ve noticed a common theme: struggle. You may have seen and even benefited from articles with titles like these:
Five Struggles of Every Pastor’s Wife
Seven Unrealistic Expectations of the Pastor’s Wife
Ten Things Your Pastor’s Wife Wants You to Know
I made those up, but I see articles like them frequently. They’re written because it’s true: pastors’ wives often feel overwhelmed, underqualified, and unsure. I remember my own season of loneliness. Within a couple of years, my husband and I married, moved to a new city, had a baby, and planted a church. I was a new wife and mother trying to get acquainted with my new community. It was exciting, but I couldn’t help but feel lonely. I’ve found this to be a common experience among many pastors’ wives.
Feast or Famine?About 12 years have passed since then, and the loneliness has subsided significantly. I could offer advice on what helped me through those tough times, but there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. We all have different circumstances. Don’t get me wrong—practical advice is helpful and needed. It often relieves the pressure placed on many pastors’ wives. But helpful tips and camaraderie only go so far in healing our struggles. If we’re not regularly reading and living in obedience to God’s Word, not even the wisest advice from a friend will help our hurting hearts.
We ought to be feasting on God’s Word and consuming it as if our lives depend on it.
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This doesn’t mean a frequent reading of Scripture will cure all your problems. What it will do is provide a sense of peace and relieve unnecessary struggle. This is what happens when we live in famine—we try to survive on crumbs alone. It isn’t sustainable.
So, how often do you interact with God’s Word? Maybe you sometimes read an article with a couple of Bible verses, or your Bible app sends you a notification with a daily Scripture reading. A small bite here and a little nibble there isn’t enough to satisfy. If this is your regular diet of Scripture, you’re starving yourself. Jesus tells us in Matthew 4:4, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” We ought to be feasting on God’s Word and consuming it as if our lives depend on it.
Digesting God’s WordMaybe you already approach the Scriptures regularly and excitedly. Every day, you come to the table to feast—ready to dig in. But how often do we prepare our plates just the way we like them, rather than accepting the meal as it’s offered? We may read the Bible regularly, but does the knowledge we gain affect how we live?
In her book, Bread of Life, Abigail Dodds explains it like this: “Digesting the Word of God means letting it work its way into the private crevices and corners of our heart and mind so that we walk away from it changed women. It means putting ourselves truly under the Word, in full submission to it, not taking it up for study and evaluation on our own terms . . . the goal is not my mastery of the material but the material’s mastery over me.”
If we’re not regularly reading and living in obedience to God’s Word, not even the wisest advice from a friend will help our hurting hearts.
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As a pastor’s wife, it’s easy to feel lost in a sea of expectations, pressure, loneliness, and confusion. We carry the weight of our own struggles and often that of our churches, too. Thankfully, God has not left us alone or without help. His Word is “a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Ps. 119:105). The Bible is a gift meant to be opened and enjoyed. We’ve been given “all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence” (2 Pet. 1:3).
I long to see pastors’ wives live steady, fruitful, joyful, and purposeful lives. Whether we’re starving for God’s Word or feasting regularly, may we be women who continually seek to know God better. So, pastor’s wife, come and eat—partake in the feast prepared for you, and know it will always be enough.
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The phrase “church planter’s wife” has different connotations for different people, including the woman experiencing it. It’s a role no one can fully prepare you for, even if they try. Being a church planter’s wife has been one of the most refining, challenging, joyous, sometimes lonely, and yet incredible privileges. It’s a role I had never imagined for myself, but one in which I will forever thank the Lord for blessing me.
As I said, no one can ever fully prepare you for this role, but here are a few important lessons I’ve learned along the way.
Be Solid in Your FaithI can’t say this enough. There are so many moving parts when it comes to ministry and the different roles you play. People can be difficult. There’s often tension in relationships, and you’ll experience some uncertainty, insecurities, hard conversations with your husband, and children who make you want to hide in a hole from time to time. Finding yourself, your place, your anything—none of these will seem even slightly manageable if you’re not solid in your faith.
Embracing my role as a church planter’s wife has brought me closer to the Lord, his people, and my husband.
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And so, you must invest in your relationship with the Lord—make it your priority above all else. Learn to fall in love with Jesus. Sit at his feet, listen to his voice, and obey his call. Let him fill you and be your everything. He’s the one who will never change in all the fluid circumstances and uncertainties.
I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt (as I am sure you are aware), this road isn’t possible without the loving hand of our Father. In all that changes in all seasons, take your relationship with the Lord seriously and contend for it.
I, Too, Am CalledOne of the greatest blessings of being in ministry with my husband is seeing us both called together. I’m not in full-time ministry and have a full-time job, but Cameron and I have pursued this as our calling and something that we’re pursuing together. I’ve never felt like I don’t belong or that there’s no place for me.
Instead, I’ve seen myself as an individual carefully created by my Lord and Savior, who has given me gifts and talents. Knowing I‘ve been called to this has given me the confidence to exercise my gifts for the Lord’s purpose and glory. It’s allowed me to support my husband as he leads the church and to continue praying for him as he pursues his calling. It’s allowed me to step back when I need to, to pause when the time comes, and to speak up when there’s a need.
This has given me the freedom and security to know I’m not some extension attached to my husband hovering in the background. But rather, I’ve taken ownership of this journey and know that I, too, have a role to play.
Be Gracious with YourselfI sometimes cringe thinking of how I handled certain situations and people a few years ago. I cringe even more because some of the people are still here. I then think to myself, it clearly was not that bad because they stayed!
Being a church planter’s wife has been one of the most refining, challenging, joyous, sometimes lonely, and yet incredible privileges.
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On a serious note, remember that you also grow as the church grows and the years pass. I’ve learned the art of being gracious and forgiving myself for not behaving as I had hoped. I didn’t know better at the time. But once you’ve forgiven yourself, give yourself room to move and grow. You’ll constantly make mistakes because you’re learning. Apologize when you need to, learn from the incident, and make sure you don’t sit on the problem for too long. You’re only human, and this is part of the journey.
Yes, there have been some difficult times. I’ve cried for days and doubted myself, but I’ve learned how to enjoy the process. Cameron and I are intentional about enjoying this journey of creating, growing, and partnering together—and doing it surrounded by those we love. We’ve prayed for one another, stood in the gap, and created a safe space for each other. In all that happens, invest in a community that is supportive, loving, and prayerful.
Embracing my role as a church planter’s wife has brought me closer to the Lord, his people, and my husband. Like every role given to us, it’s a gift I’m grateful for and learning to steward well. I pray other wives press into this calling and experience deeper intimacy with Christ.
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In the movie, A League of Their Own, Tom Hanks portrays Jimmy Dugan, a manager of an all-girls baseball team. In perhaps the most memorable scene of the movie, Dugan criticizes one of the players for crying and exclaims, “There’s no crying in baseball!”
I don’t coach an all-girls baseball team, but as a counseling elder, I do see a lot of tears (from both men and women). It isn’t uncommon for people to apologize for crying during a meeting. Why do you think this is the case? While it could be for a variety of reasons, two are especially prevalent. First, we don’t live in a world that understands or welcomes grief.
Cultural messages tell us toughness equals maturity. If it’s true that crying is a sign of weakness, and weakness a sign of immaturity, then grief should be suppressed or avoided. Apologizing, therefore, would be a rational response to the relational annoyance created by our tears.
Second, some people apologize for crying because they have been previously mistreated in their grief. Their expressions of sadness have been met with ridicule, insensitivity, or mockery. Instead of experiencing empathy and compassion, they have been ignored, looked down on, or even shamed. The church desperately needs a healthy understanding of the importance of grief.
The Gift of TearsGrief is God’s gift to us when we’re sad. Grief isn’t just something we feel—it’s something we do. Healthy grieving provides our body and soul an avenue of release when we’re burdened, overwhelmed, and in despair. As painful as the grieving process can be, suppressed grief can cause even more pain. I’ve often heard people say they feel better after “having a good cry.” Many of us have seen the destruction of pent-up, unaddressed anger when it finally escapes. Grief is no different. Suppressing grief doesn’t solve the problem; it creates a greater one.
Jesus’s tears teach us an important lesson—grief is not a weakness or an obstacle to overcome. It’s a gift to embrace.
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Looking to Jesus helps us understand healthy grieving. Jesus wept at the tomb of Lazarus (John 11:35). He lamented over the state of Jerusalem (Matt. 23:37–39). He was a man of sorrows (Isa. 53:3). And these are just the instances we have recorded. Jesus’s tears teach us an important lesson—grief is not a weakness or an obstacle to overcome. It’s a gift to embrace.
What’s Obvious Isn’t Always EasyThere are a few verses in the Bible that seem unnecessary at first glance. For instance, Romans 12:15 reads, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” Why do we need a command to do what seems natural? Maybe because it’s not always in our nature.
While it makes rational sense that we should celebrate someone’s happiness and grieve their pain, our ability to lovingly emote is severely hampered by our own weakness and sin. It’s often easy to respond to someone’s grief with rejoicing. Hatred says, “They got what they deserved.” Likewise, it can be easy to respond to someone’s joy with grief. Envy says, “I deserve what they got.”
Our maturity in Christ has a direct impact on our emotional responses. Instead of hearing others apologize when they cry in our presence, perhaps they should hear us apologize for not weeping with them. People may stop apologizing for their tears if we responded to their tears with Christlike compassion and empathy. This should be part of our growth in Christ—as we become like him, we will weep like he weeps.
Becoming Like Our High PriestWe need to learn from Jesus to grieve well, and we need to learn from Jesus how to help others grieve well. Jesus is interceding for us right now as our high priest. This is good news! He is perfectly able to sympathize with our weaknesses (Heb. 4:15). Hebrews tells us that he always lives to make intercession for us (Heb. 7:25). Allow the absolute nature of the word “always” to sink in.
When you’re overcome with sadness, Jesus is interceding for you. When you’re ravaged by disease, Jesus is interceding for you. When you’re crippled by anxiety, Jesus is interceding for you. When your marriage is crumbling, Jesus is interceding for you. When a friend betrays you, Jesus is interceding for you. When your faith feels weak, Jesus is interceding for you.
The church should be the safest place to cry because the presence of God is the safest place to grieve.
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Because he sympathizes with your weaknesses, you have no need to apologize for your tears. On the contrary, Jesus welcomes your tears, and he delights to care for you. He invites you to draw near in your time of need (Heb. 4:16). When God feels far from you, the high priesthood of Jesus guarantees he’s still ministering to you at that very moment.
Jesus’s priestly ministry informs our priestly ministry. The New Testament describes Christians as priests (1 Pet. 2:5; Rev. 1:6). Like our high priest, we have the dual privilege of drawing near to God and ministering to the needs of others.
Pastors and ministry leaders should always have a box of tissues in their offices. Offer them to those who cry and be patient as they grieve. When someone apologizes for crying, thank them for their vulnerability and the opportunity to comfort them in their affliction (2 Cor. 1:4). The church should be the safest place to cry because the presence of God is the safest place to grieve. May God make it so among his people.
The post You Don’t Need to Apologize for Crying appeared first on Acts 29.
It matters what kind of churches we plant. Acts 29 wants to plant healthy churches, and healthy churches require healthy pastors and leaders. In this session, which is a live Pastor to Pastor recording, Dwayne will discuss some practical aspects of creating and sustaining healthy leadership for local churches with panelists Jeff Medders, Doug Logan, Lesley Rysavy, and Jessie Roseberry.
Watch Dwayne Bond’s 2022 North America Conference panel discussion below.
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Editor’s Note:* If you’ve been blessed by this content, please consider giving to support the mission of Acts 29*.I grew up on the northeast side of Houston in the inner city. My childhood was difficult; I didn’t have a good relationship with my father and struggled with anxiety and depression from a young age. I spent many years seeking approval in all the wrong places until, by the grace of God, a woman named Alberta Liggins invited me to church. Her invitation led me to a new life found in Christ, and a new family found in the church.
For years, I served in different ministry roles in my local church. But my heart was bent toward inner-city church planting. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I was introduced to Acts 29. The diverse community of healthy, multiplying churches was unique and inspiring to me. I always grew up feeling like an anomaly, but immediately the Acts 29 Network felt like home. We’re united in the gospel and in a shared mission for planting churches, particularly in the urban inner city.
Meeting the Needs of a Diverse CommunityIn 2019, we planted Redeeming Word Community Church in Humble, Texas. We had no core team and very little funding, but we knew this area desperately needed the good news of Jesus. The city of Humble is located in the Houston metropolitan area and has one of the highest crime rates in America. It’s very diverse here—like a little picture of the city of Houston. Ministry is challenging in Humble because most people live under a lower socioeconomic status or work blue-collar jobs with crazy schedules.
I always grew up feeling like an anomaly, but immediately the Acts 29 Network felt like home.
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One of the greatest needs in this community is family. Nearly 40 percent of families in Humble are broken. Children are being raised by their grandparents. Every school in the area has about 90 percent of kids enrolled in a free lunch program. Humble is under-resourced in many ways, and we hope to alleviate part of that struggle with our work in the community.
A Vision for Urban Church PlantingOur church truly comes from humble beginnings. But with the help of Acts 29’s church plant funding initiative, we’re not lacking in resources or support. We’ve grown in size and celebrated nearly 20 baptisms since 2019! We recently hired a part-time kids ministry staff member to help with family discipleship. Acts 29 funding also helps us feed and clothe the homeless in our city. We’re able to give water to those who are thirsty. We’re reaching people by meeting these basic needs—and doing it all in the name of Christ.
I get to be a visible illustration to kids and families of what it looks like to live differently. My childhood didn’t define me, Christ does, and I seek to share that with all who will listen.
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Our vision is to plant neighborhood community churches in the urban areas of northeast Harris county, just outside of Houston. There are people here in great need of hearing the gospel; they are suffering in ways only Christ can heal. I know this first-hand. I grew up only 15 minutes away from Humble and struggled in many of the same ways I see our kids struggling today. God redeemed me and my story. I get to be a visible illustration to kids and families of what it looks like to live differently. My childhood didn’t define me, Christ does, and I seek to share that with all who will listen.
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Editor’s Note:* John Calvin is best known for his Institutes. He worked on them consistently throughout his life, and they were the backbone of his literary output. They informed his practice as he trained pastors and sent them out to plant churches. It’s impossible to imagine those men were unaware of the Reformer’s magnum opus. So what would it be like to plant churches today with Calvin’s Institutes in mind? In this series of blogs, Philip Moore, Acts 29’s vice president for global regions, will be walking through the Institutes so we can plant churches with Calvin. Make sure to check out the first and second articles in the series. Calvin starts Book I of his Institutes* with this famous declaration: “Nearly all the wisdom we possess, that is to say, true and sound wisdom, consists of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves.”
I would like to develop this thought with particular attention to church planters.
WisdomFirst, wisdom. That skill in living with poise and being able to navigate life—its ups and downs, its challenges and joys—with equilibrium and insight. Wisdom might be the most underrated aptitude we look for when we assess church planters.
Drive, zeal, vision, entrepreneurial aptitude, and preaching gifts are all important. But without wisdom, these valued competencies are liable to develop in uncontrolled and uncontrollable ways. The more responsibility we have in life, the more we need wisdom.
KnowledgeSecond, knowledge. Calvin said wisdom consists of two parts—knowledge of God and knowledge of ourselves. And we can see straight away the logic of this affirmation. If we are to live well in the world that God created, we need to know the Creator, and we need to understand what it means to be a creature.
This could be worked out ad infinitum. Knowing God as all-powerful and ourselves as weak and dependent is key to living wisely. To escaping burnout and steering clear of pride and overreach. To avoiding Messiah complexes and workaholism.
Knowing God as holy and ourselves as sinful is key to living wisely because it means we consciously avoid sin; we intentionally pursue holy living and love of others. Wise church planters do not fall or falter in the ways many have.
Calvin’s opening declaration in his Institutes is useful for church planters in ways I’ve only begun to describe.
Drive, zeal, vision, entrepreneurial aptitude, and preaching gifts are all important. But without wisdom, these valued competencies are liable to develop in uncontrolled and uncontrollable ways.
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Useful AdviceHis advice is equally useful for the ministry goals we set for our church plants. What are we trying to do when we plant churches? Ultimately, we want more people to know God. We want people to meet Jesus. We want them to understand the human condition and thus to understand themselves, their sins, addictions, problems, and sufferings. We want them, having understood who God is and how he wants to carry their burdens, to commit themselves to live life in this knowledge—that is to say, wisely.
What if, before we sat down to prepare our sermons and Bible studies, we meditated for a few minutes on the opening gambit of the Institutes? How will I preach and teach so people can know God? What aspects of our human condition emerge from this passage, so I can help people know themselves? How do these two strands intertwine so that people see their need for Jesus and understand how they can now start to live wisely in relationship with him?
We can see how this approach is, at the same time deeply pastoral, warmly apologetic, and incisively evangelistic. We can see how this approach would sharpen our applications and exhortations. People in this kind of church plant would be growing in every area—knowledge of God, knowledge of self, and skill in living wisely.
Sound WisdomAnd this is no surprise because this kind of wisdom—which Calvin later explains comes from the Scriptures—is true and sound. It is dependable and corresponds exactly with reality. It is healthy and health-giving, as Paul explains in Titus 2:1, especially when delivered by a wise planter, who is himself growing in the knowledge of God and of self and in the skill of living wisely. Then there is no danger of overbearing, manipulative, or abusive uses of the message or the platform.
“Nearly all the wisdom we possess, that is to say, true and sound wisdom, consists of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves.” –John Calvin
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So let us decide to be church planters steeped in this kind of reflection. There is no shortcut to wisdom. If we have been guilty of lacking wisdom in the past, if our lives lack the poise and equilibrium we have been talking about, then repentance and resolve will be needed. But there is no reason not to pursue, from this point on, in our lives and in our ministries, true and sound wisdom, which consists of the knowledge of God and the knowledge of ourselves.
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My afternoons in New England are marked by disappearing light as we move through to the darkest day of the year. I’m surprised each December when the days grow shorter. My kids and neighbors continually remark, “is the sun setting already?” as it seems to hide by 3:30 p.m. The removal of light brings about minor panic—we sense it as a loss. Advent occurs during a season of darkness, which provides opportunity to think about how the light has come.
The origins of Advent have a fuzzy start, but the establishment of Christmas Day around the fourth century created practices of anticipation and preparation. Paired with the December solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, candles became a symbolic reminder. Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12), and people experienced this spiritual truth with a physical representation of a burning candle.
The Practices of AdventThe observation of Advent is widespread, as we take the weeks leading to Christmas to wait with anticipation. It’s a time of double meaning. We acknowledge Jesus’s coming in the flesh as a baby to inhabit the world (Matt. 1:23), and we look with hope to his coming again (Rev. 1:7).
God’s people sit in the blessed reality that we belong to him. We’re saved from our sins and have peace with God (Rom. 5:1), yet we’re not physically in the presence of Jesus. He’s prepared the way for us but hasn’t invited us home (John 14:3). Our faith has not yet been made sight. J. C. Ryle summarizes it well, “There is a glorious dwelling place provided by Jesus Christ for all his believing people. The world that is now is not their rest: they are pilgrims and strangers in it. Heaven is their home.”
The practices of Advent are an invitation to declare that darkness doesn’t have the final say.
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This challenges me to recognize the tension of the Christmas season—the now and not-yet reality we’re living in. This world isn’t my home, but I’ve been given a place to inhabit where the kingdom can be realized on earth. The practices of Advent are an invitation to declare that darkness doesn’t have the final say.
The candles, lights, wreaths, and glitter of festivities and presents are gentle reminders that the dark of night has been pierced by the true Light. Christ came most unexpectedly, disarming all the principalities of darkness, taking on the limitations of humanity to live the life we couldn’t.
I invite you to slow down and reflect. Light a candle, and notice the places of light as you move through this season. There are many traditions to embrace and celebrate with those you love. Before you do, consider these three truths that offer hope for the longing world.
Remember the SilenceWe often become uncomfortable in a time of extended silence. Take any small group conversation with a thirty-second pause, and you’ll notice people squirming in their seats. It’s helpful to remember the world lived in silence for 400 years. Twenty generations lived in the intertestamental period from the end of the book of Malachi until the birth of Jesus.
God’s prophetic Word ceased, but he continued to work. There must’ve been countless times people lost hope, questioned, and doubted God, yet he remained faithful to his promise (Isa. 9:6–7). Reflecting on this allows us to cultivate faith when he hasn’t answered our prayers in the way we’d hoped. He’s always at work in our waiting.
Sit in the Darkness One of my favorite practices in the Advent season is sitting in the early morning darkness before the household awakens. I’ll turn the Christmas tree lights on, and an illuminating glow cascades through my living room. The light bounces off the ornaments, and a glimmer of light reaches into the darkness. It reminds me that without embracing darkness, we can’t feel the relief brought by the light.
This translates well to our spiritual life. The practice of looking deeply at ourselves and acknowledging the depth of our depravity gives way to receiving the forgiveness of God. We revel in the depth of his mercy when we understand our great need (Eph. 2:4).
During Advent, as the sun sets on your day or breaks forth in the morning, may you embrace the invitation to see the light of Jesus.
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Watch for the Light God made a way to be with his people in the flesh with the birth of Jesus. His name is Immanuel, God with us, testifying that rescue had arrived. We see this in the second chapter of Matthew when the star announces his arrival to the wise men. Their response was to come and worship. Jesus’s life and ministry were a continual proclamation that his reign and rule were at hand.
As we live now, we see glimpses of the kingdom as we walk by the Spirit (Gal. 5:25). We just have to notice and name them. This Christmas, cultivate a heart like the wise men and pray you’ll recognize the light of Jesus breaking through. Watch for the light, and worship him in response (Matt. 2:2).
During Advent, as the sun sets on your day or breaks forth in the morning, may you embrace the invitation to see the light of Jesus. He continues to be the answer for all our longings and darkness. May you experience that anew this season.
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We are standing at a crossroads moment in our network. With a deep desire to honor God and one another, we are wondering how to rightly minister together as brothers and sisters. Will it be fear or faith that drives us? This session seeks to put words to something we’re all wrestling with and to spur us on to unity and mission.
Watch Jen Oshman’s 2022 North America Conference session below.
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Church planters understand the idea of transition better than most. I had the privilege of attending the Acts 29 North America conference in October and met brothers and sisters from all over the world. In talking with them about their ministries, this is the word I heard the most: transition.
Some were moving from one meeting place to another. Others were staff members at their church and recently changed roles. Many spoke about transitioning from one service to two. These are all common experiences. Often, the lives of pastors and church leaders are marked by change. It’s difficult, but this is exactly the kind of ministry Jesus modeled. He didn’t get settled in any place for too long—he showed us that leaders adapt and seek to serve in whatever capacity is needed.
Here are four ways Jesus experienced transition during his earthly ministry, and how that provides comfort for us today.
Change of HeartMinistry can be unpredictable. You may head into your job on Monday morning with a lengthy to-do list, but when you arrive, there’s someone waiting for you. They need prayer and encouragement, so your to-do list must wait. God places people in our lives for a reason, and when their hearts are hurting, we have an opportunity to model the love of Jesus.
He was masterful at this—he touched the untouchable, showed kindness to the lonely, and met their tears with compassion. Jesus never left a conversation without offering an invitation to receive forgiveness and to enjoy an eternal relationship with him. He sought to heal hearts, and we can do the same.
Transition and change are difficult, especially when it makes us uncomfortable. But it keeps us from complacency and helps direct our focus to the task at hand: making disciples to the glory of the Father.
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Change of PaceJesus recognized the need for prioritizing both public and private ministry. He never worried about slowing down and didn’t live in a state of hurry. Many around him expected him to be a prominent leader, but his care for others was gentle and focused.
Jesus’s example of serving publicly and then pulling away for time alone with the Father should compel us to think about our own ministry. The world is fast-paced, but Jesus didn’t let that affect his approach. What would it look like for us to do the same? We must prioritize time alone with our heavenly Father, just as Jesus did. Not everything has to be seen. A slower pace sets realistic expectations and allows us to truly see people where they are.
Change of LocationIn church planting, a change in location is nothing new. Most of us meet in renovated buildings that used to be something very different than a church or rent spaces from local schools or organizations. It’s difficult to borrow physical space, knowing it isn’t yours to permanently inhabit. But even with a permanent building, transition and change still occur because it’s a normal part of life and ministry.
Jesus didn’t stay in one place very long; he was constantly traveling. He slept in a new place many times, but he never let that mobility of ministry distract him from his purpose. Locations bring expectations and may carry a certain sense of status, but may we keep the perspective of Jesus in our minds as we steward what he’s provided.
Change of RoleIt isn’t uncommon to start a job and then transition to a new role because the surrounding needs change. Sometimes we start out on one path and then find ourselves on another. For smaller teams especially, doing things you didn’t think you’d be doing is a regular occurrence. For the pastor or leader, it’s important to be willing to change and be open to the needs of your local church.
God places people in our lives for a reason, and when their hearts are hurting, we have an opportunity to model the love of Jesus.
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Jesus physically grew from an infant to a toddler, to a teenager, and eventually became a man with a ministry. He then invited men and women to learn from him because he knew the time would come for him to return to heaven. He was forming disciples who would eventually make more disciples. Just as Jesus grew, his disciples grew, too.
Transitional eyewear is made to adapt to the surrounding environment to optimize functionality. Serving in ministry requires this same perspective. The willingness to adapt and adjust to the needs of today is essential for church leaders.
Transition and change are difficult, especially when it makes us uncomfortable. But it keeps us from complacency and helps direct our focus to the task at hand: making disciples to the glory of the Father. This was Jesus’s mission during his earthly ministry—a ministry that was marked by change. May we keep this in mind as we serve those around us and seek to remain focused on the task at hand.
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I remember standing in front of a small, diverse, struggling, yet eager group of people passionately proclaiming, “We’re going to be a church for the broken, the addicted, the abused, the struggling, and the sinner!” It was the second service of our newly launched church, Eternal City Church, which met in my living room. During the first service, we baptized five people in a nearby river. God was on the move.
But at the end of this worship gathering, a fight broke out between a newly married couple. The husband aggressively ran down the street while several men followed, eventually restraining him and getting the police involved.
The idea of becoming that kind of church was far more attractive than the reality of being in that kind of church. Welcome to church planting!
Playing the MessiahIn the following months, conflict, complaints, and the consequences of others’ sins bombarded me. As a pastor with a counseling disposition, I wanted to help everyone.
I remember talking with pastor friends about the issues we were experiencing while describing my depressed emotional state. I kept hearing, “you’re not the Messiah,” and I’d respond, “I know!” It was obvious, Jesus is the Messiah. I’m merely an undershepherd.
But it got worse. I’d get a text message, and my heart would drop into my stomach without reading it. I’d get a call from a church member and assume it was terrible news—I was usually right. When my people were in crisis, I was in trouble. When their lives were crumbling, my life powdered, too.
I've learned that to pastor people is to shepherd them through their problems, not to solve or save them from their problems.
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During a meeting, we heard a banging on the door at my fellow elder’s house. When Eddie opened it, his neighbor stumbled in, holding a half-empty case of beer in one hand and an open can in the other. I thought, if we get one more person like this in our church, I’m going to die. Talk about demotivation for the mission.
But the turning point came after two very dark incidents.
Needing a MessiahWe hosted a streaming women’s conference in our living room one night. I was in the basement office. The attendees hadn’t arrived, and the pre-conference stream was on upstairs. The worship team practiced an acoustic version of “Lord, I Need You.” Suddenly, I broke down and couldn’t stop crying. It was a strange occurrence.
On the one hand, I was thinking, what is happening to me? On the other hand, I couldn’t stop. The cry turned into a prayer repeating, “Lord, I need you.” I didn’t make a big deal of it, but something was definitely off after that incident. I had less energy and motivation for the mission.
The second came while driving with my wife, Meghan. We were both in a dark place emotionally. While at a stoplight, she looked over and said, “I now understand how people could kill themselves. If I felt like this all the time, I couldn’t live.” I didn’t respond and kept driving. I felt the same thing she just described.
We both started counseling shortly after. My wife received helpful insights, and I was reaffirmed in our calling to plant the church. Soon after, I joined the Biblical Counseling Institute and began taking our people there. I sat in the sessions with Dr. Scipione and our people several nights a week and gained new insights.
A pivotal step for any counseling pastor is acting on the fact that Jesus is Messiah, not us.
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I recall talking with various seasoned biblical counselors, asking, “how do you counsel so many different people without getting crushed by their problems?” The answers varied, “I tell them the way to go, then they have to walk in it,” or “you have to compartmentalize people’s problems.” I always gleaned some little nugget of help from these conversations.
Surrendering to the MessiahI’ve learned that to pastor people is to shepherd them through their problems, not to solve or save them from their problems. A pivotal step for any counseling pastor is acting on the fact that Jesus is Messiah, not us. I realized I was unconsciously taking the burden of healing marriages, freeing people from addictions, ensuring others’ happiness with our church, conflict resolution, etc. I was the functional savior and heaped guilt upon myself if they weren’t saved.
I’d describe the process of counseling/pastoring this way: Your problems are your problems, not mine. Just like my problems are not your problems, they are mine. I can walk you through crises, pray with you, be present, and provide wisdom and resources. Still, ultimately, these issues belong to you and God. We must surrender people and situations to God in prayer.
Dear pastor, Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matt. 11:29–30). Suppose we are taking the burden of others onto ourselves while not giving that burden over to Jesus. But we aren’t the Messiah—he is.
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Acts 29’s missional momentum has never been stronger, and we believe our best days are ahead. In this session, Brian will cast his vision for our network as we build...
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Church planting, indeed disciple-making, is the ultimate mission impossible. Tom Cruise can run, dive, duck, and climb over any hurdle with outrageous confidence in his ability to survive and succeed....
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Acts 29 Asia Pacific: Online Training Each month our region gathers for online training with helpful voices from around the world, which concludes with an interactive time of Q&A. In...
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Acts 29 Asia Pacific: Online Training Each month our region gathers for online training with helpful voices from around the world, which concludes with an interactive time of Q&A. In...
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Acts 29 Asia Pacific: Online Training Each month our region gathers for online training with helpful voices from around the world, which concludes with an interactive time of Q&A. In...
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Acts 29 Asia Pacific: Online Training Each month our region gathers for online training with helpful voices from around the world, which concludes with an interactive time of Q&A. In...
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Acts 29 Asia Pacific: Online Training Each month our region gathers for online training with helpful voices from around the world, which concludes with an interactive time of Q&A. In...
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For years our Acts 29 church in Lilongwe, Malawi, Reformation Bible Church, has been praying for a piece of land and an opportunity to start a building project. By God’s...
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The Christian life is a life in exile. When we’re born again in Christ, we become citizens of a new kingdom, meaning we are “sojourners and exiles” (1 Pet. 2:11)...
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Please tell us a little about yourself, your family, and your role in Acts 29. My name is Keo Kognon. I am married to Lydie and we have four children....
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I have the unique privilege and joy of pastoring a church in my hometown in Whitehorse, Yukon. My parents moved here over 50 years ago from Hong Kong. I grew...
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Acts 29 exists to plant healthy, gospel-centered churches everywhere. But each context has unique challenges and joys. Church planters may face interest, apathy, warmth, or hostility. Contextualization is crucial. The...
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Growing up in Detroit, Michigan in the 1980s and 90s, I saw and experienced things many people can’t comprehend. To survive and protect myself and those around me, I developed...
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Who’s in charge? What systems of accountability are in place? What are the opportunities for men and women? In the face of highly-publicized church scandals and the failure of once-revered...
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My eight-year-old thinks he should be good at everything he does. When he watches baseball, he automatically assumes he should be able to catch, throw, hit, and run like the...
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While serving Christ’s church involves sincere joy and purpose, there are times when the unique challenges of church planting and pastoral ministry feel overwhelming—not just for pastors, but for their...
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We are people of the Word—gospel people who have received and now live in a relationship with God through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. We cherish the Bible...
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On May 26, 2022, I’ll hit 45. There’s no getting away from it: I’m well and truly middle-aged. I’ve been in paid ministry for over 20 years, and God willing,...
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I’ve spent some time reading up on the events from Saturday’s shooting, including learning about the victims. Two of the deceased were sister Young and brother Patterson of Buffalo, New...
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Being a pastor isn’t just a vocation, it’s a life. They don’t clock out at five o’clock, and the impacts of pastoral ministry are not only felt by the pastor...
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My motorcycle doesn’t have a gas gauge like most others. I have to watch the mileage and estimate how far I can typically go on a tank before stopping to...
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How can giving away our best people possibly be good for us? This is precisely what many congregations wonder when they encounter the idea of church planting. I understand the...
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Today, before writing this post, I’ve been down to the building our church owns to sort out a problem with the boiler and make arrangements for services over the next...
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It seems like someone’s dealing with a fear-related struggle everywhere you turn. In some ways, this shouldn’t surprise us. Throughout the Scriptures, we see the presence of fear. God’s Word...
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If you were to ask a random group of Christians what they perceive as the joyful aspects of church planting, I’m fairly certain very few (if any!) would volunteer answers...
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Since my husband was young, his family had a tradition of escaping the fickle spring New England weather to venture south for warmth and rest. His parents have continued this...
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As a church planter, I dreaded fundraising. I grew up in an Indian immigrant community that knew the ache of hunger. They left the land they loved and traveled to...
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In Acts 16, Paul has a vision in the night of a man urging him to “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” He didn’t ask questions; he obeyed, packed...
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Isolation and burnout a few years after planting a church are common complaints of church planters. The adrenaline of the launch phase has subsided and the first year of “flying...
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Luke 10: 25–28 recounts a conversation between Jesus and a man asking how to inherit eternal life. Jesus asks, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?”...
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It’s impossible to scroll through my newsfeed without seeing something about Disney’s new movie, Encanto. The film centers on the Madrigal family with characters and music as colorful as the...
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Episode 1 with Pete Rennie: Episode 2 with Josh Boehm: Episode 3 with Joe Swords: Episode 4 with Zack Mason: Episode 5 with Jeremy Buck: ...
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I couldn’t wait to preach. The passage had done its work in me, challenged my mind, burrowed into my heart, and awakened me to joy and repentance. It was now...
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A few weeks ago, I was riding around Detroit’s inner city with Tyler St Clair, pastor of Cornerstone Church. After passing through multiple city blocks, I was not only struck...
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The first sign of spring in my city is the burgeoning buds of cherry blossoms. Washington, DC is known for the beautiful blossoms that appear throughout the city, snowing their...
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One of these things is not like the others, right? But before we get to that, it’s confession time—I’m not a NASCAR fan. To be fair, I have great respect...
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I recently met with a group of women leaders from our church. There were several elder wives and deaconesses, the women’s ministry director, and other female lay leaders. The goal...
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I love mowing my lawn. There’s a profound gratification that comes when the tall grass in front of me becomes short grass behind me. The instant fruit of my labor...
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Another person is in the hospital. More people are deconstructing their faith. Broken relationships need tending. Another global or national crisis hits. On top of these concerns, there are ongoing...
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“What do your women need to hear?” I’ve asked this question repeatedly in my conversations with pastors and leaders of women’s ministry teams. One of the great privileges of working...
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What is the central purpose of the church and the Christian life? Over the years, I’ve found that while some people want the church mainly focused on our worship of...
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“And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. And...
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Our daily temptations toward emotional escapism will not disappear. We will continue to be bombarded with insufficient and temporary options for relief that are imposters of joy. We also have...
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As a parent, you can tell when your children have been spending time among different influences, even at a young age. Perhaps they begin to use different words, adopt new...
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The notion that Christian leaders have always been wealthy white men and they’ve used their faith and position to keep women down is widely assumed and almost unquestioned in the...
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It’s been just one month since Russia invaded Ukraine. The world is reeling from this crisis as many Ukrainians became soldiers overnight. The significant loss of life grows daily, civilian...
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Acts 29 Stories Anchor Church, NSW, Australia
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I visited Ukraine with my 13-year-old daughter in November, and by the end of February, Russia had launched a full-scale invasion in Ukraine. Like you, I saw the devastation from...
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“The very simple answer is that I’m not a man. I’m a woman, so I belong on the women’s team. Trans people deserve that same respect every other athlete gets.”...
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Session Title: Good News for Weary Leaders Speaker: Jared C. Wilson Event: Multi-City Conference (Acts 29 Australia, New Zealand and Japan) Date: March 5 2022 Location: Acts 29 Australia, New Zealand and...
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Session Title: Spirit Powered Resilience Speaker: Doug Logan Event: Multi-City Conference (Acts 29 Australia, New Zealand and Japan) Date: March 5 2022 Location: Acts 29 Australia, New Zealand and Japan
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I remember looking back at major events in history and wondering what it was like to live through them. It’s the same impulse that makes period dramas and movies about...
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When we planted our church, I was naive and unsuspecting about the future. All the pitfalls and challenges of church planting I’d heard about seemed distant and unlikely—surely our story...
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Some things don’t go together. Take polka dots and stripes: few combinations are more fashion cringe-worthy. On the surface, trials and joy seem to fit into that category. I don’t...
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Looking at successful entrepreneurs throughout history can reveal the characteristics needed to start and build something from scratch. I suspect the list of traits includes grit, resourcefulness, initiative, risk tolerance,...
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We talk a lot about contextualization in Acts 29. The Cambridge Dictionary defines contextualization as “the process of considering something in its context.” Acts 29 vice president for advancement, Doug...
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The last two years of pandemic life shook the ground beneath our feet and shifted our relationship with our homes. As the world shut down, our lives moved indoors in...
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One of my daughter’s favorite things to do is a trust fall. She climbs to the top of our couch, turns, spreads her arms, and without a care in the...
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This year marks a milestone for me, one that has crept up with all the usual veracity that our calendars bring every year. I’m turning 40, a benchmark year that...
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How can we respond to the current crisis in Ukraine? Acts 29 Europe has always desired to see healthy churches planted all over our continent, including in Russia, Belarus, and...
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You and I know that church life is not without its challenges, even—perhaps especially—in times of expansion and blessing. In his excellent commentary on the book of Acts, John Stott...
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“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you...
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The day after my sabbatical ended, I woke up feeling much like . . . myself. How would I explain to my church family what the Lord had done during...
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We’ve all seen and heard the stories: a church is planted and grows quickly. Before long, the planting pastor’s ambition takes over, with ugly results. It happens repeatedly, but we’re...
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From the color and noise of Rome or Paris to rugged and wind-battered Scottish islands, Europe includes the world’s busiest cities and most remote villages. We may think of Italy,...
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“I need a cup of coffee.” You’ve either said it or heard someone else say it. Whether it’s lack of focus, fatigue, irritability, or something else, sometimes we feel life...
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“And [Jesus] came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to...
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Our church recently hosted a training that brought together pastors, men, and women from across our region. When the day ended and the space cleared out, a distinct echo of feedback hung in the air: “We not only heard what you said, we felt it. The way we were loved, welcomed, and cared for was tangible.”
There was something about the way our pastors, the women in our church, and our broader church family interacted that day that provided a glimpse into how we might live every day as the church—as men and women in partnership to love God and love others, bearing witness to the reality of the gospel. A taste of the eternal kingdom breaking into the here and now.
This hasn’t always been true of our church. There were days when women asked, “Am I valued? Am I needed? Where do I belong?” These questions aren’t unique in the landscape of church life. A brief survey of women will stun you with lived experiences of being unseen and undervalued—or worse, hurt and victimized.
The differences between men and women have seemed like an impossible chasm to cross, but Scripture paints a different picture—one that orients us to the joint mission to which God has called us.
Men and Women Partnering in Mission We don’t get far in Genesis before we see God’s command to Adam and Eve: “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth” (Gen. 1:28). God made them in his image, male and female, and gave them a job: to multiply image bearers. They cannot fulfill what was asked of them without each other.
The household of God was missing the key voices of our sisters and mothers. The mission was weakened without their integration into the whole.
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The new covenant expands this task as Jesus broadens our understanding of fruitfulness. It’s spiritual. All are invited to be reborn through Christ (John 3:5–7). The command to make disciples (Matt. 28:19) echoes the garden command to be fruitful and multiply. He uses both men and women as weak and limited people to make himself known.
These truths about God’s design and intent made us pause to consider how this is lived out in our church. The life cycle of church planting calls for different seasons of emphasis. In our early days, calling leaders, forming a core team, building capital relationally, and orienting to our context all had a unique set of demands. But as our church matured, there was a glaring lack of partnership between men and women. The household of God was missing the key voices of our sisters and mothers. The mission was weakened without their integration into the whole.
So, how do we honor and value women in the work of gospel advancement?
Live as Family in the Church Jesus’s proclamation of a kingdom reality regularly left his disciples bewildered. He defined who qualifies as family by orienting them to the Father’s mission. “For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, sister, and mother” (Matt. 12:50). The gathering of people who are unlike one another, not naturally affiliated, speaks to the lavish invitation the church has to offer the world.
Our Father has adopted us as his own (Eph. 1:5). This reality shifts the relationship we have with one another. Seeing those in our church as brothers and sisters opens up intimacy and connection for which the world has no category. The church has an opportunity to be a shadow of the greater reality yet to come. It’s not a club or a set of programs to administer; it’s a diverse family united by God.
The church has an opportunity to be a shadow of the greater reality yet to come. It’s not a club or a set of programs to administer; it’s a diverse family united by God.
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Resist Fear One of the regular statements my pastor utters is, “Don’t play scared.” The subtle divisions and potential “what-ifs?” between men and women have set roadblocks for fruitfulness. Fear can choke unity by establishing rules, rather than leaning into the relationship. We don’t ignore temptations and we must pursue holiness. Fear is a force that takes us out of the game. Believing God is with us in his call catapults us to courageous living.
Honor Distinction Men and women are different. This is the strength and fullness of God’s design to honor what he has created. We do that by living unashamedly as who we are. To be a man and to be a woman both have glories to behold. God sets each of us in unique spheres of influence with a range of gifts. When we receive this, we notice the necessity of both men and women in mission. Our differences are purposeful and give clues on how to build healthy teams, churches, and communities that reflect Christ’s glory.
The most radical strategy we might employ as church planters and church members is to honor and value the women who have been gifted to our churches.
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Our church culture has shifted by slowing down and paying attention to who Jesus has given us. The most radical strategy we might employ as church planters and church members is to honor and value the women who have been gifted to our churches. It not only builds healthy churches but is an undeniable witness to a watching world.
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Church planting tests relationships. This relational stress can result in deeper bonds and meaningful work or heavy betrayal and hurt. Is there a way to recover from the deep cuts when they inevitably come? How do you place your hand on the plow again? How can you fight for healing?
To answer these questions, Athanasius of Alexandria advises his deacon, Marcellinus, to turn to Psalm 55:
“If your enemies who oppress you insult you, and those who seem to be your friends discredit you by making a fool of you, and you get perplexed by their subtlety for a little while, nevertheless you should be comforted by singing to the Lord and reciting the words in Psalm 55.”
Every church planter should keep the song and prayer of Psalm 55 close to their heart. In this psalm, David laments his betrayal by an intimate friend. He’s under siege by troubling thoughts (1–3), and anguish fills his heart with the desire to escape (4–8). Verses 12–13 reveal the source of his agony: David says he could bear the attack if it came from an enemy, but instead, these arrows are piercing him from an unexpected source—it’s his peer, his companion, his good friend who turned against him. They’d shared tears, struggles, joy, and worship. Yet all seemed lost in an instant.
Does this apply to church planting and pastoring? The answer is a resounding “yes.” People with whom you’ve dreamed, prayed, cried, and celebrated can turn around and deeply hurt you. This was clear to me during the pandemic when I faced the dilemma of threats from divided extremes: “Pastor, if you require masks, we will . . ..” Or, “Pastor, if you don’t require masks, we will . . ..” I heard concerns from both camps. But their willingness to throw meaningful relationships and fellowship aside, in a moment, shocked me.
The Psalmist gives us two options here: we can escape to somewhere, something, or someone else, or we can escape to God.
We miss all these summits when we run away, seeking other forms of refuge instead of following the hard path up the mountain.
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The Wrong Escape Crushing and unbearable times often tempt us to escape to other forms of refuge that give us instant relief. Sometimes we use virtues—we bury ourselves doing good things to medicate the pain. We try vacations and entertainment. Sometimes we use vices like sleeping pills, drinking, and gluttony to block and repress hurt, though we know they’re perilous to our souls. Anything we seek to suppress tends to return in more dangerous forms.
The detriment of fleeing to other sources for refuge is that we miss out on abundant life. Climbing a mountain is gritty, hard work. But reaching the summit rewards us with a soul-satisfying view. Life’s monumental summits evade us as we pursue ease and escapism. Because of this escapism, so much good is left undone. As Dave Griffith-Jones says,
“Truth doesn’t get told, work doesn’t get finished, spouses don’t get cherished, children don’t get parented, injustice doesn’t get challenged, inventions don’t get made, art doesn’t get created, churches don’t get planted, sinners don’t get told the good news, neighbors don’t get loved, Jesus doesn’t get honored.”
We miss all these summits when we run away, seeking other forms of refuge instead of following the hard path up the mountain.
The Right Escape We need to escape to God. God was David’s hiding place: “Give ear to my prayer, O God, and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy!” (Ps. 55:1). Through prayer, David gained perspective and became settled in knowing that God would execute justice on his behalf (Ps. 55:19–21, 23). His advice, then, is to cast your cares on the Lord. This means we don’t hold it all in but talk to God about our troubles.
Casting our cares on God enables us to remain steadfast, escaping escapism and finding refuge in him.
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Talking to God in this context includes sharing our feelings of anger, shown in the vivid language used in this psalm. The result of taking it to the Lord in prayer is that David emerges confident that God will save him (v. 16), hears his voice (v. 17), will redeem him (v. 18), will sustain him, and that he will never be shaken (v. 22).
Athanasius advises Marcellinus to recite this psalm because it voices what we feel before God. It also shows us that sometimes God won’t take the burden away—but he will surely sustain. In short, casting our cares on God enables us to remain steadfast, escaping escapism and finding refuge in him.
This song should be on the lips of every church planter because deep wounds are inevitable in this meaningful work. To maintain our love for God, his people, and his work, we must bring our deep wounds to him for healing.
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When lockdown orders first went into effect, the United States saw a 54 percent increase in alcohol sales. Alcohol consumption rose among adults over age 30 by 14 percent during the pandemic, with a 41 percent increase in women heavily drinking. Now, nearly one in five American adults is using heavy drinking to cope with stress from the pandemic.
These numbers are staggering. And we’d be naive to think they’re only out there, outside the church.
Alcohol consumption is an issue of Christian liberty. One believer’s conscious allows him or her to drink while another’s does not. We choose not to quarrel, or treat one another with contempt, or judge one another over this disputable matter (Rom. 14:1–4). The question for those of us whose conscious allows us to drink is this: considering the sharp rise in alcohol use around the country, are we willing to pause and take an honest look at ourselves, our friends, and our faith families?
The Church Cannot Ignore This Crisis As Christians, it’s imperative that we give our nation’s sharp increase in alcohol abuse our attention for three reasons. First, the misuse of alcohol is detrimental to the bodies and souls of all people. It’s well documented that drinking even a little bit too much is related to numerous physical and mental health issues, and it can also unnecessarily put the alcohol user in dangerous situations.
Considering the sharp rise in alcohol use around the country, are we willing to pause and take an honest look at ourselves, our friends, and our faith families?
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Second, the Bible tells us that our bodies belong to God. He is our Creator and we are mere stewards of what belongs to him (1 Cor. 6:19–20). While indulging in certain foods, drinks, or activities might be permissible for us, they may also be detrimental to us. As the Apostle Paul says, we should not be mastered or dominated by anything (1 Cor. 6:12).
Finally, and perhaps most moving, the misuse of alcohol is an attempt to find peace, healing, and wholeness that can only be found in Jesus. Numbing our minds to cope is a cheap counterfeit of the soul-deep satisfaction that can only come from a relationship with the God who made us and died to save us.
Admitting an Alcohol Dependency in Yourself First, we must be willing to admit if we have any symptoms of Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). I was at a recent gathering of ministry leaders where one man shared that he and his wife decided not to keep boxed wine in the house because the ample supply made them drink more than they intended to. Another woman said that she and her husband had a frank conversation about having too many evening drinks ever since lockdowns began. They, too, decided on some new boundaries.
Admitting to ourselves and sharing with others that we have a problem feels radical when it should really be very ordinary. Scripture says, “Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed” (James 5:16). May we be compelled by the truth that temptations gain strength in the dark but weaken in the light.
Making Room for Others to Admit a Dependency Many churches begin their Sunday services with a liturgy made popular by Immanuel Church in Nashville, which warmly invites those who are weary, mourning, feel worthless, weak, in sin, and in need of a Savior to feel at home. This word of welcome is for all of us. We are all the sick that Jesus came to heal. The church should be the best and safest place to admit an unhealthy relationship with alcohol because we can offer one another true hope, authentic community, and the transformative healing of Jesus.
The church should be the best and safest place to admit an unhealthy relationship with alcohol because we can offer one another true hope, authentic community, and the transformative healing of Jesus.
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Transparency begets transparency. As the ministry leaders described above did, may all of us share openly with one another our temptations, downfalls, and dark moments. We know this is for our own good, as “whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy” (Prov. 28:13).
Fostering Supportive Fellowship After walking closely with a few friends battling alcohol dependency over the last several years, I offer two observations. First, we need their voices and perspectives in the church. They’re refreshingly humble and raw. These friends know their need for their Savior and they’re quick to proclaim his mercy.
Admitting to ourselves and sharing with others that we have a problem feels radical when it should really be very ordinary.
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Second, they often feel alone and ashamed. Even in Christian community there’s an assumption that alcohol is fun and fine, a must-have. I know my friends are frequently pressed, “Why aren’t you drinking? Here, have one with me!” Our fellowship settings are pre-set to discourage them from being open and successful in their battle.
Here are just a few ways Christians can create an atmosphere of support:
- Let’s consider how we talk about alcohol. We often frame it as a reward for a hard day or a requirement for a good time.
- Let’s consider how we share images of alcohol online. Would our social media feeds encourage or discourage a brother or sister who will wrestle the temptation to drink for the remainder of the day after seeing an alcohol-related post?
- Let’s consider how we host gatherings, making ample space for those who prefer to abstain. Let’s consider where we place alcohol and make non-alcoholic drinks abundant and prominently placed.
- Let’s consider being a safe, abstaining friend to others. There are a few women who know I will not drink alcohol if we attend the same function. They say it’s a relief to have an abstaining friend in a culture so fixated on drinking.
- Let’s consider how our friends who are trying to quit might be triggered. How can we help them make necessary changes? Perhaps exercise together instead of drinking together. Find a new hobby or read a book on habit formation together. Help them find a counselor or support group. Alcohol addictions are tenacious, so creative and untiring support is a must.
- Let’s consider how we can create a gospel atmosphere for our friends. For many who are trying to quit there will be relapses. As followers of Jesus, we will need to be full of grace and truth (John 1:14) and ready to respond to our friends when they fall. Each friend has unique needs and stumbling blocks, so there isn’t a one-size-fits-all response.
In 2022, may we find our deepest delight in Jesus, and seek to be ministers of healing and hope to others.
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When I became the lead pastor at Christ Church Kingwood with 17 people and a handful of kids, I had grand ideas of preaching people into faithfulness. I was convinced all they needed was inspired, engaging sermons to spur them on to greater evangelism, service, and hospitality. But as I prayed for this, the Holy Spirit said these crushing words: “You don’t do these things.”
I was eager to discuss evangelism but rarely engaged unbelievers with the gospel. I was great at talking about hospitality, but who we welcomed into our home was more about our preferences and desire for friendship than discipleship. I couldn’t be faithful to my people as a pastor because I wasn’t being faithful to the call of Jesus as a child of God. I wasn’t living a life worthy of imitation.
Despite my shortcomings, God is gracious. The question he’s kept before me for more than nine years of pastoral ministry is, What does a healthy pastor look like? It isn’t about our gifts or our church’s success but our lives marked by love for Jesus and rhythms of holiness and contentment.
Fight for One Another I’ve talked with many pastors who secretly struggle with discontentment, personal failings, or the burden of success, and fall to infidelity, disqualifying pride, or doubt. We all know of pastors who have heartbreakingly committed suicide, leaving behind a family and community shocked by the tragedy. These struggles didn’t spring up overnight, yet we only find out about them once the ship has capsized.
Brothers, we desperately need the very gospel we preach every Sunday.
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In the aftermath of a disaster, it’s painful to think tragedy could have been avoided. Fellow believers could have eased the suffering and spoken into the lies and shame. How do we do better?
The issues we face usually come down to the fundamental tenets of the gospel. We’re unhealthy when we preach outstanding sermons about Jesus but fail to apply forgiveness. We’re unhealthy when we don’t find our identity and purpose in our Savior. We’re unhealthy when our hope isn’t truly fixed in Christ’s glorious return. Brothers, we desperately need the very gospel we preach every Sunday.
We must collectively fight for health—our own and that of our friends in ministry. Something must change; pastoral health must be more than a talking point. We cannot lead or plant healthy churches without healthy pastors.
Pastoral Health Happens in Community So, what is a healthy pastor, and how do we gauge health? A pastor’s health is evidenced in the community and confirmed through honest, humble, relational engagement. The question that’s guided and graciously haunted me ever since the Holy Spirit called out my hypocrisy is this: Do I live a life worthy of imitation?
The writer of Hebrews exhorts believers to imitate the faith of their leaders (Heb. 13:7). Paul says, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1). And Peter exhorts elders to be “examples to the flock” (1 Pet. 5:3).
If we’re always busy and struggling to carve out time for physical, spiritual, or emotional health, why would we expect our people to be any different? How can we exhort others to have healthy spiritual lives when we don’t? How can we challenge them to grow in their marriages when we neglect our spouses? How can we implore them to treasure Christ above all else while we’re chasing after other loves?
Pastoral health must be more than a talking point. We cannot lead or plant healthy churches without healthy pastors.
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Jesus said, “Follow me,” and Paul said, “Follow me as I follow Christ.” We, therefore, are to live lives worthy of imitation. God calls us to exemplify a life of unhurried holiness for our people. We’re called to a life of disciple-making, serving, and hospitality, to demonstrate a life that loves Jesus and his gospel first and treasures God above all else—even our ministry.
How Do We Pursue Health? Practically speaking, we must do the frightening work of letting people into our lives. We invite them into our homes and allow them to see how we love our spouses and raise our children. Let them hear about our desire for the gospel to go forth. Let our people see us pursuing Christ with all our hearts and repenting when we fall short.
We all want to foster gospel culture in our churches, but that begins in the hearts and lives of the leaders. It’s the hard, unseen, mundane work of faithfulness to Jesus that produces fruit in our ministries.
The Bible doesn't call us to efficiency; it calls us to faithfulness—a slow process directed by God, not us.
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The result of this faithfulness may mean we’re less efficient. It may create struggles when our members know us as real people rather than our personas or performances. It may even mean we’re less successful to some. But the Bible doesn’t call us to efficiency; it calls us to faithfulness—a slow process directed by God, not us.
Let us take and plan time to do the slow things necessary to live out the gospel we preach every week. Our congregations will be healthier as they see the Holy Spirit at work in us. And we will be healthier as we rest, not in our abilities or merit, but in the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit.
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I highly appreciated Sam Allberry and Ray Ortlund’s podcast in the second half of 2021. They explore how a church can believe something on paper yet not actively live in the beautiful light of that truth. When words spoken from the pulpit are not adorned in the lives of the hearers, the church’s culture is fundamentally disconnected from the truth it proclaims.
Imagine you’re a high-profile celebrity, unable to leave your home without the paparazzi in tow. You’ve decided, along with an increasing fan base, to embrace veganism. Your Instagram posts are practically evangelistic about it. But disaster strikes when, at your birthday celebration, you unthinkingly order medium-rare steak, fries, and a peanut butter milkshake. The plate is placed before you and the camera snaps. Before you know it, social media has blown up.
So it is for us as believers. There can be a disconnect between our actions and our words. We can say we’re people of grace and yet be ungracious. We can say we love God’s kindness, welcome, or forgiveness but then be remarkably unkind, unwelcoming, and unforgiving toward others. A cynical, watching world looks at the church and scratches its head or rolls its eyes. Our witness is undermined.
Walking in Line with the Gospel This concept is starkly evident when Paul confronts Peter in Galatians 2. Remember the scenario? Peter (Cephas) has ceased to enjoy table fellowship with Gentile Christians. Paul publicly confronts him: “But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, ‘If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?’” (Gal. 2:14).
Peter was not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, which says that both Jew and Gentile are accepted in the community of believers because of the sufficient gospel of grace. Instead of adorning the gospel of Jesus, Peter’s actions, disconnected from the truth, commended a false gospel.
When words spoken from the pulpit are not adorned in the lives of the hearers, the church’s culture is fundamentally disconnected from the truth it proclaims.
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There are four implications for us to consider as we plant and pastor:
1. People are watching us. We do not live in isolation; we live in Christ-transformed community. People are not simply watching but also interpreting our actions. Our lives tell a story. By his actions, Peter undermined the gospel truth he professed and proclaimed. He said one thing but acted differently. We can’t think our actions don’t matter as long as we hold to an orthodox gospel; people notice when our actions contradict the gospel we profess.
2. It’s right to challenge wrong behavior. Planters and pastors are to be as flexible and adaptable as possible. But where gospel truth is at stake, we must be prepared to stand our ground. No doubt this exchange between Paul and Peter was a difficult moment in salvation history as the early church was forming and finding its way, but the concept remains: it’s right to challenge error and wrong-doing. We’re not to be on a witch hunt, always looking for the next person to criticize or critique. But we must be willing to help people see where they’re not “acting in line with the truth of the gospel” (Gal. 2:14), even if that means loving confrontation.
3. We need to keep reforming. We’re too easily like the vegan celebrity who unthinkingly orders the medium-rare steak. Our fleshly, Adamic muscle-memory kicks in, and our actions undermine our in-Christ gospel convictions. So God lovingly urges us to submit our attitudes and actions to his gracious gaze repeatedly. Humble yourself and ask where there’s a disconnect. Perhaps it’s how we speak to our spouses or our kids. Maybe it’s how we spend our money, energy, or time—how we drink, eat, or respond when we’ve messed up again. Reformation in both our own lives and the lives of our church families is a lifelong privilege.
It’s glorious to remember daily that the old Adam has gone and that Christ is here; we've been made alive by the Spirit to walk in line with the gospel of Jesus.
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4. Live today by faith in the Son of God. As we seek to remedy a non-gospel culture, the ironic danger may be that our growing to-do list leaves us feeling guilty and demoralized. Yet Paul ends this section to the burdened Galatians not with more to do but with a jaw-dropping reminder about who we are in Christ. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20).
Rather than beating yourself up and ceaselessly trying to do more, it’s glorious to live out of who you now are in Christ. He has done the work! His perfect, mediating obedience and suffering count for us. So we look to Christ Jesus in faith. It’s glorious to remember daily that the old Adam has gone and that Christ is here; we’ve been made alive by the Spirit to walk in line with the gospel of Jesus. In Christ, you’re free to confess, turn, and live.
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We’ve all seen that guy—the one in the gym who has arms like Popeye and legs like Gumby. A hyper-focus on his “guns” has left his legs looking more like twigs than tree trunks. No doubt he’s strong, but being overdeveloped in one area has left him underdeveloped in others. If we aren’t careful, we can be underdeveloped ministers of the gospel.
Perhaps you’re skilled at describing and applying the good news of Jesus’s death and resurrection. I’m glad. But if your knowledge of the gospel begins and ends there, you’re in danger of being a ministerial Popeye. The good news of Jesus includes more than his death and resurrection. In fact, many of the trials and hardships you will enter into as you care for God’s people will require you to understand not only his death and resurrection but also his life, ascension, intercession, and return.
Since the gospel is literally the “good news of Jesus,” we must look at his life and ministry through a wide lens. If we’re going to be effective ministers of the gospel, we must be equipped and skilled at unpacking all the treasures of his grace and mercy. I want to offer six gospel-centered questions to consider as you seek to minister the fullness of the good news of Jesus.
Many of the trials and hardships you will enter into as you care for God’s people will require you to understand not only his death and resurrection but also his life, ascension, intercession, and return.
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How is the life of Jesus good news? “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). In the life of Jesus, we see the image of the invisible God. In the life of Jesus, we see the perfect obedience that counts for us. We see the light of God breaking through the darkness and a glimpse of the kingdom that will reign for all eternity—a kingdom free from death, disease, tyranny, terror, fears, and failures.
How is the death of Jesus good news? “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls” (1 Pet. 2:24–25). The cross of Christ is a continual reminder that God’s ability to save infinitely outpaces our ability to sin. No matter how far we’ve strayed, God’s forgiveness manifested in the cross is sufficient for us.
How is the resurrection of Jesus good news? “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of Father, we too might walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4). Because of the resurrection, sin and suffering no longer define or determine the course of our life. Paul then tells us not to let sin reign in our bodies. Being united to Jesus in his resurrection means we now have the Spirit-empowered ability to present our members to God instead of sin. We are free.
How is the ascension of Jesus good news? “. . . I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you” (John 16:7). Jesus’s ascension was the spark that lit the flame of the ministry of the Holy Spirit in this world. The Spirit now works to convict the world of sin, bear witness to Jesus, help us understand God, empower us for faithfulness to God, and equip us for service to God. Not only that, but the Spirit is an ever-present reminder of the inheritance that awaits us with God.
How is the intercession of Jesus good news? “. . . He holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them” (Heb. 7:24–25). What a thought—Jesus always lives to make intercession for us. Because of Jesus, our sin no longer condemns us before the Father. Even more, the accusations of Satan against us now fall on deaf ears. Jesus stands before the Father on our behalf, compassionately representing and praying for us.
How is the return of Jesus good news? “Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 1:13). We are naturally hopeful people. We hope that 5:00 p.m. on Friday will bring us peace. We hope that a week at the beach will bring us rest. But our peace and our rest are ultimately found in a Person. The return of Jesus is good news because our very life is coming for us (Col. 3:3–4).
Think deeply about Christ. Not only will you lead your own heart into worship, but you will grow in your ability to minister to the hearts of others as well.
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Each of these questions could be answered at book-length. I’ve merely scraped the surface of drawing out the implications of the all-encompassing good news of Jesus. Let me encourage you to take these questions and expand on my observations. Think deeply about Christ. Not only will you lead your own heart into worship, but you will grow in your ability to minister to the hearts of others as well.
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Session Title: Urban Church Economics
Speaker: Ed Robinson
Event: Urban Conference 2021
Date: October 1-2, 2021
Location: Richmond, VA
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Session Title: Recruiting a Right Hand Man
Speaker: Jake Mitchell
Event: Urban Conference 2021
Date: October 1-2, 2021
Location: Richmond, VA
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Session Title: New Songs for the Block
Speaker: Stanley Pierre
Event: Urban Conference 2021
Date: October 1-2, 2021
Location: Richmond, VA
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Session Title: Online Ministry
Speaker: Isaac Petit-Frere
Event: Urban Conference 2021
Date: October 1-2, 2021
Location: Richmond, VA
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Session Title: Replanting
Speaker: Rich Rivera
Event: Urban Conference 2021
Date: October 1-2, 2021
Location: Richmond, VA
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Session Title: Diversity
Speaker: Steve Ross
Event: Urban Conference 2021
Date: October 1-2, 2021
Location: Richmond, VA
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Session Title: Women in Minstry
Speaker: Vanessa Petit-Frere
Event: Urban Conference 2021
Date: October 1-2, 2021
Location: Richmond, VA
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Session Title: Family Health
Speaker: Raphael Mnkandhla
Event: Urban Conference 2021
Date: October 1-2, 2021
Location: Richmond, VA
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Session Title: The Gospel
Speaker: Lorenzo Elizondo
Event: Urban Conference 2021
Date: October 1-2, 2021
Location: Richmond, VA
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Session Title: Blending Minority and Majority Cultures
Speaker: Jon Bibbs
Event: Urban Conference 2021
Date: October 1-2, 2021
Location: Richmond, VA
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Session Title: Urban Partnerships
Speaker: Donny Cho
Event: Urban Conference 2021
Date: October 1-2, 2021
Location: Richmond, VA
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Session Title: The Latino Frontier
Speaker: Dave Rosa
Event: Urban Conference 2021
Date: October 1-2, 2021
Location: Richmond, VA
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The holidays have come and gone; it’s a new year. Whether you’re the New Year’s resolution type or a contrarian to it all, it’s important to step back, assess our lives, and plan for the time ahead. A new year provides a chance for reflection.
Have you planned for rest and load management as we head into the new year? As the old saying goes, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. This has never been truer than right now when too many pastors are dropping out of ministry under the intense pressure of the past few years. Here are some simple and practical ways to cultivate rhythms of rest in our lives and churches.
Schedule Slow Seasons A classic ministry problem is always being in a “busy season,” anticipating a slower stretch that never comes. You will never drift into healthy boundaries. It takes planning, discipline, and intention to create a sustainable rhythm. Life and ministry do have busy seasons and intense stretches. But all of life cannot exist continuously in a pressure cooker without eventually exploding.
I live in Washington, DC. There might be nothing more countercultural here than slowing down. So, we intentionally maximize natural rhythms at our church. Our lowest-attended times are the end of December and the month of May, so we cancel all extra meetings for leaders and teams and encourage community groups to change their pace, meet less, and make it fun.
We also make the most of holiday weekends when we know people are out of town by scheduling simplified Family Sundays. Instead of our usual two services, we all gather in one service with a shorter sermon or prayer time. It has developed into a sweet time together as we all—young, old, and everyone in-between—declare the praises of our God and fellowship as a united body. This also gives a chance for our teams to rest, and it demonstrates to the church that it’s good to slow down.
You will never drift into healthy boundaries. It takes planning, discipline, and intention to create a sustainable rhythm.
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These rhythms are part of discipleship because they help our church realize our need for rest. They also make our ministries more sustainable in the long run.
Recognize Rest When It Comes For years it felt like we never got out of “this busy season.” I could look at the calendar and see where things slowed down—so why didn’t it ever feel restful? Over time, our family and church have learned to intentionally recognize the ebb and flow of the year. This helps us anticipate, enjoy, reflect, and look ahead.
Sometimes life feels like a sprint. Anticipating a slower time sustains us when things are busy and helps us recognize the pause when it comes, rather than having it pass us by. We recognize the slower season, enjoying and maximizing it when we have it. Reflection helps us see and appreciate the gift. And looking ahead to the next slow stretch leads us back to anticipation.
This pattern has been critically important for my own rhythms. It has helped our family make the most of our time together and create lifelong memories. And intentional rhythms impact the whole church.
Distinguish Between Sabbath, Solitude, and Sleep There’s a trend to use the language of “Sabbath” to describe individual self-care and rest. Self-care, connecting personally with God, and resting physically, mentally, emotionally, or socially are good and important. But it’s not helpful to call those things Sabbath. We should distinguish between them because all three are important to life and ministry.
- Sabbath: Christians enjoy the Lord’s Day, when God’s people gather together to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, to sing, pray, read Scripture, serve, and hear the gospel proclaimed. Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath and has redefined Sabbath for God’s people because Jesus is the ultimate Sabbath rest we receive. It’s a life-giving practice to set aside a day to rest from our ordinary work, but Sabbath is not about inactivity. Rather, it’s an opportunity to reset our focus on Jesus with the gathered church.
Jesus is more concerned with your heart than your activity.
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- Solitude: On the other hand, the Gospels show us that Jesus consistently withdrew from crowds to pray. If the incarnate Son of God needed to be refreshed by personal solitude with the Father, in the presence of the Spirit, then so do we. Early on in ministry, I struggled with solitude. It felt scary and dangerous to be left on my own. The more life and ministry have exceeded my capacity, the more dependent I’ve become on escaping to seek out God’s presence in prayer.
- Sleep: We’re finite creatures who need physical rest. If you’re worn down, you may simply need sleep, exercise, or better food. On some days, the most spiritual thing will be to take a nap, trusting that God is sovereign while we sleep. This is not the same as Sabbath rest, but that does not diminish its importance.
These practical tips are far from exhaustive, but they can help you form a foundation for greater rest and sustainability in ministry. If you don’t have a plan yet for 2022, set aside the time now to make one.
Jesus is more concerned with your heart than your activity. Plan sustainable ministry rhythms over the coming year—rhythms that will remind you of your dependence on the Father and his daily, monthly, and yearly provision. Because as we endure in ministry, looking to Christ, we can trust that “when the chief Shepherd appears, [we] will receive the unfading crown of glory” (1 Pet. 5:4).
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Session Title: Urban Discipleship
Speaker: Tyler St. Clair
Event: Urban Conference 2021
Date: October 1-2, 2021
Location: Richmond, VA
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I remember when COVID 19 first landed in South Africa. I must confess that I was fearful and confused, and like everyone else in the world I was glued to my phone and television as I consumed an unhealthy dose of news. It had not even been three years since our church was planted. Will the church even survive a crisis of this scale (I wondered)? In the coming days, we entered a national lockdown which resulted in us not meeting in person for close to 6 months. With each passing wave, that which seemed unusual has now slowly become the new normal. Two years into this pandemic, it’s important that we learn from this experience. Here are some lessons that the pandemic has taught me…
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God’s church is more resilient than we often give it credit for When the pandemic first hit, I was deeply concerned for our church. I thought of all the families who were struggling through many challenges and wondered if they would overcome them. As the economic forecasts were made and we were plunged deeper into junk status, I feared the worst financially for our community. Yet, despite all these real challenges, the church of Christ has stood tall. The Gospel was preached online, people were saved, the poor were cared for, churches were planted, and the body of Christ rallied around each other to make sure that the kingdom of God was manifested. There is a sense in which this is not surprising. God’s Word promises it (see Matthew 16:18 & Revelations 2:8-11) and we have read many accounts of how the saints in the past have done this (e.g. the Reformers’ response to epidemics in their cities). There is something beautiful in seeing this with your own eyes though – knowing that in the future people will look back and marvel at how God’s people overcame the greatest of odds because the Lord was with them.
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Do we really understand what our people find persuasive? When you go through the process of planting a church, you write down a page or two (or at least imagine) the type of people you are reaching out to. You think of their interests, influences and values all in the name of discovering how you would share the Gospel in a contextually relevant way. Looking back at that piece of paper, I probably gave scientific, rational and conceptual reasoning too much emphasis. Our people are not fully persuaded just by numbers and scientific arguments the way people were a decade or two ago. If our sermons are aiming at convincing people with intellectual arguments alone, they are not hearing us. We need to work harder to figure out what persuades our people so that we can bring the Gospel to bear in a way that answers the questions they are asking, not the ones our fathers asked 30 years ago.
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Our churches are too Sunday centric When you take away the Sunday service, what is left of your church? This is a question I never thought I would have to wrestle with when I planted the church. Now we have collectively spent close to 10 months without in-person Sunday gatherings. What it showed me is that I was not preparing my people well enough for life beyond Sunday. I thought I was, but more work needs to be done in helping our church members wrestle with what it looks like to be a Christian when Christians are not around. In essence, this is a question of effective and meaningful discipleship. It is helping our people to see Jesus in their lives – beyond the emotions and performance of a Sunday service. It is helping our people to create the daily Christian disciplines that will help them thrive, even when the church doors are closed.
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The gap between the haves and the have-nots is wider than we think Church planting in the city, where we all dress well, use smart phones and have DSTV, can make us fall into the illusion that the disparity between the rich and the poor is not that big. The pandemic shattered this illusion for many of us. One of the ways this was exposed was in access to reasonably priced data. While those in suburbs enjoyed the wonders of unlimited, fast and reliable fibre for under R600, in the townships people were paying exorbitant prices for a few Gigs of data. The obvious effect of this was that we could not all jump into one zoom call and have a service because some had to save their data for school or work purposes. The other way it was exposed was through the unemployment rate during the pandemic. Jobs that could be done remotely (largely professional services) were kept while many of those in the working class had to contend with pay or job cuts. In one church body, some are working from home while others are applying for social welfare benefits. Churches need to think more creatively about how to serve both groups and not add to the tensions that already exist on a societal level. The Gospel already addresses this, but we need to figure out how it works itself out in our various contexts.
Conclusion Winston Churchill once said, “never let a good crisis go to waste”. These are wise words for all church planters to consider. The COVID 19 pandemic brought pressure on us that has displayed the wonderful diamonds that were hidden among us, but it also exposed the vulnerable cracks of false assumptions and blind spots that exist in all our churches. This is a time that requires great wisdom from us. Thankfully the Lord of wisdom generously provides to all who ask Him…
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. (James 1:5)
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Session Title: Higher Education
Speaker: Doug Logan
Event: Urban Conference 2021
Date: October 1-2, 2021
Location: Richmond, VA
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Editor’s Note: This is an excerpt from The Faithful Church Planter: Eleven Essential Competencies for the Work (10ofthose Publishing), used with permission.
Church planters should never operate as lone rangers. While it is good and right to have an inward drawing to plant a church, this should be accompanied by the external confirmation of others. What should they be able to observe? I’ll mention four characteristics.
Maturity The apostle warns about giving spiritual leadership to “a recent convert” (1 Tim. 3:6) and to not “be hasty in the laying on of hands” (5:22). Maturity is mandatory for ministry leadership (2 Tim. 2:22–26; 3:10–11). Mature leaders in the congregation have a responsibility to identify and affirm new mature leaders (Titus 1:5–9).
In Acts 16, we read of Paul taking Timothy with him. Luke tells us that Timothy was “well spoken of by the brothers” (Acts 16:2). Timothy obviously displayed a sense of maturity, and the saints in Lystra and Iconium would have approved of the young man accompanying Paul. We also see this kind of confirmation when Paul speaks of the elders laying their hands on Timothy (1 Tim. 4:14). There was spiritual affirmation and approval.
Desire Godly people should also see in a potential planter a real desire for kingdom work. They should observe a hunger for Scripture. They should detect humility and an enjoyment of ministry. They should see a passion and a willingness to sacrifice for the mission. Close friends and one’s spouse (if married) should be able to attest to these things as well. If married, it’s critical that the planter’s wife also shares a passion for gospel ministry and church planting.
This kind of passion—for gospel ministry in general and church planting in particular—should be something other mature Christians see in aspiring planters.
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Speaking about entering the ministry in general, Charles Spurgeon said:
“’Do not enter the ministry if you can help it,’ was the deeply sage advice of a divine to one who sought his judgment. If any student in this room could be a newspaper editor, or a grocer, or a farmer, or a doctor, or a lawyer, or a senator, or a king, in the name of heaven and earth let him go his way.”
Indeed, the call to ministry involves great passion. Paul says, “If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task” (1 Tim. 3:1, my emphasis). When Paul spoke about preaching, he also displayed this passion: “For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” (1 Cor. 9:16). This kind of passion—for gospel ministry in general and church planting in particular—should be something other mature Christians see in aspiring planters.
Abilities Church planters also need to display certain gifts. They should be able to minister the Word faithfully and effectively (1 Tim. 3:2). They should be good at engaging unbelievers. They should be able to gather a team and lead others spiritually. They should show the ability to make the most of gospel opportunities with the gifts God has given them. Tim Keller comments on the importance of one’s skills and abilities, and the value of experienced leaders speaking into the potential planter’s life:
“The success in starting a new church is largely determined by who is selected as the church planter. To establish a new church requires of the church planter distinct gifts, skills and experiences in ministry often not found in a normal pastor. Though there are many similarities in these two roles, the church planter must thrive in outreach ministry and in developing and empowering new leaders. Although self-evaluation is important in understanding one’s gifts and call, much can be learned by inviting the objective evaluation of experienced church planters.”
Going through a church-planting assessment is one way we take this external confirmation seriously. At our church, the pastors assess our planters, and we ask several people about their maturity and gifts. In Acts 29, we also use a thorough assessment process for potential church planters who want to belong to our network. While this assessment can be a bit painful because it opens one up to critique, it’s actually a wonderful blessing. It serves to bring awareness to one’s blind spots, it highlights areas for needed growth, and it can prevent many problems in the future (like burnout, marital issues, theological errors, or financial problems). The assessment process is like a high-level discipleship process. Walking through such a process will bring a heightened sense of confidence for the work ahead once the process is completed.
We should always be looking for faithful, budding leaders who display maturity, passion, gifting, and fruitfulness.
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Fruitfulness Mature leaders should see that others have been blessed by the potential planter’s ministry in some particular way. That is, when he has had the opportunity to teach or preach, his ministry had a gospel impact. They see that he’s been able to disciple others into maturity. They see that he has engaged lost people well. Perhaps they have observed his ability to lead a small group faithfully. If a potential planter has not made any disciples or displayed any ministry fruitfulness, then it begs the question about his ability to plant a church and lead a group of people on mission.
One of the tasks of planters/pastors is to always be on the lookout for future leaders and planters. In addition to having a “to-do list,” one pastor said we should also have a “to-be list.” We should always be looking for faithful, budding leaders who display maturity, passion, gifting, and fruitfulness. Identifying them, investing in them, and sending them out on mission is a vitally important aspect of pastoral leadership.
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Most of us can’t imagine trying to raise a family on just 50 cents a day. Yet deep poverty is the reality for one in ten people around the world. Living in poverty is not just a matter of struggling to put food on the table for your children, it’s also a matter of dignity.
Young men often have no hope of gaining meaningful employment and are easily lured into a life of addiction and crime. Too many young girls become trapped in abuse and are powerless to escape. Many prostitute themselves in order to feed the very addictions their abusers use to control them. Elderly widows go hungry and live in pain and discomfort because they have no one to care for them.
These impoverished communities are often deeply spiritual places. However, the form of spirituality they turn to is as destructive as the lifestyle in which they’ve become trapped. Self-proclaimed prophets peddle a graceless gospel that manipulates and abuses the vulnerable. Cults and animistic spiritism exert an unworldly power. The call to prayer from the mosque is often heard penetrating the still, stale air of city slums.
Whenever we consider the misery of the world’s poor, we feel utterly helpless. But the Bible reminds us that what the poor desperately need is the same thing every sin-sick person needs—to see Jesus. They need a church that preaches the life-giving gospel, that provides a space where the vulnerable and abused feel safe and accepted. A church that feeds the hungry and provides a family for widows and orphans while radiating the hope of Jesus amid great darkness. Yet it is in these hard places that you are least likely to find a gospel-preaching church.
The Bible reminds us that what the poor desperately need is the same thing every sin-sick person needs—to see Jesus.
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Training Church Planters in Hard Places Church planting in areas of deep poverty is often a lonely and exhausting work. That’s why I’m encouraged to see so many men from all over the world participate in the Church in Hard Places (CiHP) apprenticeship. It’s a two-year, non-residential training for church planters living in areas of material and gospel poverty—at no cost to them. It doesn’t require them to leave their community, and they’re trained by indigenous leaders from communities much like their own.
One participant in the CiHP apprenticeship is church planter Ken Banda. At a recent CiHP intensive in Cape Town, he described ministry in his context of Garneton, a small city within the Copperbelt province of Zambia. The levels of crime, unemployment, and illiteracy are very high, and their church building is close to a shanty-town called Zambia Compound which houses about 7,000 people. The main trade in this community is selling the traditional beer called “Kachasu,” which is brewed ethanol. There are no jobs. Youth spend their days drinking this beer, playing cards in the streets, and using drugs to buy prostitutes.
The majority of Ken Banda’s church members live in this community. The salaries for those who do work are about $16 per month to feed families of about ten people. Ken has had to work in town to put food on the table because it’s difficult for his church to pay their pastor.
Ken has just completed his two-year apprenticeship with Acts 29 as part of the Southern Africa cohort. Along with eight others in his cohort, Ken received his completion certificate at a CiHP intensive in Cape Town last month. He said, “I took this program as a means to help me grow spiritually. The monthly reading and writing assignments have helped to shape my spiritual life. I have grown to love Jesus Christ and his church more.”
The Impact of Theological Training I asked Ken how his time in the apprenticeship has affected his church. He said, “I started this because I had my church in mind. The books helped to shape my understanding of church life. My wife tells me my preaching has improved and members now appreciate how much I do member care. Being challenged to develop a missions strategy helped me to see what we have been lacking for so many years and I’m using this strategy right now in our church as we do church planting.”
The churches of Acts 29 have a passion for the gospel to reach into the hearts of men and women trapped in brokenness and darkness. We do that best when we plant churches together.
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While I’m pleased to hear that the CiHP apprenticeship has sharpened Ken’s preaching skills and his love for the church, what excites me more is learning how this program has helped him personally. Ken said, “I have been helped so much by the brotherhood where we could share our burdens together and pray for one another. Knowing that you are not alone in this work, that there are others who are struggling the same way and we became family after two years—for me this was very helpful. It has helped me build relationships with other pastors in and around Zambia. Even after the program, we’ve continued to talk and pray for one another. What’s more, my personal walk with my Lord has grown and this has affected how I treat my wife and children.”
Acts 29’s Partnership with Planters in Hard Places It’s one thing to provide training and books for men like Ken, but Acts 29 seeks to go further. We genuinely want to form long-term relationships as we partner together with churches in areas of deep poverty. Ken is currently pursuing assessment with Acts 29. He said, “I’m really excited about moving forward with Acts 29. I want to partner with churches of like faith and practice so we can work together to spread the gospel in this part of Africa. I would love to invite other Acts 29 churches to come to Zambia so we may create a healthy relationship. My hope is that we will see many men from Zambia be challenged and equipped to plant churches here.”
I pray Ken continues to grow as he leads a healthy church that multiplies in the hard places of Zambia. He’s one of the many Church in Hard Places apprentices doing ministry throughout the world.
The churches of Acts 29 have a passion for the gospel to reach into the hearts of men and women trapped in brokenness and darkness. We do that best when we plant churches together. Let’s redouble our commitment to this task as we pray for men like Ken and the hundreds like him who are walking alongside us in this great and glorious work.
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Acts 29 Australia, New Zealand, Japan: Online Training
Each month our network gathers for online training with helpful voices from around the world, which concludes with an interactive time of Q&A. In January of 2022, Dwight Bernier encouraged pastors and leaders in being on mission.
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Not long ago, I had the opportunity to meet with a group of church planters to hear their stories. As I sat in that room listening to them share, I began to hear a pattern. Although they all came from different places in life and had been called in different ways, all their stories had two things in common. They felt convicted that the Lord was calling them to church planting, and they felt inadequate or ill-equipped to carry out this calling.
This experience allowed me to reflect upon my own story. Although my calling is not to be a church planter, I’ve often felt inadequate and ill-equipped for what I do believe God is calling me to do. But I now believe that this is the point. We are not, in our own ability, equipped for God’s call. We must rely on him and, in our weakness, we will see his strength.
We’re each here for a purpose. In Scripture, we see God call Moses, who thinks he can’t do what God is asking of him. And indeed, he can’t. But God is the One who equips Moses for the part he plays in God’s story. Likewise, God is the One who calls us and he is the One who will equip us. Feeling like we’re inadequate for what God wants us to do is a good thing. It causes us to humbly come before the Lord and allow him to work in and through us.
Four Reminders in Our Inadequacy
Understanding that God calls and equips us doesn’t mean that everything will be smooth sailing. We’ll continue to pursue autonomy and self-glory, and will often believe we’re self-sufficient. We must constantly remind ourselves that these things are not reality. Autonomy and self-sufficiency are lies saying that we can do all things on our own. In reality, we are created beings—we need God to preserve us and give us life. All glory goes to God who creates and sustains us.
Feeling like we’re inadequate for what God wants us to do is a good thing. It causes us to humbly come before the Lord and allow him to work in and through us.
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We confidently step into God’s call for our lives by laying them at the feet of Jesus and reminding ourselves of what Scripture says about who we are and who God is. Here are four reminders for us to hold near to our hearts when we feel we just can’t do what God is asking of us:
- 1 Corinthians 5:21: “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Jesus lived the perfect life, in our place, so we do not have to worry about whether we measure up or not.
- Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Since our identity is no longer ours but is in Christ, we can step into our calling secure in who we are.
- Romans 3:23–25a: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.” All of our failures and shortcomings are covered by the blood of Christ. We can rest in that.
- 2 Corinthians 12:9: “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” We do not need to be strong. In our weakness, we (and others) get to witness the strength of God.
God Is Our Strength
There are many distractions in this world, and it’s easy for us to find reasons why we can’t or shouldn’t be doing what God is calling us to do. We combat these distractions by going back to Scripture, over and over again, to remind ourselves of who God is, who we are, and what our Father has promised.
God hasn’t promised us easy, but he has promised that we will not be alone (Matt. 28:20). He gives us his Word, his Spirit, and his people.
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It may not always be easy. God hasn’t promised us easy, but he has promised that we will not be alone (Matt. 28:20). He gives us his Word, his Spirit, and his people. The journey he calls each of us to—be it church planting, ministry leadership, parenting, work, suffering, or a combination of those things—is for our good, the good of those around us, and his glory. Our gracious God will go with us. When he calls us, he equips us.
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The past three years of church planting have revealed some areas where I lack gifting. But the work has also revealed other areas of gifting in me. One area of surprise giftedness is fundraising.
I come from a long line of entrepreneurs and business owners on both sides of my family. Early in planting, I viewed fundraising as the easy way. Simply asking for a handout instead of grinding on my own. My great-grandma even taught us a saying, “If it’s to be, it’s up to me.” I was a functional atheist when it came to fundraising.
When failure, even despair, began to creep in, I had to press into allowing my theology to infiltrate my efforts at fundraising. God is sovereign, God is generous, God uses those with more to help those with less. I needed to not just believe but walk in the reality that if it’s to be, it’s up to God. As I did this, I discovered a natural bent and gifting toward the work of fundraising.
Here are three realities I reckoned with as I more fully embraced the call of a church planter to be a fundraiser:
1. Fundraising is connected to joy.
A few years ago at the Acts 29 national conference, I heard a quote from Ross Lester that has been permanently burned into my memory: “Money is missionary ammunition.” We are in a cosmic battle and the only victory belongs to Christ. Through trust in him, we get to share in his victory over sin, Satan, and death. When someone inherits this victory through repentance, the angels of heaven party with much joy (Luke 15:10).
I was a functional atheist when it came to fundraising. When failure, even despair, began to creep in, I had to press into allowing my theology to infiltrate my efforts at fundraising.
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New believers get the joy of their own salvation (Ps. 51:10–12) and we get to witness this eruption of joy on the frontlines of church planting. When fundraising, we get to cast the vision that each penny is directly connected to the salvation of souls and the joy that instinctively follows.
Additionally, Paul shows us it’s not just the joy of the Father, the angels, and the saved. It’s also the joy of the giver and the one doing the work (Phil. 4:10–20). Being the ones who get to preach the gospel, watch supernatural life happen, and have the privilege of discipling new believers is the fuel of joy for planters. And we get to tell our generous financial partners that this gospel work is credited to their account (Phil. 4:17). Fundraising is intimately tied to joy.
2. Fundraising initiates the work of legacy.
Our church recently celebrated our second anniversary. By every measure, we are in infancy. Still, we’re planting with the next century in mind. One day the name, pastors, and the location will change, but the gospel and mission won’t. As we fundraise, we are initiating the next century.
I like to think of it in stages:
- Starting: The starting stage is expensive. All the legal fees, design fees, equipment costs, banking fees, and more. We want future generations to inherit a church with a solid foundation. We fundraise to make sure this happens.
- Surviving: The early days are full of financial insecurity. Plainly, new believers need to be discipled into generosity. As we experience spiritual momentum, financial maturity slowly follows along. Financial partners ensure that we survive through these early years and enable us to do the spiritual work without fretting over the finances.
- Sustaining: Depending on how growth goes and the context we live in, our internal giving slowly replaces our external giving. Financial sustainability is one of the most important markers that move us from being a church plant to a church. Continuously fundraising makes sure this sustainability becomes a reality as we don’t have to prematurely close our churches due to a lack of funds.
- Stewarding: As we become sustainable, we get to move into the space of stewarding. We get to (not have to!) increase in our own generosity, so we move from the receiving end to the joyfully generous end. Our church has begun to move there. In addition to 10 percent of our budget being allocated for missions, we have generously given to several local and global works. Our church now gets to experience the joy of watching two churches in Colombia move to sustainability as we financially support them.
- Succession: Finally, when the current pastoral team of Story Church eventually moves on or retires, we want to hand off a church that is debt-free, wildly generous, and about the work of multiplying. We fundraise with this day in mind.
3. Fundraising is both strategic and worshipful.
Our motivations matter in fundraising. When we see fundraising as both strategic and worshipful, we discipline our hearts to have proper motivations.
The strategy is to plant a gospel outpost in a place that needs it. The souls of our city seeing the beauty of Jesus and following him is the pursuit of every church plant. It’s not about moving faster, getting yourself paid, and viewing partners as piggy banks. It’s about fueling the good news of Jesus Christ into every corner of our target area. So we should set goals, have accountability, be diligent, and cast vision, but do it with the proper motives—sinners repenting and parties in heaven.
Our motivations matter in fundraising. It’s not about moving faster, getting yourself paid, and viewing partners as piggy banks. It’s about fueling the good news of Jesus Christ into every corner of our target area.
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The foundation of that strategy is understanding that fundraising is worshipful. God is honored and glorified in our fundraising. How? He gets to flex. God has an endless checking account. He owns everything and has no need (Ps. 50:10). And when we fundraise, God gets to show how wealthy, generous, and benevolent he is. When our fundraising goals were not only met, but exceeded, we didn’t walk with a strut, we hit our knees with glad hearts full of worship. This worship has undergirded us in seasons of plenty and seasons of famine.
Our two Acts 29 sending churches, Foothill Church (Glendora, California) and The Village Church (Flower Mound, Texas) have been wildly kind to us in the work of fundraising. They’ve shown us that fundraising is deeply connected to the Father’s heart for his children. He desires to meet our needs and for us to grow in dependence upon him.
We know this in a salvific sense: Jesus has met our needs of righteousness and the only way to this righteousness is by depending upon Christ in faith. Do we know that God also desires to meet our needs and have us be dependent upon him in fundraising? When we fundraise, we are simply swimming in the stream of the Father’s heart for us.
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If you’ve been in ministry for any length of time, you’ve experienced people walking away despite your prayers, tears, love, energy, and time. You try to shrug it off and not take it personally, but you feel the rip and loss. Though it’s hard to admit out loud, sometimes your body, mind, and spirit cry, I am lonely.
In 2 Timothy, Paul’s final letter, we see him at the end of his ministry. What will it be like when our ministry is winding down? We hope to see more fruit and more friends after faithfully investing for many years. But at Paul’s end—in a cold cell facing imminent death after years of faithful service—he is alone.
Yet Paul’s hope is firm in Christ. Today, you might be alone. But in Christ, you have hope, too. Let’s look at Paul’s experience as the Holy Spirit guides us through loneliness.
What kinds of loneliness do we experience? Part of the difficulty of loneliness in ministry is that it doesn’t all come in the same way or from the same people. Paul identifies several different kinds of loneliness that you may feel as well.
Longing: Paul longs to see Timothy, that he may be filled with joy (2 Tim. 1:4). You also may have beloved friends, family, and ministry partners who fill your life with joy, but God has called you to different places. The joy of closeness makes the pain of separation harder.
Desertion: You opened your heart and life to trusting unity—and then they walked away. Paul says, “all who are in Asia turned away from me” (2 Tim. 1:15). All in Asia! Maybe, like Paul, you’ve served formerly faithful people who have now “deconstructed” (2:17). Maybe those who once labored with you (4:10) found worldly loves more enticing. Or maybe you can say, with Paul, “At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me” (4:16).
Opposition: Maybe people want to harm you (2 Tim. 4:14); you may not know why. Maybe people you love need truth, but they oppose you. False teachers offering fear, manipulation, or prosperity gather a crowd while people turn away from truth (4:1–4) and seek to undermine gospel work.
Trials: Paul mentions a sick companion who had to leave (2 Tim. 4:20). The trials in people’s lives can take them from us or make them unavailable. They weren’t trying to leave, but the result is still loneliness.
New callings: Sometimes you’re left alone not because of the bad but the beautiful—churches being planted, new ministries getting started, God calling people away. Paul mentions three people like this (2 Tim. 4:10–12). You’re joyful, grateful, excited—but the goodbye still hurts.
Gospel ministry is war and God knows our temptations and weaknesses. Sometimes you wonder if there’s something better; you think about quitting. But this is bigger than you.
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How do we make it through? It’s easy to rehearse pain. But 2 Timothy constantly points to God’s presence. Every chapter is filled with reminders that God sees, knows, and is with us. These are five truths Paul rehearses in loneliness:
- God calls. At times, you may wonder if there’s been a mistake—some great accident—and feel like a fraud. But you’ve been established in ministry by God’s will (2 Tim. 1:1). Even if others want someone different or you think someone else would be better, God has approved of you (2:15–16). You are not alone.
- God equips. He knows you’re in over your head, needing energy, wisdom, and love you don’t have. He’s prepared you for this. He has given you his Spirit (2 Tim. 1:6–7). He will give you power and understanding (2:7) in whatever season you’re carrying out your call before God (4:2). Don’t look at your abilities, because he is able to guard what he has entrusted to you. You are not alone.
- God appoints. There are times when you’re tempted to cower in fear of all that’s asked of you. He reminds you: I saved you, I called you, I have a purpose for you, I have grace for you (2 Tim. 1:9). The One who abolished death and brought life appointed you (1:11–12). You have a mission. So don’t be ashamed, and don’t forget. You are not alone.
- God saves. Gospel ministry is war and God knows our temptations and weaknesses. Sometimes you wonder if there’s something better; you think about quitting. But this is bigger than you. The Word of God cannot be bound; it’s for the salvation of the elect. Remember your salvation. You’re united to Christ Jesus. You died with him, now live with him, and will reign with him (2 Tim. 2: 8–13). You are not alone.
- God comforts. He knows your suffering; the pain in the gut, the brain fog at your desk, and the restless nights. He sees all. But this is not the end. A day is coming when the righteous judge will right every wrong, illuminate every lie, and reward every unseen act of faithfulness. He has already rescued you in Christ and he will rescue you on that great last day (2 Tim. 3:10–13). You will never be alone.
Even if the last person leaves, God’s faithfulness is unchanged, his love unswayed, and his Word unbroken.
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Our compassionate God sees our longing, pain, and loneliness. But even if the last person leaves, God’s faithfulness is unchanged, his love unswayed, and his Word unbroken. He stands with us now and till the very end, bringing us safely into his kingdom. We are not alone.
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Over the last couple of years, the question, What are we hoping for? has been an important one to chew on. We each have a multiplicity of good and right hopes. We’ve been hoping that the pandemic will come to an end, that restrictions will be alleviated, and that church life will return to normal.
Perhaps your hope has been to continue in the bold work of reaching the lost—discipling people and planting churches. Perhaps we’ve been hoping to see parents or grandparents again, to safely hug those we love, to enjoy lifted travel restrictions. And perhaps, on a larger level, our hope has been for a less angry and divided society, or for leadership we can follow, respect, and trust.
These hopes may be entirely good, but they’re shortsighted. They’re only foothills compared to the mountain of hope the Bible sets out for us. When our focus is only on the foothills, we might be tempted to wave the white flag and give up.
What are you hoping for in 2022? Be honest. My battle over these last 24 months has been to make sure I don’t lose sight of the mountain—that my little hopes don’t end up eclipsing my big hope.
Hope Like the Thessalonians As Paul writes his first letter to the church in Thessalonica, the idea of hope is at the end of each chapter (1 Thess. 1:10, 2:19, 3:13, 4:14–18, and 5:23). It’s never far from the surface; just scratch a little and hope is always there.
God worked powerfully in this church; they persevered in his strength and shared the message of Jesus even through opposition (1 Thess. 1:6, 1:8, 2:14–16). Indeed, they were a community birthed in opposition (Acts 17:5–9) and so, from day one, the hope of Jesus’s return shaped them. They knew Jesus would come back.
Paul uses three words to describe the Thessalonians that we would do well to consider at the start of a new year: “. . . you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come” (1 Thess. 1:9b–10, emphasis mine). Like the Thessalonians, we are to be turners, servers, and waiters.
Turning Repentance is a 180-degree action: we turn from something in repentance and we turn to God in faith. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime event and a daily occurrence. As John Calvin put it, our human hearts are perpetual idol factories. Because of our bent toward self, we need to be forever aware of what captures our affections and play constant whack-a-mole with our idols.
We get duped again and again into thinking they can offer us the life and joy and reward they promise. But whether health, family, followers, comfort, kids, or ministry fruit, they will not satisfy. Idols won’t keep us going; we must turn from them and to God.
Because of our bent toward self, we need to be forever aware of what captures our affections and play constant whack-a-mole with our idols.
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Serving The Thessalonians are also servers—they’ve turned from dead idols to serve the living God. Human beings are all servers, but our natural knee-jerk service is to ourselves. Two people can do the same thing for two very different reasons: one to serve God, with a desire to make him look good, the other to serve self, with a desire to make himself look good. It’s true in life generally and also in ministry—we act as glory thieves seeking to take what God rightfully deserves and make it about us.
Obviously, motives on this side of Jesus’s return will always be mixed. But perhaps a good question to ask at the start of 2022 is: Even in my ministry, how much do I serve myself, and how much do I serve Christ?
Waiting The Thessalonians waited. They waited because they knew Jesus was coming back. That firm future shaped their present life. Jesus’s return was not a theological idea that made little difference to daily life. It was a real comfort that fueled their faithful living each day. They knew Jesus had been raised and so they knew he would return to rescue and bring justice. Hope kept them going.
Jesus’s return was not a theological idea that made little difference to daily life. It was a real comfort that fueled their faithful living each day.
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This brings us full circle. Especially at the start of a new year, it’s right to ask, What has our hope been? What will we hope for in 2022? Perhaps too many of us, like me, have set our short-sighted hope in the foothills and lost sight of the glorious mountain of our Savior’s return. Good health, lifted restrictions, seeing family, and ministry fruitfulness are all excellent hopes—but they must be kept in their proper place in the foothills.
So, what are you hoping for? In the new year, “set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 1:13). As we fix our eyes on Jesus, looking to his return and holding all other hopes loosely, we’ll have Spirit-filled strength to press on in ministry.
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Like a marathon, pastoral work can be strenuous and exhausting—such that Paul described it as being “in the anguish of childbirth” until Christ is formed in people (Gal. 4:19). All of our time spent preaching, teaching, counseling, and planning has one goal and hope: to see people conformed to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29).
In marathons, runners have access to many replenishing stations so they can make it to the end. If disciple-making is like a marathon, we need to set stations of refreshment and encouragement along our way. One way Paul does this is by taking time to be thankful for the people he is shepherding.
Thankfulness plays a pivotal role for both the pastor and the church he leads, and we need it at the beginning of January as much as the end of November. The start of a new year is a perfect time to initiate a habit of giving thanks.
Paul’s Thanksgiving In nine out of his thirteen letters, Paul gives thanks to the recipients. As Kevin DeYoung points out, Paul even gives thanks to the Corinthian church plagued by pride, discord, sexual sin, and division. Kevin writes that Paul’s gratitude can be divided into six categories:
- Paul was thankful for the believers’ faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans, Ephesians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, Philemon).
- He was thankful for their love for all the saints (Ephesians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, Philemon).
- He was thankful for their steadfastness, especially in trials (1 & 2 Thessalonians).
- He was thankful for their spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians).
- He was thankful for their partnership in the gospel (Philippians).
- He was thankful for their history and mutual affection (2 Timothy).
In the long race of pastoring, thankfulness is a great refreshment station for both pastors and the church.
Giving thanks recalibrates the pastor to see his church through the eyes of Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
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Thanksgiving Is Good for Pastors Giving thanks recalibrates the pastor to see his church through the eyes of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Thanksgiving saves the pastor from exasperation because, while you notice all the areas in which your flock needs to grow, you also notice where they’re making progress.
Thanksgiving helps you pause and see what God has been doing in his church. It’s akin to a gardener who works with thorny roses taking a step back to smell them and enjoy the garden itself. Taking a step back to see the good work God began and is continuing gives you enough fuel to get back into the work God has entrusted to you.
Pastor, ask yourself and your staff weekly where God is working and make it a practice to give thanks always (1 Thess. 5:16–18).
Thanksgiving Is Good for the Church Thanksgiving is edifying for our people, too. They need to know that they’re not perpetual screw-ups—that their leaders see where they’re making progress. Paul affirmed where he saw God’s grace at work in the lives of these early believers countless times.
Faithful, long years of ministry are like a marathon, but so, too, is faithful church membership. In all their trials and joys, our people are also running hard to love and obey Jesus. Give your people the deep spiritual refreshment of hearing their pastor giving thanks for God’s work in them.
One of the benefits of giving thanks is that your people know they’re being seen, appreciated, and loved. It also redirects their (and our) gaze to Jesus—the One building his church and growing his people. Our faithful God will finish his work in all of us and, as we give thanks, we acknowledge his sufficiency. Giving thanks refreshes not just pastors but also their congregations with hope in the unfailing promises of God. As the new year begins, make it a practice, like Paul, to celebrate your people publicly and personally as you see God’s grace at work in them.
Give your people the deep spiritual refreshment of hearing their pastor giving thanks for God’s work in them.
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Pastors, maintain a marathon mindset—even (especially) on the heels of another wearying year. As you face the unknowns of the coming months, build and protect the replenishing habit of thanksgiving that your eyes may be continually full of Christ and his good work. We finish the race well when we run gratefully, for our Savior’s glory, and in his sufficient strength.
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As I sit in my home office, enjoying an excellent cup of coffee and listening to Shane & Shane, I sense my deep need for gospel renewal and revival in my heart. Some would hear this and say, “Doug, why? What’s going on with you? Are you okay?”
At 50 years of age and 25 years in ministry, I’m learning that feeling worn down is an everyday reality of managing the load of ministry the Lord has given me. In 2015, the San Antonio Spurs basketball coach used the term “load management” for strategically resting key players to be in premier shape for the championship game at the end of the year. In the same way, Christ’s leaders need to adopt this load management strategy.
Load management wisdom is necessary as I serve my church, network, and seminary. I must set a ministry pace and even learn to bench myself when I’m weary. If not, I may not have the endurance to serve for the entire season to which God calls me.
Ministry burnout often exposes multiple areas of unhealthiness. Porn addiction, over-eating, adultery, depression, sinful anger, drunkenness, suicide, and ministry disqualification are often revealed in the leader walking in ministry burnout. It can even cause a leader to quit the ministry and abandon Jesus altogether.
Therefore, when I sit at the edge of ministry exhaustion, I go to God’s Word, the fountain of inexhaustible knowledge, to prevent me from crossing the bridge into ministry burnout or ministry overload.
Humble Yourselves Under God The Apostle Peter says God’s leaders must “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (1 Pet. 5:6–7). This passage is rich with strategies for ministry load management. The primary method for managing your ministry load and avoiding ministry exhaustion is to humbly submit your life, ministry, and everything you are and do under the mighty hand of God.
When I sit at the edge of ministry exhaustion, I go to God's Word, the fountain of inexhaustible knowledge, to prevent me from crossing the bridge into ministry burnout or ministry overload.
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Humility is the essential element for ministry load management. Here, the phrase “humble yourselves” is a rebuke to those leaders who seek to walk under their prideful arrogance and plans. Proverbs 3:34 makes God’s posture toward self-reliant, prideful people clear: God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. Why is he opposed to the proud? Because human pride is the antithesis of submission to God and salvation in his name through Christ. Therefore, leaders are required to “humble themselves” as they recognize their need for God’s ministry load management plan.
We must learn how to govern our own ministry load management; your team is rarely going to tell you to slow down. You have to learn how to say “no” on your own. Often, our inability to say “no” is our idolatry of wanting to be the Messiah for our churches. And if we’re unwilling to humble ourselves and govern our ministry load, then God, as a good Father, will himself humble us. God will not allow his leader to go unchecked when they lead their families and his church in their own strength. So then, we must learn to humble ourselves before God must humble us—to walk not in the pride of pastoral professionalism, but rather rest under the mighty umbrella of Jesus’s grace.
The beautiful promise is that God will exalt us in his perfect timing when we humble ourselves under his gospel. Yes, how crazy that God will lift us up. It is his mighty hand that does the lifting of the humble, near burnt-out leader.
Cast Your Anxieties on God We rightly manage our ministry load as we walk in humility, powered by God’s strength and grace and not falsely fueled by our bootleg power. Note that in the NBA, it’s the coaches, not the players, who control the key player’s load. So it is with God. We receive our instruction from him, not from those around us who call us to do more, more, more.
In a culture where everybody wants to debate, divide, and do more, Peter calls God's leaders to cast their cares upon Jesus.
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In a culture where everybody wants to debate, divide, and do more, Peter calls God’s leaders to cast their cares upon Jesus. The word “cast” means “to throw from one place to another.” In ministry load management, this is the divine transfer whereby leaders get the load off themselves and onto Jesus because we’re incapable of carrying it.
Load management is modeled and powered by Christ in all that we do and are. This is most vividly seen in Christ on the cross, having all our sins cast upon him, that he might bear the load of sin that would have led to our destruction. He has already borne our sin, so go ahead and throw your cares on Jesus! Cast your desperation, despair, discontentment, distress, depression, and your feelings of desertion and degradation.
Throw them off yourself and onto Christ’s burden-carrying back. You can’t take the weight, but he can. And while the cross shows that Jesus bears our loads on his shoulders, the resurrection proves that he doesn’t just lift our loads, he has overcome them on our behalf!
Because God Cares for You When you operate under God’s ministry load management plan, you cast your anxieties, stress, and discontentment on him. Why? Because he cares for you. We don’t throw it on him to increase our ministry capacity. No! We throw it on him because he cares for us.
He’s the great Coach who knows when to bench you and play you fewer minutes. He’s the pioneer and perfecter of ministry load management. Submit to him. He will keep you to the end. Rest knowing that the championship—the great victory of the ages—has been won by Christ. Repent of your prideful overwork in ministry and embrace Christ managing your load for you, not by your gifts but by his grace.
Lord, help us see the pitfalls of ministry overload and help us find our ministry load management plan from you.
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We love producing rich content that glorifies Christ and encourages the church and church planters. If you love reading it, please consider giving to Acts 29 this year-end.
2021 has been full of hardship for many in our communities. The challenges of the vulnerable and marginalized in our cities and towns have increased over the last two years. But even as the world becomes more difficult and darker for many, the light of Christ continues to shine brightly through the trusted presence of local churches.
These gospel outposts proclaim the excellencies of Christ, who calls us out of darkness and into his marvelous light (1 Pet. 2:9). These communities of Christ-followers live out the biblical ethic of loving our neighbors and caring for the needy. And we do this out of love for Christ and his church. We help those in need because Christ has met our greatest need in himself.
As we celebrate Jesus’s birth this Christmas season, we exalt our heavenly Father for his extravagant love for us in sending his beloved Son to save us from our sins. And his love abides in us as we open our hearts to the needy. We love the orphan, the widow, the refugee, the sick, and the poor not “in word or talk but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:17–18).
Our neighbors need hope and help this Christmas season, and local churches are divinely placed and purposed to meet this need with good news and great generosity.
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Our neighbors need hope and help this Christmas season, and local churches are divinely placed and purposed to meet this need with good news and great generosity. Be encouraged by these few examples of Acts 29 churches ministering to the vulnerable this Christmas.
Redemption City Church in Baltimore, Maryland partners with Salaam Center, a ministry that helps Afghan and other Arabic-speaking refugees. RCC hosted a Christmas party for over 100 men and women who gathered to receive presents for their families, share a meal, and hear the gospel. Members of a Korean church from Virginia led musical worship, and their pastor preached as a translator communicated the gospel in Arabic.
Free Grace Church in Fresno, California is collecting a year-end special offering to support families in Haiti that are still homeless from the earthquake earlier this year. They partner with a group involved in church planting, pastoral training, and community development. They can build a small house for a family for $3,500. Thousands of families are being served through these efforts.
Grace Bible Church in Bend, Oregon serves their community by adopting families in need in partnership with a local food bank. Each family is blessed with an amazing Christmas, thanks to the generosity of these saints.
Rooted Church in Joplin, Missouri collaborates with about 50 other churches to serve Crosslines, a local parachurch ministry. Together, they’re providing food and clothing to about 1,500 people each month facing a financial crisis.
King’s Cross Church in Defiance, Ohio is doing a church-wide generosity drive called “Refugee Christmas” to raise money to assist the needs of Syrian Refugee house churches in Lebanon. This is in partnership with an Acts 29 church in Poland.
The Commons LA in Los Angeles, California partners with the largest group home in Los Angeles to mentor foster kids without a placement. One activity they’ve planned for Christmas is a cookie decorating party at the group home.
The kingdom of God is near, and never more so than when the people of God image his compassion for the vulnerable.
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Taproot Church in Twin Falls, Idaho is partnering with another local church to hand out 1,800 boxes of food per week, from the week of Thanksgiving through the end of the year. The food is provided through a program called “Farmers Feeding Families.”
Soma Eastside Church in Issaquah, Washington serves at-risk students in their community by providing scholarships to attend a private school. Their generosity is making a big difference in the lives of these students.
The District Church in Jacksonville, Florida gifted all the single moms in their church with some help for the holidays. They’re also dedicating their Christmas Eve offering to help plant a church in Russia.
Encounter Christian Church in Bellflower, California has organized a Christmas store in partnership with two other churches to bless families in the Bellflower Unified School District. Parents can purchase presents for their children at very low prices. The parents of over 800 students in this city have signed up to shop at the Christmas store and will also receive Bibles, food, and cleaning supplies.
Local churches matter. Their presence is good for their communities. And God is glorified when churches work together with people of goodwill to bring the thrilling hope of the gospel so the weary world may rejoice.
The kingdom of God is near, and never more so than when the people of God image his compassion for the vulnerable. As a diverse, global community of healthy, multiplying churches, may we stir up one another to love and good works as we celebrate Christ, whose kingdom knows no end!
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We love producing rich content that glorifies Christ and encourages the church and church planters. If you love reading it, please consider giving to Acts 29 this year-end.
Church planters and pastors need training that’s both theologically robust and pastorally hands-on, but how is that best accomplished? Acts 29 highly values the role of seminaries, but we also believe there’s no better base for a church planter’s training than his sending church. Doxa Iglesia, an Acts 29 church plant in Mexico City, illustrates the missional impact of churches training leaders.
Chuy’s Story Chuy Rodriguez grew up in Mexico City and was born into the Roman Catholic Church. He became a believer and ended up in the prosperity gospel movement before the Lord used the writings of Reformed theologians in his life. “I came to realize that my salvation and faith was not dependent on my works or my behavior,” Chuy said. “I came to know the gospel, that the grace of God saves me.”
Chuy lived in Washington, DC, but had a growing conviction that his secular home city of more than eight million people needed a gospel-centered church. “There were a lot of prosperity gospel churches that were promoting all kinds of different things, but there wasn’t a deep theological conviction of the gospel—the need of grace. The hope of the gospel was needed back in Mexico.” Chuy decided to plant a church in Mexico City. He discovered Acts 29 and connected with an Acts 29 church in Washington, DC.
The missional momentum continues—Doxa Iglesia has already sent out their first church plant and plans to send another man to plant a new church in the next year and a half.
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Bill Riedel, the planting pastor of Redemption Hill Church, saw the potential in Chuy. “He was passionate, he was excited, he understood the place because it was his home, and he had a vision for how he wanted to reach it.” But Bill also saw that Chuy was inexperienced and unequipped for the work of church planting.
Chuy wanted to move back to Mexico City within several months, but Redemption Hill asked him to wait. “We invited him into a church-planting residency alongside our church,” Bill said. Chuy agreed to postpone his move for a year and a half. “We were able to work on theological credentials, put him through Acts 29’s assessment, and help train him up and get him immersed in church and leading ministries here so that when he went back to Mexico City, he had all of that background, help, training, and foundation,” Bill said.
This church-based training culminated in a gospel-preaching church for Mexico City. In 2014, Chuy planted Doxa Iglesia.
Elí’s Story Now, seven years later, Elí Cazarez pastors Doxa Iglesia. At first, Elí got involved through the music ministry. “But,” he said, “I have to confess, I started serving at a gospel-centered church without understanding what gospel-centered really meant.” Over time, Elí grew in his biblical knowledge and leadership. He started serving other worship team members and teaching devotionals and Bible studies at Chuy’s house.
When Chuy’s wife, Karla, became ill, the Rodriquez family decided to move back to the United States. In 2018, Chuy and Karla sat down with Elí. They presented two options: Elí could take responsibility as lead pastor for the church, or the Doxa Iglesia family would be sent out to other local churches.
“This was so hard to hear, to know that my church family was going to be separated, to know that we were not going to be the same people singing together, loving one another, eating together, laughing together, crying together,” Elí said. “And for those reasons, I made the decision with my wife that I should take the leadership of the church.”
Acts 29 has been a blessing to Elí and Doxa Church. “I had many fears, doubts, and very little experience, but trusted that God had control of his church, and he had control over my life.” Elí’s been encouraged by other Acts 29 pastors “with the same struggles and the same burdens; with the same battles we all go through. And when I talk with them, I don’t feel judged but loved and understood—that is such a blessing.”
The Story Continues Redemption Hill Church in Washington, DC trained Chuy to plant Doxa Iglesia in Mexico City, and Doxa Iglesia trained Elí. Now Elí and Doxa Iglesia are training future generations of gospel leaders. “We praise God because, in the past two years, we’ve been training two men to become elders,” Elí said. “We also started formal training so that, just like I was trained, and my pastor was trained by Redemption Hill Church, now we are training other men so they themselves can plant more churches.”
The missional momentum continues—Doxa Iglesia has already sent out their first church plant and plans to send another man to plant a new church in the next year and a half. “We rejoice in this,” Elí said, “because we know we can’t do this alone in Mexico City. We need help from other planters; we need help from other churches as well.”
Redemption Hill Church in Washington, DC trained Chuy to plant Doxa Iglesia in Mexico City, and Doxa Iglesia trained Elí. Now Elí and Doxa Iglesia are training future generations of gospel leaders.
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Elí knows that healthy, gospel-centered churches grow and multiply with healthy leaders who teach the Bible and do not abuse their authority: “Broken people, people in need of Christ, are precisely in need of his Word.” May our churches grow godly leaders to plant more churches to grow godly leaders to plant more churches—all for Christ’s glory.
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We love producing rich content that glorifies Christ and encourages the church and church planters. If you love reading it, please consider giving to Acts 29 this year-end.
The Acts 29 staff loves Jesus, church planting, beard oil, and books! As 2021 draws to a close, we’re jumping on the end-of-year book list bandwagon (see last year’s staff picks here) with a selection of our favorite books published in 2021.
We’re featuring books written by men and women who are part of the Acts 29 global community of more than 700 churches as well as some other books that made us think, pray, and delight in God this year. If you’re looking for those last few Christmas gifts or a great read for yourself, we’ve got you covered. Enjoy!
Books by Acts 29 Authors Love Your Church: 8 Great Things About Being a Church Member, by Tony Merida
This book is full of joy about what God has done to redeem his people and is continuing to do in and through his body, the church. It will inspire your affection for your local church and encourage joyful gratitude as you commit yourself to it.
Ten Words to Live By: Delighting in and Doing What God Commands, by Jen Wilkin
Looking at the Ten Commandments, Jen exposits God’s Word clearly and insightfully, showing us that these good words are delightful and lifegiving for believers. You’ll enjoy God’s goodness and faithfulness to supply what he commands as you read this book.
Truth on Fire: Gazing at God Until Your Heart Sings, by Adam Ramsey
Do you ever feel that emotional experience and theological knowledge are on two different sides of a gaping divide? Adam Ramsey shows in this book that the more we understand God with our minds, the more our hearts will burn with love for him.
Help! I’m Married to my Pastor: Encouragement for Ministry Wives and Those Who Love Them, by Jani Ortlund
Who better to counsel ministry wives than someone who has walked with her husband through decades of gospel service? Jani Ortlund’s warmth, wisdom, and kindness shines through these pages.
The Death of Porn: Men of Integrity Building a World of Nobility, by Ray Ortlund
With fatherly wisdom, this book points to the hope we have in Christ. Through six letters, Ray Ortlund focuses on our God-given identity that enables us to stand against the dehumanization of porn and walk with Christ-honoring integrity.
The Faithful Church Planter: 11 Essential Competencies for the Work, by Tony Merida
This is the first in a coming series of books from Acts 29 authors that examine our eleven essential competencies for church planting. Whether you’re thinking about church planting or already doing it, this book will encourage you with wisdom and best practices for long-term, faithful ministry.
The Gospel-Shaped Leader: Leaning on Jesus to Shepherd His People, by Scott Thomas
Scott Thomas, Acts 29’s former president, shows that humility, kindness, and empathy are essential for leaders of Christ’s people. If you’re feeling worn out by the demands of leadership (and after the past two years, who isn’t?), this book will refresh you to keep going as you lean on Jesus.
The Whitewashing of Christianity, by Jerome Gay
Whatever your politics, this thought-provoking book examines the historical whitewashing that’s occurred throughout Christianity. It presents a timely and needed challenge to the church even as it points to gospel hope.
To Be Continued: The Unstoppable Mission of Jesus, edited by Tony Merida, Christy Britton, and Amy Tyson
This collection of stories and reflections from the global Acts 29 community includes contributions from Jonathan Dodson, Jen Oshman, Dave Furman, Tony Merida, and Mez McConnell. First published as articles by The Gospel Coalition and Acts 29, these stories reveal the unstoppable work of our Savior to establish his church in all the world.
Making Faith Magnetic: Five Hidden Themes Our Culture Can’t Stop Talking About… And How to Connect Them to Christ, by Daniel Strange
This book examines five themes permeating our culture (inspired by theologian J. H. Bavinck) and reveals how Jesus answers each one. It will sharpen your cultural engagement and make you more confident in evangelism.
Rural Mission: Insights from a Rural Church Planter, by Will Basham
Acts 29 cares about planting churches everywhere—including isolated, rural communities. This practical and accessible book by Acts 29 church planter, Will Basham, will encourage this good work and the men and women who are committed to it.
Isaiah for You: Enlarging Your Vision of Who God Is, by Tim Chester
Tim Chester’s writing makes biblical truth accessible and applicable to our daily lives. Part of the God’s Word for You series, this exposition of the book of Isaiah will warm your heart with God’s holiness and mercy.
Trinitarian Formation: A Theology of Discipleship in Light of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, by J. Chase Davis
Chase Davis applies the concept of triperspectivalism to discipleship in the local church. Davis identifies a common definition of discipleship and shows how churches ought to pursue it as we seek to obey the Great Commission.
Uncomfortable Grace: The Mystery of Suffering, by Mike Larsen
Looking at the biblical book of Job and the stories of four couples who’ve walked through suffering, this book shows that suffering can become a catalyst for experiencing God’s grace.
Other Books We Recommend The Dawn of Redeeming Grace: Daily Devotions for Advent, by Sinclair Ferguson
This Advent devotional will enrich your library and warm your heart. Sinclair Ferguson looks at the first two chapters of Matthew’s Gospel, stirring up our awe and gratitude at the incarnation of Jesus.
The Wisdom Pyramid: Feeding Your Soul in a Post-Truth World, by Brett McCracken
Information does not equal wisdom. So, in a world where we’re deluged by nonstop information, how do we grow in godly wisdom? Brett McCracken’s insightful book is so timely and helpful.
Fix Your Eyes: How Our Study of God Shapes Our Worship of Him, by Amy Gannett
This excellent introduction to systematic theology emphasizes worship (doxology) as the inevitable partner of orthodoxy.
The Multi-directional Leader: Responding Wisely to Challenges from Every Side, by Trevin Wax
In a time when we’re all so inclined to take sides, Trevin Wax argues that gospel-centered church leaders must be able to spot error from all sides to rightly commend and worship Christ.
A Burning in My Bones: The Authorized Biography of Eugene H. Peterson, by Winn Collier and R.C. Sproul: A Life, by Stephen Nichols
Eugene Peterson and R.C. Sproul were two of the most influential Christian leaders of our time, and these two biographies beautifully capture their unique giftedness and common desire to live for the Lord. Read them to learn about these heroes of modern Christianity.
Deeper: Real Change for Real Sinners, by Dane Ortlund
From the author of Gentle and Lowly, Deeper asks how Christians grow in godliness. Enjoy meditating on the joyful, transforming reality of the gospel in these pages.
Holier Than Thou: How God’s Holiness Helps Us Trust Him, by Jackie Hill Perry
In our heads, we know God is trustworthy—why don’t we feel it in our hearts? Jackie Hill Perry writes that we misunderstand God’s holiness. In this book, she biblically unpacks God’s holiness and shows that it’s abundantly good news for his people.
The Book of Giving: How the God Who Gives Can Make Us Givers, by Pierce Taylor Hibbs
Pierce Taylor Hibbs is an excellent theologian who writes like a poet. In this gift of a book, he turns our eyes to the ultimate Giver of all good things. Hibbs’s words inspire joyful worship and reveal that, in Christ, we are made givers, too.
Behold: An Invitation to Wonder, by Justin Huffman
Do you ever feel starved of wonder? We endlessly feed ourselves distraction and entertainment but our souls long for something more substantial—more awesome, more delightful. As Augustine famously wrote, our souls are restless until they find their rest in Christ. Justin Huffman’s book focuses our unsatisfied hearts on the one Source of all wonder and delight, calling us to behold God.
10 Questions Every Teen Should Ask (And Answer) about Christianity, by Rebecca McLaughlin
We want our kids to grow and stay strong in the faith, but their world is growing increasingly antagonistic toward Christianity. Rebecca McLaughlin shows once again that orthodox Christianity can withstand our questions and doubts. This is a great book for the teens (and adults!) in your life.
Bonus: Two Classic Reprints The Child’s Story Bible, by Catherine Vos
This classic children’s story Bible, written by the wife of Geerhardus Vos, has been reprinted with new illustrations. It combines excellent storytelling with biblical fidelity and makes a great resource for family Bible times.
The Glory of Christ, by John Owen
Another classic, this abridged version of The Glory of Christ keeps the theological depth of the original but makes those truths more accessible for all. What more do we need than to gaze long at Christ and behold his glory? This little book pays dividends in spiritual growth.
The post Acts 29 Staff Picks for Best Reads of 2021 appeared first on Acts 29.
Belt of the Bible Rural Summit – Panel Discussion
The Joys and Pains of Rural Ministry with Wes Walters, David Pinckney, Trace Donahoo, Carlton Weathers
Belt of the Bible Rural Summit
Hosted Aim Church, Southside, AL
September 28, 2021
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Belt of the Bible Rural Summit – Session 3
Biblical Tools: The Spiritual Disciplines of the Rural Pastor with Carlton Weathers
Belt of the Bible Rural Summit
Hosted Aim Church, Southside, AL
September 28, 2021
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Belt of the Bible Rural Summit – Session 2
Biblical Boots: Ministering and Preaching in a Post-Christian South with Trace Donahoo
Belt of the Bible Rural Summit
Hosted Aim Church, Southside, AL
September 28, 2021
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Belt of the Bible Rural Summit – Session 1
Biblical Lenses: A Theological vision for Rural Ministry with David Pinckney
Belt of the Bible Rural Summit
Hosted Aim Church, Southside, AL
September 28, 2021
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We love producing rich content that glorifies Christ and encourages the church and church planters. If you love reading it, please help continue the work by giving to Acts 29 this year-end.
Our world has lost its mind.
CRT, Christian nationalism, racial injustice, school shootings, political strife, passionate disagreements over pandemic response and protocols—to mask or not to mask, vax and anti-vax.
Any given week, stories are breaking in the news exposing the depths of depravity of the people and the systems in our world. In a digital age, people’s lives are consumed by issues, events, and concerns that aren’t necessarily local to their neighborhoods or relevant to their individual lives. And yet, that weight piles on and is taken as immediate and personal.
A friend of mine recently said that he feels like he’s had to make eight years’ worth of decisions in the last 18 months. Perhaps you can relate. And you’re still standing, faithfully preaching God’s Word, loving God’s people, and willing to take the hits that come with these unending decisions.
As I talk to others in ministry right now, there’s a nearly universal deep fatigue. Every decision and conversation feels loaded and charged. Every day brings a new crisis.
How do we pastor through this?
1. Preach God’s Word faithfully. Martin Lloyd Jones said, “Preaching is theology coming through a man on fire.” Any true preaching must include the personality, experiences, and heart of the one proclaiming the gospel. And yet, there’s a line that ought never to be crossed in making a sermon about the preacher or the preacher’s perspectives rather than about Christ.
It’s hard to get stuck on personal soapboxes when we’re standing under Scripture and teaching the full counsel of God’s Word.
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Preaching faithfully through Scripture will force us to press into issues that we otherwise might naturally avoid or just not see as important. It’s hard to get stuck on personal soapboxes when we’re standing under Scripture and teaching the full counsel of God’s Word (Acts 20:27).
2. Preach the gospel and its implications. Personal sin and salvation are important realities within the good news of what Jesus has done, is doing, and will do. However, if we stick only to those themes, we truncate the gospel and miss the big picture of God’s work in renewing and restoring all things. That includes all of creation and all of humanity. God cares about personal holiness and justice, the effects of sin, and the impact of oppression.
3. Don’t ignore reality. Pastors, we have a responsibility to help people connect the dots from Sunday into the rest of the week. Sundays are the gathering of God’s people to help them find refreshment in Christ and a restoration of their vision of God’s goodness, sending people out to live Spirit-filled and Spirit-led lives. As people come in, the realities around us weigh on them heavily. Ignoring or avoiding issues because they might be seen as too controversial, too politicized, or too touchy is pastorally irresponsible.
4. Don’t chase the news cycle. While we can’t ignore the reality around us, we must also be careful not to allow our surrounding circumstances to consistently shape what we preach. It’s not hard to imagine taking up a new cause every week, either dictated by expectations or news cycle reactions.
In his book, The Care of Souls, Harold Senkbeil calls pastors “sheepdogs for the Good Shepherd.” Jesus is the one whose voice people need to hear. Our calling is to help bring the sheep where their Shepherd is calling them, with total love and admiration for the Shepherd.
5. Focus on the local church. This may be the most important point. With the swirling issues around us and the nonstop flow of information in the digital age, we must recover a deeper sense of locality in our church and help our people do the same. The world can be overwhelming. We are not created with the capacity to take it all in. None of us is built to scroll through a feed that goes from tragedy to sarcastic meme to cat video and back again.
With the swirling issues around us and the nonstop flow of information in the digital age, we must recover a deeper sense of locality in our church and help our people do the same.
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That overwhelm can seep into our churches and us as we inhabit broader issues in our world. It is good to step back at times and ask questions like: Is this a problem in this church? Do these people struggle with this issue? Are we only fixated on calling out the sins and idolatries of others or the ones in which our own hearts are trapped? What needs to be comforted or confronted in this church?
Take a breath today. Don’t lose heart. As we address the problems, needs, and opportunities for ministry in a world gone crazy, we cannot lose our focus on Jesus. We have to listen hard for his voice amid the chaos of crisis.
The tools of our trade are unchanging. We are the sheepdogs for the Shepherd who help the sheep hear and follow his voice through Word and sacrament. Along the way, be careful to have your own heart refreshed in Christ as well. “And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfolding crown of glory” (1 Pet. 5:4).
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We love producing rich content that glorifies Christ and encourages the church and church planters. If you love reading it, please consider giving to Acts 29 this year-end.
American cities made worldwide news during the summer of 2020. Thousands of people angry about racial injustice protested lawfully, but others responded to sin with sin. In Seattle, hundreds of people took to violence—forming a mob and hurling abuse at police officers.
One of these officers was Acts 29 pastor, Noah Winningham. As a bi-vocational pastor, Noah works as a cop and serves as lead pastor of Sufficient Grace Church, a new church plant for the South Hill of Puyallup, Washington. Noah regularly prays for himself and his church to embrace God’s call even when that means sacrifice. And the Lord has vividly worked out that reality in his life.
Church Planting, Take One As a young Bible-degree graduate with only nine months in full-time ministry, Noah was sent out to plant a church with no core team and surrounded by unsaved neighbors. It didn’t go well. Eventually, the sending organization issued an ultimatum: without quick results, they would no longer support the plant. Shortly after that, they cut the Winningham’s funding and sold the house they were living in.
Exhausted, hurt, and with no idea what to do next, the Winninghams visited a nearby Acts 29 church, Soma Spokane. One of the elders invited the Winninghams (near-strangers) to live in their home’s basement apartment. The Winninghams accepted. “I went through a really unhealthy place of being angry with God,” Noah said. All Noah and his wife, Cherish, were sure about was that they would never be in ministry again.
Restoration and a New Path Over the next two years, Noah learned he’d been trying to justify himself through his ministry efforts. When they failed, he felt worthless. When he struggled to find a decent job, he felt inadequate as a husband and father. “Every identity piece I had was ripped away from me,” Noah said. “We went through two years of building back a foundation of right identity based on a better understanding of the gospel.”
“It got to the point where we decided we wanted to keep living—we didn’t want to waste time,” Noah said. They were settled into church, serving God again as faithful church members, when the Seattle police department offered Noah a job. The Winninghams wrestled with the decision (it meant a big move) but took the job, moved to the Seattle area, and began attending the only Acts 29 church nearby—a brand-new plant called Gospel Life Church.
Noah felt drawn to church planting but knew God was using him in the police department. Eventually, he realized he was equipped for and called to do both.
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“All the things in my heart that liked ministry started to come alive again,” Noah said. After a couple of years, he became a lay elder. When Gospel Life realized they needed to multiply, Noah felt drawn to church planting but knew God was using him in the police department. Eventually, he realized he was equipped for and called to do both. Noah and Cherish decided Noah should undertake bi-vocational church planting while continuing as a police officer in Seattle.
“We Can’t Fight Sin with Sin” They gathered a team and planned to launch in the autumn of 2020 when Covid-19 hit. Then, on May 29, Noah was working the night shift as a bicycle cop in Seattle’s downtown precinct when hundreds of people gathered to protest the murder of George Floyd. It quickly turned violent.
The following two months were brutal. Noah said, “I got pretty beat up. I ended up having close to eight bulging discs, and my right knee is messed up; I got hit by a car on my bike when a lady tried to run me over.” The rioters threw improvised explosives, used tennis racquets to hit batteries at police, launched rocks and concrete with three-person slingshots, and hit the officers’ wrists and hands with frozen water bottles while they rode their bikes, causing them to crash.
There was verbal abuse, too. Rioters called the officers “racists” and shouted things like, “I hope you die; you should take your gun and shoot yourself; you don’t deserve to live.” Noah said, “I stood there for hours and hours every day, with people two feet away just screaming all this stuff.” But his perspective as a believer and pastor helped him navigate a dark situation and point his church to Christ. “We can’t fight sin with sin,” Noah said. “We have to respond with Jesus.”
The gospel answers our hatred and injustice, our violence and anarchy, and our fear and misplaced identity with the final Word: Jesus.
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A Bigger Story Sufficient Grace Church officially launched in December 2020. Despite planting during a pandemic, about 100 people are connected in gospel communities and Sunday attendance averages about 75. In a culture that looks for purpose in comfort and status, Noah longs to see believers in Puyallup captured by the gospel and unbelievers coming to faith. “People want to be connected to a bigger story—I just think they’re picking a garbage story,” Noah said. “I want to see people get captivated by a story that matters: the gospel.”
The gospel answers our hatred and injustice, our violence and anarchy, and our fear and misplaced identity with the final Word: Jesus. In him, we are forgiven. In him, we are transformed into people who do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God (Micah 6:8). His sacrifice compels us to live sacrificially for others.
God has led Noah and Cherish through dark times. But through it all, they’ve tasted the Lord’s sustaining faithfulness. Noah wants to dedicate his life to the glorious, cosmic story of God’s love to sinners in Christ—the one true story that shatters sin’s darkness with life-giving light.
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They say youth ministers know, deep in their bones, when they’re on their last bus trip full of teenagers. In the same deep-in-my-bones way, in 2019—nearing the tenth anniversary of the church plant I helped start—I knew I needed a break as a pastor. I needed time for a rest that would be longer than a sabbatical. It was time for our congregation to find their next pastor.
A ministry hired me to be an associate editor for them. It was still difficult work that impacted the church, but it gave me space to rest and process my years of church planting. Thanks to a Christian counselor, I began to work through past events extending back before the launch of our church plant.
I also took classes and pursued credentials for project management and professional leadership coaching. I’m now working for Grimké Seminary as their managing editor. I’m still an ordained pastor, but I’m also a credentialed project manager and a professional coach.
The Help We Pursue My circuitous path has brought me into close contact with the types of help pastors typically pursue at various times—counseling, consulting, and coaching. I want to be quick to say that none of these helping professions are essential to church leaders. It is entirely conceivable that a pastor may have a very long, fruitful, and faithful ministry without ever meeting with a counselor, ministry consultant, or leadership coach.
But sometimes, we get stuck in the weeds and need outside counsel from someone who specializes in helping pastors and elder teams navigate challenges. If that’s you, what type of professional should you look for? What’s the difference between a counselor, consultant, or coach?
Sometimes, we get stuck in the weeds and need outside counsel from someone who specializes in helping pastors and elder teams navigate challenges.
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The difference between these three types of professionals is summarized in two questions: “Are they subject matter experts?” and “Are they helping you look into the future or the past?” First, do they have subject matter expertise in ministry or, more specifically, in the ministry challenges you’re facing—financials, conflict resolution, leadership development, or team alignment?
Second, do you need help with something in your (or your team’s) past or in the future? When we don’t take time to prayerfully apply God’s truth to our past, unreconciled events can have radical implications for how we function in the present. At the same time, we’re always facing future obstacles or goals, replete with all their challenges.
What Tool for What Problem? When you’re seeking help from an outside source, how do these two factors—subject matter expertise and forward-or backward-looking perspectives—play into your decision? Let’s look at each professional and see how they might help you or your ministry team.
- Consultants: Consultants must have subject matter expertise and be forward-looking. Consultants do not deal with history; they aren’t trying to solve unreconciled events. They’re operating from their expertise and offering their advice for a problem or goal in the future. That advice is often extremely helpful. A good consultant has put in their time and knows what you’re facing. They provide wisdom and teach you how to apply it.
- Coaches: A leadership coach doesn’t need subject matter expertise; it may help, but it’s not necessary. That’s because a coach’s main job isn’t to solve your problem but to ask strategic questions that help you solve your problem. Coaches are also forward-looking; they aren’t trying to help you reconcile past events.
- Counselors: Counselors, like coaches, do not need to be subject matter experts—it may be more helpful if they aren’t. Counselors (like coaches) are skilled questioners who focus on helping their clients develop the skills to solve their problems. Counselors look backward. They help you figure out past events and relationships that negatively affect your current relationships.
I’m immensely grateful for the men who study and train to serve pastors and elder teams as coaches, consultants, and counselors.
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Choose Wisely None of these helping professionals is necessary—you may never need one. But you might reach a point in your leadership development or pastoral ministry when you do. Those two questions around the themes of subject matter expertise and whether your problem is in the past or the future will help you decide what kind of help to pursue.
Over the course of my twenty years of pastoral ministry, I’ve benefited from all three types of professionals. I’m immensely grateful for the men who study and train to serve pastors and elder teams as coaches, consultants, and counselors. May their good labor increase the fruitfulness of pastors and the health of churches—and may we seek the right kind of help when we need it.
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What’s the most important tool in your people-helping tool belt? In a world of increasing therapeutic models and methods, ever more tools are readily available. But the most important tool we possess is good theology. When it comes to helping image-bearers of God endure suffering and overcome sin, there is no substitute for an increasing knowledge of the gospel.
I’m thankful for Acts 29’s commitment to theological clarity for ecclesiological health. The first of Acts 29’s eleven Distinctives reminds us of the importance of the gospel as our primary tool for helping the hurting:
“This gospel is not only the means by which people are saved but also the truth and power by which people are sanctified; it is the truth of the gospel that enables us to genuinely and joyfully do what is pleasing to God and to grow in progressive conformity to the image of Christ.”
The theological tributaries that flow out of the river of the gospel are the waters we must help people navigate if we want to be effective pastors and counselors.
Spiritual Spidey Senses Here’s an example of how the gospel plays out in the counseling room. Let’s say I’m meeting with Tina, who is wrestling with excessive guilt. As I listen to Tina explain her struggle, I hear her talk about her inability to forgive herself. She believes if she could just do a better job of extending forgiveness to herself, she wouldn’t have to deal with the overbearing weight of guilt that drags her down day after day.
As Tina talks, the hairs on my arm stand up. My spiritual Spidey sense goes into overdrive. Tina’s problem isn’t that she does a poor job of forgiving herself; it’s that she’s trying to forgive herself. She’s trapped on the hamster wheel of self-forgiveness. Around and around she goes, day after day, with no hope of experiencing the peace of God that comes only through his forgiving grace. While heartfelt, Tina’s attempts to forgive herself are antithetical to the gospel. Tina has bad theology—no wonder her guilt feels oppressive.
When it comes to helping image-bearers of God endure suffering and overcome sin, there is no substitute for an increasing knowledge of the gospel.
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One of the most basic tenets of biblical forgiveness is that it comes from God, not inside us. We can’t forgive ourselves because we don’t have the authority to do so. Responding to the Pharisees’ doubt about his authority to forgive sins, Jesus said, “Why do you question in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . .” (Luke 5:22–24). Many people share Tina’s struggle.
Underdeveloped, inaccurate, or absent theology is one of the biggest barriers to spiritual health. The best counselors are, first and foremost, theologically astute. The tools and micro-skills that make them effective counselors flow directly from their healthy theological convictions.
The Destructive Philosophy of Self-Prioritization Self-forgiveness isn’t the only destructive philosophy prevalent in our culture. We’re inundated with messages that encourage us to prioritize “self” above all else. Our culture tells us that if we want to be healthy, we must learn to forgive ourselves, be gracious to ourselves, and love ourselves. Satan disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14), so we should not be surprised that his lies often present as attractive truths.
If you’re hard on yourself, wouldn’t it make sense to learn to be more gracious to yourself? You certainly can’t love other people well if you don’t love yourself well, right? How could you possibly care for your children if you neglect your own needs? The fallacy of these questions and others like them lies in their self-focus. Instead of looking to God for comfort, strength, and endurance, our culture tells us to look inward for what we need.
Knowing God and Helping Others Colossians warns us about this kind of thinking: “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ” (Col. 2:8). Jesus alone should captivate our minds, and Jesus alone can provide what we (and those we counsel) need.
If we’re growing in our knowledge of Jesus and his Word, we’re equipped to “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Col. 1:10). Not only that, we’re equipped to help our hurting brothers and sisters do the same.
Continue to grow in your understanding of God and his Word. If you’re a pastor, you already know this is what you need for good preaching—but it’s the best way to provide effective counsel, too.
In a world of increasing therapeutic models and methods, ever more tools are readily available. But the most important tool we possess is good theology.
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Good theology can detect bad theology. As you listen, ask yourself if what you hear is consistent with the gospel. You might not always be able to pinpoint how or why what you’re hearing is off—keep listening. Keep asking clarifying questions. Trust the Holy Spirit to give discernment to address the issues. Finally, administer a steady diet of the gospel to those you counsel. May the power of God’s Word illuminate the lies of culture and refresh the hearts of hurting saints.
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Stephen Murray says anyone stepping off a plane in Cape Town will immediately see, even geographically, that it’s an “incredibly racially divided city.” Years of apartheid have left a legacy of wounds and scars. The city struggles with economic inequality, heavy unemployment, violence, and high crime rates.
It’s into this context that Stephen wanted to plant a church. He’d become captivated by church planting and began to ask, “What do we do? Where do we locate ourselves in that space?” These questions have been at the heart of their Acts 29 church plant from the beginning as they seek to shine the gospel of hope and reconciliation into a city rife with injustice.
Church Planting and Evangelism “For me, church planting is first and foremost about evangelism, about people coming from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light,” Stephen said. He saw his city’s desperate need for gospel hope and more churches to keep up with population growth. He and his wife, Robin, decided to focus on Cape Town’s urban center, where they planted Hope City Presbyterian Church in 2013.
“For me, church planting is first and foremost about evangelism, about people coming from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light” -Stephen Murray
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Hope City’s vision has always been to welcome secular folk to come and hear the gospel taught in an accessible and intellectually rigorous way while being included in a counter-cultural community of love, generosity, and hospitality. They remain committed in their resolve to live justly and defy the existing effects of apartheid. “We don’t want to be swayed by what’s going on in the broader culture. Instead, we want to ask, what does the Bible say about justice?”
Stephen believes church planting is the greatest missionary strategy and that evangelism happens best through church planting. Therefore, church planting is a top priority for Hope City. Stephen wants his congregation never to think of Hope City as the ultimate end—the ultimate end is glory with God in the new creation. “The more we plant churches, the more people will enter that glory.”
Church Planting and Reconciliation To this end, Wesley Marshall joined Hope City as a church-planting resident in 2019 to plant Hope City’s East City Congregation in the Woodstock and Observatory neighborhoods of Cape Town. He and his wife, Nicole, decided to plant with Hope City because they found in Hope City a church passionate about speaking out against injustice “from a position of understanding the gospel—that God is busy bringing together a people he’s calling his own from every nation, every tribe, and every tongue.”
“We desire to see this diverse part of Cape Town come together, as one, to worship God in the context of a gospel-centered local church.” -Wesley Marshall
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Woodstock is diverse culturally, racially, socio-economically, generationally, and intellectually. The Marshalls desire to see this diversity present in all spheres of this church plant and place a high value on pursuing it. They also seek to be contextually sensitive—to understand their context by knowing the fears, dreams, and big life questions of their community.
Wesley said, “We desire to see this diverse part of Cape Town come together as one to worship God in the context of a gospel-centered local church—irrespective of the color of their skin, irrespective of their culture.”
Stephen knows that church planting will change Cape Town because the gospel changes Christians. He said, “Transformation is going to happen when we fill all our communities with these communities of light—churches.” May God transform Cape Town and many other cities for his glory through the planting of gospel-preaching churches.
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Grimké Seminary held its inaugural graduation ceremony on the evening of November 18, 2021. Twenty-one graduates (from 17 churches across 11 states) and their families gathered in Richmond, Virginia to celebrate the completion of their advanced ministry degrees.
“These graduates are especially significant as this is our first-ever graduating class,” said Tony Merida, seminary dean. “We will never forget them. We will never forget how they took a risk in choosing Grimké, a start-up seminary. We had no history and no alumni to commend the school. What the students did know is that we were an official partner with Acts 29 and they believed in the Grimké model of in-context theological training. By God’s grace, this will be the first of many graduations, for the renewal of the church and the glory of Christ.”
By God’s grace, this will be the first of many graduations, for the renewal of the church and the glory of Christ. - Tony Merida
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Graduation festivities lasted all week and were a family affair. On Monday evening, graduates and their wives attended a special dinner to celebrate all that God has done over the last two years. On Wednesday morning, Grimké hosted a special breakfast for the wives at the Grimké house. The ceremony on Thursday evening had a familial atmosphere with many children in attendance to celebrate the graduates—all wearing custom-designed Ralph Lauren wool cardigans with a prominent Grimké “G” on the right chest. Matt King, the seminary’s administrator, said, “Experiencing this week with their families proved to be a really special and encouraging part of graduation for our students, and for us.”
Grimké Seminary is named in honor of Dr. Francis J. Grimké (1850–1937), a former slave who went on to pastor 15th Street Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C. for over fifty years. Building on his life and legacy, Grimké is a diverse seminary devoted to training pastors and church planters for the advance of the gospel, the good of the world, and the glory of Christ.
Grimké’s leaders praise God for the school’s success. Seminary president, Doug Logan, said, “No vision that God gives ever comes to fruition by the diligence of one man. Grimké is thriving because we have so much support from our Acts 29 community. Donors, supporters, and churches all help make Grimké successful.” Bryan Laughlin, Grimké CEO, said, “God has been extremely gracious to us with this first graduating class and we hope and pray for his continued favor in the decades to come.”
These are brothers and friends, not just classmates and professors. - Nathan Hornback
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As I interviewed some of the graduates, it became clear that these men cherish their educational experience and love this school, its leaders, and their fellow pastors and classmates.
Here’s what Grimké grads are saying about their alma mater:
Nathan Hornback, pastor of Living Stones Church Elko in Elko, Nevada, said, “I planted ten years ago, but couldn’t break away from the church to attend seminary. When Grimké was announced at the Acts 29 Global Gathering in Orlando, Florida, my wife and I knew God was answering our prayers for theological education.” Nathan also said he felt and experienced the Acts 29 brotherhood at Grimké. “These are brothers and friends, not just classmates and professors.”
“Grimké Seminary is the perfect mix of theology and hands-on pastoring. It’s accessible and affordable. It’s like a trade school for pastors,” said Andy Resh, pastor of Citylight Church Delco in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. “I was surprised by the relationships with other students. This community of fellow learners and co-laborers has become close friends.”
David Keen, pastor of Sent Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, said, “I’ve been wanting to do seminary for a long time but couldn’t make it work. I was excited when I learned about Grimké! I knew and trusted the leaders. It was affordable, allowed me to stay in my context, and wasn’t an online program. Learning from pastors who are theologians, scholars, and practitioners has been super helpful. One of our deacons is also a student, and hopefully, more from my church will be joining soon.”
“I wanted to learn to pastor better. Grimké has helped me become a better preacher and developer of leaders in my church,” Zack Mason, pastor of The Grove Church in Spruce Pine, North Carolina, said. “If you’re thinking about applying for Grimké, do it. You get so much more than an education; you get a brotherhood.”
If you’re thinking about applying for Grimké, do it. You get so much more than an education; you get a brotherhood. - Zack Mason
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Scott Prentice, pastor of Advance Community Church in Gibsonia, Pennsylvania, said, “Grimké excels at transforming leaders in the church and building effective ministry from the ground up.” His church has three lay leaders attending Grimké, plus a few more from regional churches.
Acts 29 values theological training and is proud to partner with Grimké Seminary. Join us in praying for these graduates as they begin new ministry endeavors or continue to faithfully lead their local churches. May God raise up more men like them to plant healthy, multiplying churches around the world so more people will hear and believe the gospel, and worship King Jesus for all eternity.
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‘Gospel Nobodies’ encourages faithful and joyful Church planting in obscure places so that the fame of Jesus would transform people and communities. Each month David Pinckney & Zack Mason will be joined by a new guest around the world.
Gospel Nobodies: Episode 15 with Tanner Sheahan
Originally recording date: 18th November 2021
https://www.acts29.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Gospel-Nobodies-15-Tanner-Sheahan.mp4 The post Gospel Nobodies Episode 15: Tanner Sheahan appeared first on Acts 29.
We love producing rich content that glorifies Christ and encourages the church and church planters. If you love reading it, please consider giving to Acts 29 today.
Brutal privilege. That is the phrase used by Brian Lowe, lead pastor of Exodus Church in Belmont, North Carolina, as he announced he will be taking extended time off for rest and renewal. Brian is ahead of the curve. Sadly, for most pastors, there will be a lag between the events of the past 18 months and an understanding of the toll it has taken on us. If we’re going to be healthy pastors and church leaders, we will need to acknowledge the hardships, embrace the privilege, and protect ourselves from burnout.
Pastoring has never been easy. The Apostle Paul warned Timothy of disappointment, mistrust, abandonment, and persecution. Paul said he was poured out like a drink offering. How can we follow Paul’s example and acknowledge the difficulty of pastoring since March of 2020?
Why It’s Brutal The past 20 months, for reasons including (but not limited to) the pandemic, social unrest, and political polarization, have been significantly harder for most pastors. It is good, right, and healthy to talk about it. My wife and I speak for Family Life’s Weekend to Remember Getaways where we would normally see two to four other pastors in attendance, but this past month in Tampa we were joined by more than 40. In a recent article in Leadership and Ministry Magazine, one pastor said, “Of my 30 years in pastoral ministry, this was the hardest. I’ve never been more mentally drained and emotionally exhausted for such an extended period of time—much more so than in any other time of my life.” As we hear about more pastors desiring to leave the pastorate, the anecdotal data we have tells us that pastoring in this cultural moment is taking its toll.
At the beginning of the pandemic, there was the toll of daily revisiting major decisions in the church. Do we meet? How do we livestream? When do we start back in person? Will we require masks? What if the church’s desire and the government’s desire are in conflict? Many of us were making these decisions over Zoom calls with noisy backgrounds and limited bandwidth as our children transitioned to remote learning. The challenges of 2020 also added more marriages in crisis, households in fear, and even loss of life.
As we hear about more pastors desiring to leave the pastorate, the anecdotal data we have tells us that pastoring in this cultural moment is taking its toll.
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Then tensions rose as racial and political polarization grew. If you addressed these issues, people got angry and left. If you didn’t address them, people got angry and left. Even masks and vaccines became so contentious that people stopped going to church without so much as a conversation if they didn’t agree with the decisions of their leadership. It didn’t matter if you baptized them, married them, buried their family members, or sat with them at the moment death came for a loved one, relationships no longer seemed to matter the way they used to.
The hermeneutic of suspicion replaced believing the best as the Western Evangelical church fractured beneath us. Relative peace and harmony gave way to gossip and slander and then you put all that inside an American culture that doesn’t value the work of a pastor the way it used to. This isn’t a pity party, it’s acknowledging reality. But as we acknowledge that reality, we can’t overlook the fact that pastoring is still a great privilege. Maybe even more so in light of current trials.
Why It’s a Privilege The Apostle Paul wrote, “I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he has judged me faithful, appointing me to his service” (1 Tim. 1:12). Pastor, you have been judged faithful and appointed to his service in a difficult time. This is not a job we have to do, it’s a calling we get to step into.
We get to pray with the hurting.
We get to weep with the weeping.
We get to take the late-night calls.
We get to bring peace to division.
We get to preach the funerals.
We get to point people to Jesus.
We get to identify more with our Savior.
Pastor, you have been judged faithful and appointed to his service in a difficult time. This is not a job we have to do, it’s a calling we get to step into.
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In the forward of 12 Faithful Men, Ray Ortund writes, “The privilege of pastoral ministry is Jesus – serving Jesus, standing for Jesus, representing Jesus, laying down our lives for Jesus, and through it all knowing Jesus more deeply.” This is what we get to do. This privilege is ours. It’s no cosmic mistake that you are serving now. You’ve been appointed to do so. Don’t let the enemy tell you otherwise.
Take Care of Yourself Some of us are coping and we need to confess. Some of us are isolated and need real community. Some of us have a hard exterior that needs to soften. Some of us are teaching the Bible, but not being nourished by it. And maybe most of us, like Brian Lowe, need a real break. Don’t be the pastor who shares articles about burnout with others only to be blindsided by your own.
John Henderson defines pastoral burnout as “the moment or season when a pastor loses the motivation, hope, energy, joy, and focus required to fulfill his work.” Often, we need a community to reveal the symptoms we miss or choose not to see. One recent blessing to me has been the launch of Acts 29 cohorts, where pastors of churches that are a similar size, age, and stage meet twice a year to talk about the highs and lows of our calling. Do you have that kind of community? If you’re a church leader, are you helping your pastor find that kind of community?
We have the privilege of helping others fight the good fight, finish the race, and keep the faith, but we can’t help others to run this race well if we aren’t running well ourselves.
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It was Friday night and that meant movie night for ten-year-old Adam Muhtaseb and his mom. Adam’s parents divorced when he was a baby and he cherished this weekend tradition. Someone had given them a copy of the Jesus Film and they chose it for movie night. By the end of the movie, both Adam and his mom believed the gospel and became Christians.
Adam’s transformation came with harsh consequences. His dad was a Palestinian immigrant and was raising Adam to share his Muslim faith. “I grew up following the five pillars of Islam, working my way to try to get into heaven,” Adam said. “But I found Islam to be crushing. And then I heard the gospel . . . and it changed my life forever.”
When he told his dad he was no longer a Muslim because he was now a Christian, his father was angry and ostracized him. As Adam slowly began growing in his new faith, his dad moved to Jordan and cut off all contact with Adam. It would be ten years before Adam heard from his dad again. When Adam was 20 years old, his dad moved back to the US. They met up and his dad told him, “You’re a bad son; that’s why I left.”
It’s been 11 years since his dad moved back, but Adam has witnessed the Lord softening his dad’s heart toward him and his young family. Adam and his wife, Sherrie, are raising three little boys together. His dad doesn’t agree with their faith, but he can’t deny its power in their lives.
Christians Plant Churches While Adam was getting his communications degree at a university in Maryland, he began discipling a few guys; this developed into a thriving college ministry on campus. His study of the Scriptures ignited a passion for church planting. He said, “I knew I wanted to plant a church because I saw it in the book of Acts. That’s what the whole book is—planting churches. I just assumed that’s what Christians do.”
I knew I wanted to plant a church because I saw it in the book of Acts. That’s what the whole book is—planting churches. I just assumed that’s what Christians do. - Adam Muhtaseb
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After completing his seminary degree and spending years being mentored by Tony Merida—Acts 29’s vice president for theological training—Adam, his wife, and his core team planted Redemption City Church (RCC) in 2018. “It became pretty clear to us after talking with some church-planting experts that Baltimore was a city in drastic need of gospel-preaching churches,” Adam said. “In fact, there were no Acts 29 churches at all in Baltimore.”
A Sending Church in Baltimore Adam joined Acts 29 in 2019. He said that having RCC listed on the Acts 29 website has been a huge benefit. God has led many people their way who were searching for an Acts 29 church in Baltimore. He also values the brotherhood of Acts 29 pastors faithfully laboring in their cities.
Baltimore is a city with transient neighbors, high poverty and crime, and little concern for the gospel. But these challenges to church planting create a deep urgency within the saints at RCC to use every opportunity the Lord gives to proclaim the good news their city desperately needs. This community of believers is bearing witness to the saving grace of Jesus, spreading the light of the gospel into the darkest places.
Many churches are abandoning these dark places in cities. In Baltimore, old church buildings are used for apartments, coffee shops, and yoga studios. Baltimore is short on long-standing churches, on missions-minded, sending churches. That’s why Adam believes, “The most revolutionary thing we can do is to be a church that exists for the next hundred years, that keeps preaching the Bible and the gospel. That’s a win.”
Decades ago, God saved a young Muslim boy who today is leading a church-planting movement in Baltimore.
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Like most Acts 29 churches, RCC wants to be a true Antioch church. They hope to start a church-planting movement in Baltimore and beyond. They’re sending out a nurse as a missionary who works with special needs children in the Middle East. In 2022, one of their pastors will complete his church-planting residency and plant a church in Japan among one of the most unreached people groups in the world. And they’re working toward planting two more churches in Baltimore over the next few years.
Decades ago, God saved a young Muslim boy who today is leading a church-planting movement in Baltimore. Adam said, “Our prayer and our hope is that for the next hundred years you’d be able to see Redemption City Church preaching the Bible and sending out missionaries far beyond my lifetime.” Let’s pray that God will continue to grow his church in Baltimore, and that revival will sweep this city and many more like it for his glory.
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If I asked you what a Spirit-filled church looks like, what would your answer be? What would you emphasize, and why?
Recently my church studied part of the Apostle Paul’s answer to that question as he wrote to the divided church in Ephesus. Toward the end of his letter (Eph. 5:18–21), Paul tells them that rather than being influenced by alcohol, which leads away from God, they should be filled with the Spirit, who leads the church into surprising, supernatural unity. Unity in the local church is the heartbeat of Ephesians.
Unity in Wartime We live in a world of war at every level—vertical and horizontal, with God and with one another—at both micro and macro scales. There’s discord and division in the playground, the boardroom, and between nations.
Yet, in and through the gospel, believers are united to Christ and one another. The church gives a glimpse of where history is headed when all things will be united under Christ (Eph. 1:10), who is the inevitable climax of history. Local churches, enjoying life under the lordship of Christ, are a taste of that future certainty (Eph. 1:22). Our unity in the church now matters because it reveals something of the stunning unity in Christ for all God’s people then.
Paul has reminded the Ephesians that they received the Spirit both as individuals (Eph. 1:13–14) and as a temple being built together in the Lord (Eph. 2:21–22). Now he urges them to be filled by the Spirit.
Our unity in the church now matters because it reveals something of the stunning unity in Christ for all God’s people then.
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The evidence for this filling isn’t found in magnificent and miraculous acts. Rather, it’s in the mundane moments as the Ephesian church formally gathers and daily communes together. The evidence of the Spirit should also distinguish the church today, even (especially) amid a culture that wallows in discord.
Evidence of the Spirit In chapter five, Paul outlines four evidences of a Spirit-filled church that provide a helpful framework for evaluating our own churches.
1. Do we speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit? Paul begins his analysis of a Spirit-filled church in the horizontal, corporate dimension of our faith as we remind one another of truth, “addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” (Eph. 5:19a). Following Jesus is not a “lone ranger” activity. Both our presence and our words are a huge blessing to others.
- How well do you steward your words?
- How might you create a culture where this kind of encouragement isn’t weird but rather the expectation?
- Are there people you can prioritize who would benefit from this kind of speech from you?
2. Do we sing and make music from our hearts to the Lord? Paul says a Spirit-filled church sings and makes music to the Lord from the heart (Eph. 5:19b). One of the hardest things for my church during Covid has been the restrictions on corporate singing. We’ve massively missed singing songs of worship in the same place together every week. Notice this is more than simply singing words and sliding into autopilot. This singing is from the heart—the core of our very selves.
- How much of a culture is there of “singing and making music in your heart” in your church?
- Why do you think that is?
3. Are we continuously thankful in Christ? On this side of Christ’s return, there will always be things that aren’t right—we’re unfinished people living among other unfinished people in imperfect times. It’s easy to let our hearts focus on the imperfections and problems and forget all the good we have. But Paul says we’re to live “giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph. 5:20). We have so much to give thanks for—both the beautiful, timeless gospel truths Paul outlines in the first half of Ephesians and all our daily blessings.
- How good are you at remembering to give thanks? Why do you think this is?
- How can you get better at giving thanks, in Christ’s name, to God the Father for everything?
The Spirit-wrought miracle of Christian unity makes Jesus’s church beautifully distinct in a polarized culture.
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4. Do we submit to one another out of reverence for Christ? A Spirit-filled church has a culture of submission to one another. What would it look like to be in a church where everyone sought to submit to everyone else? Where no one wanted to push their agenda or stand on their soapbox, but listened to, supported, and submitted to the needs of others? Just imagine a church like that—a church where submission is rife! That would be a church where the unity of the Spirit shines.
- Why do people struggle to submit to one another?
- What is the answer to that?
So then, when we consider what a Spirit-filled church looks like—although it’s often seen in the mundane moments—perhaps it’s more magnificent and miraculous than we first thought. The Spirit-wrought miracle of Christian unity makes Jesus’s church beautifully distinct in a polarized culture. Brothers and sisters, let’s look to Jesus and walk in the unity he won for us.
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Frederick Buechner writes,
“For a second you catch a whiff in the air of some fragrance that reminds you of a place you’ve never been and a time you have no words for. You are aware of the beating of your heart. The extraordinary thing that is about to happen is matched only by the extraordinary moment just before it happens. Advent is the name of that moment.”
Do you remember when we were all so ready for “2020” to end, and then “2020” just kept going? For an entire extra year? If there was ever a period in most of our living memory that made us long for the coming of Jesus, it has been the beginning of our present decade.
We walk the earth in profoundly divided times. A toxic political atmosphere, the injustices surrounding racial tensions, the best way forward through a lingering pandemic, the ethics of vaccine mandates—all this and more splits families, churches, and nations down the middle. And we are wearied by it.
Amid so much uncertainty and fatiguing disagreement, Christians share one universal reality: we long for healing and renewal. We long for the justice-giving, shalom-creating touch that can only come down to us from above.
In other words, we’ve never been more prepared for the season of Advent.
Adoration and Ache Advent comes from the Latin word adventus, meaning “arrival.” It’s the sense that something magnificent is about to happen. Something wonderful is on the way.
In every Christian, there is a cosmic homesickness for the way things are meant to be. Have we ever been more ready to experience the full dimensions of Advent?
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It’s the hush falling over a theatre audience, straining forward in anticipation of the opening notes, when the conductor raises his baton. It’s the child on Christmas Eve lying in bed, unable to close his eyes for sheer excitement. It’s those moments right before the sun bursts over the horizon or the breathlessness before a couple’s first kiss. Advent describes those preceding moments of ache-filled adoration.
It is adoration because we sense the beauty of what’s about to happen.
It is ache because we still have to wait for it.
Or, to use the language of Christmas carols, Advent is the joyful shout within the lyrics, “O come, let us adore him!” mixed with the longing cry of, “Come, thou long-expected Jesus.”
Timothy Paul Jones writes,
“In Advent, Christians embrace the groaning, recognizing it not as hopeless whimpering over the paucity of the present moment but as expectant yearning for the divine banquet Jesus is preparing for us. In Advent, the church admits, as poet R. S. Thomas puts it, that ‘the meaning is in the waiting.’ And what we await is a final Advent yet to come. Just as the ancient Israelites awaited the coming of the Messiah in flesh, we await the coming of the Messiah in glory. In Advent, believers confess that the infant who drew his first ragged breath between a virgin’s knees has yet to speak his final word.”
In every Christian, there is a cosmic homesickness for the way things are meant to be. Have we ever been more ready to experience the full dimensions of Advent?
Observing Advent awakens not only joyful remembrance over the first coming of Christ but also a deep yearning for his second coming (Rev. 22:20). In many ways, the church of this present age is in a similar position to God’s people toward the end of the Old Testament—marginalized in exile, hoping in the darkness, waiting in the stillness for the Day when Christ returns and, in Tolkien’s words, “makes every sad thing come untrue.”
Preparing Our Hearts for Christmas This Sunday, November 28, 2021, marks the beginning of a four-week season on the Christian calendar. It’s a yearly rhythm designed to prime our hearts for Christmas as we celebrate the coming of Jesus, the Promised One, into our world. It’s a season in which we learn to counterculturally slow down amid the hurried December blur and remember that we’re standing in the middle of God’s great story—a story moving with certainty to the most gripping and satisfying finale of all.
For families, observing Advent together might be the perfect time to rekindle the fire of family devotions or light them up for the very first time.
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Knowing where to begin is usually the most difficult part. Below are some resources to help you and your family cultivate worshipful anticipation through the Advent season. For families, observing Advent together might be the perfect time to rekindle the fire of family devotions or light them up for the very first time.
Come Let Us Adore Him by Paul Tripp
Repeat the Sounding Joy by Christopher Ash
The Greatest Gift: Unwrapping the Full Love Story of Christmas by Ann Voskamp
Love Came Down at Christmas: A Daily Advent Devotional by Sinclair Ferguson
The Weary World Rejoices by Melissa Kruger
Editor’s Note: This piece is a reworking of Tired Just Thinking About Advent? Slow Down and Savor Christ. from The Gospel Coalition.
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“Romania used to be a country where everybody thought they were a Christian, but things are changing now,” Vlad Oara said. Vlad is an Acts 29 church planter in Timisoara, Romania—an increasingly secular culture full of confusion about God.
Redeemed from a life of drug abuse and atheism, Vlad now longs to see the hope-giving gospel of Jesus proclaimed in his home country and worldwide through the multiplication of gospel-preaching churches.
God’s Work Through a Local Church Like many young people in Romania, Vlad grew up without any Christian influence. “By the age of 14, I started using drugs; at the age of 19, I declared myself an atheist,” he said. At 21, Vlad moved to England to work—while his drug addiction increased. He was cleaning out an old property when he found a Bible left in one of the rooms. He picked it up and took it home.
“That evening, I started reading it from the first page,” Vlad said. “The more I read, I felt this fire burning inside of me, and I really wanted to talk with other people about what I was reading.”
This got stuck in my heart—that church planting is the best way to reach a group of people with the gospel. —Vlad Oara
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For two years, Vlad had thought the building down the street was a garage. But one morning, after he started reading the Bible, he walked by when the side door was open, saw a man inside singing and playing the guitar and realized, “this is a church!” Vlad went in. “This guy stood up, opened the Bible, and started talking about Jesus from the Gospel of Mark.” Vlad had found Cornerstone Church Liverpool.
Meanwhile, Steve Robinson and his wife, Sian, had partnered with a small congregation to plant Cornerstone Church. They’d been going a few months with no converts, so they decided to spend a week meeting to pray for people they knew. A couple of women said, “could we pray for the young man we sat next to on Sunday, named Vlad.”
“Ten minutes after that, who walks in?—Vlad,” said Steve. After the meeting, Steve talked with him, heard his story, and began explaining the Bible. “By God’s grace, Vlad became a Christian, and that’s where our journey with him began.”
Church Planting Is the Agenda The Lord dropped a Bible into Vlad’s life, used it to work in his heart, and placed him in the right place, at the right time, to stumble upon a gospel-preaching church—a church that was there because people understood the importance of church planting.
Vlad grew in the faith at Cornerstone, which became his home and family. Steve and Sian had always prayed that Cornerstone would grow to be a church-planting church, so the air Vlad breathed as a new believer was about church planting as God’s strategy for spreading the life-giving gospel to the ends of the earth. “This got stuck in my heart—that church planting is the best way to reach a group of people with the gospel,” Vlad said.
As Vlad matured in the Lord, it became clear that he was gifted to lead. People at Cornerstone noticed his boundless desire for God’s Word and encouraged him to consider ministry.
The Work Continues Vlad eventually met and married Oana. Though he once thought he would never live in Romania again, as they visited their families, they saw the need for gospel-preaching churches. God gave Vlad and Oana the desire to go back to Romania to plant a church.
The Lord used the preaching and prayers of a small church in Liverpool, England to save a drug-addicted Romanian atheist, and now a new church in Romania is proclaiming Christ.
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Romania’s communist history, combined with the tremendous influence of the Eastern Orthodox Church, has left Romanians confused about the gospel. “Like most countries in Europe,” Steve said, “Romania is desperate for the gospel; therefore, it’s desperate for churches to be planted—desperate for communities of gospel people living in a context where there’s no gospel witness.”
Vlad and Oana planted Adulam Church in Timișoara, Romania in 2019. They’re a small church of only a few families with a big vision for mission. “We want to be a group of people that invest ourselves in helping others plant churches in other parts of the world,” Vlad said. That’s why they’re part of Acts 29.
“I pray that we will become a church where drug addicts can come in, where homeless people can come in and find the love of Christ in our midst,” said Vlad. They long to share the gospel message in word and deed, actively showing a confused society what the love of God means. “That’s why we wanted to plant the church, so that as many people as possible will hear the good news about Jesus Christ.”
Like a stone dropped in a lake, the ripples of God’s work through one gospel-centered church keep spreading outward. The Lord used the preaching and prayers of a small church in Liverpool, England to save a drug-addicted Romanian atheist, and now a new church in Romania is proclaiming Christ. Who knows what God might do next to advance his kingdom through church planting?
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I haven’t flown as much this year as in years past because of Covid. Many events have been canceled or rescheduled. But unexpected changes in travel plans have been impacting ministry leaders for a very long time.
In 2 Corinthians 1:12–2:4, Paul discusses his own itinerary changes. Seems like a rather mundane topic, but his change in plans created quite a problem, and in addressing it, he drops in some rich gospel truths and gives us some important characteristics of missional integrity.
Paul loved the Corinthian church deeply, but that love was often met with criticism, attack, slander, gossip, false accusations, betrayal, relational hurt, and grief. Paul was being attacked in Corinth for a number of reasons.
His critics claimed:
- His appearance is weak
- He suffers too much to be an apostle
- His motives aren’t pure
- His speaking ability isn’t that great
- He’s not successful
- He has no reference letters
- He handles money poorly
- His methodology is weak
Despite these hurtful claims, Paul never gives up on these cantankerous Corinthians.
But he does have to defend his integrity because the gospel was at stake. Even though defending himself was awkward (as it always is), to fail to do so would mean spiritual ruin to a young church that was being misled by false teachers. As we observe Paul defending his integrity—and really, all true gospel ministry—we find seven marks of integrity that ministry leaders should pursue today.
1. Grace-enabled Godliness (1:12) In Corinth, people were drawn to human strength and impressiveness. There was much boasting and many showy speakers. But Paul says his boast is that his conduct has been godly and his motives pure “by grace.” He attributes his pure motives to the grace of God—not in his power, but God’s, and so God gets the glory.
A clear conscience doesn’t mean sinless; it means you’re living in the light, and that when you are aware of sin, you’re confessing it to the Lord. Live with a clean conscience before God. If you don’t please Jesus, it doesn’t matter who you please. Further, we should remember that godliness makes up for a lot of gaps in our gifting.
Shepherding challenging people requires you to take the long view. It requires patience—eschatological patience.
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2. Eschatological Vision (1:13–14) Shepherding challenging people requires you to take the long view. It requires patience—eschatological patience. That’s what Paul is doing when he says, “On the day of our Lord Jesus you will boast of us as we will boast of you” (v. 14). To quote Luther, we need to do ministry “this day in light of that Day.” On that Day, we will be glad we invested in others. We will see that it was worth it.
One day in the presence of Jesus Christ, we will be filled with joy as we see other believers that we invested in. Because that day is coming, what we do matters! Our eschatology shouldn’t lead us to fanaticism but to everyday pastoral faithfulness.
3. Truthful Speech (1:15–18) The Corinthians didn’t get the long visit from Paul they were expecting. This change in plans caused a rift. Some began accusing Paul of being fickle and untrustworthy. In these verses, he’s simply saying, “That plan really was my intention. I am an honest minister.”
Paul ties his integrity to God’s faithfulness: “As surely as God is faithful, our word to you has not been Yes and No.” Let your “yes” be “yes” and your “no” be “no.” Be a person of your word. Paul is saying he did that, and that’s why his conscience is clean. Let us do the same—by the grace of God.
4. Christ-centered Proclamation (1:18–20) Paul says his integrity is due to God’s faithfulness, and then he gives a great “Jesus juke.” Most Jesus jukes are cheesy, but Paul provides a Spirit-inspired one here! Having talked about his “yes” and his “no” he says, “All the promises of God find their Yes in him” (2 Cor. 1:20).
Jesus is the Father’s “yes” for every promise, every need, every hope. Linger on these promises.
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And as he makes this claim, he’s continuing to defend his ministry, this time with a greater to less than argument. “If I proclaimed the true gospel to you” (the big thing), then surely you can trust me on a change in travel plans (a little thing).
In this statement, Paul shows us something of how the whole Bible testifies to Jesus, and why we must stay committed to proclaiming Christ from his Word. Jesus is the Father’s “yes” for every promise, every need, every hope. Linger on these promises. We stand in this great tradition, declaring God’s promises from his Word, exalting Jesus in every message.
5. Spiritual Authenticity (1:21–22) In a wonderfully Trinitarian passage, Paul adds to his defense by highlighting the work of the Holy Spirit, reminding the Corinthians that they are established together in Christ by the Spirit. In other words, he’s saying, “I’m a real apostle, and you are real Christians because of what the Spirit has done in our hearts.
He highlights four blessings that the Spirit brings to believers: we are secure, anointed, sealed, and given a guarantee of glory to come. Praise God for the ministry of the Holy Spirit, who secures us and empowers us for church planting and all ministry endeavors!
This is the power we have for living on mission faithfully. We’re not powerless, but rather indwelt with power. By myself, I am not a minister of integrity, but by the Spirit, I can be—and so can you.
6. Joy-focused Labor (1:23–2:3) There are many things we could do for someone, but here is a crystal-clear passage from Paul about what we’re to be about in ministry: “We work with you for your joy.” Similarly, Paul told the Philippian church he labored for their “progress and joy in the faith” (Phil. 1:23–25). Everything he did was bound up with a sensitivity toward their well-being and joy.
Caring for each other means caring for each other’s joy in Christ. There is great joy to be found in serving Christ’s people, especially when we see their joy abound in Christ.
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Caring for each other means caring for each other’s joy in Christ. There is great joy to be found in serving Christ’s people, especially when we see their joy abound in Christ.
7. Heartfelt Love (2:4) It would be easy to just cancel the Corinthians, but Paul doesn’t do that. This severe letter didn’t come from a place of hostility, but of wounded love. He’s filled with anguish, not anger. The world is filled with anger, and there’s not enough anguish that comes from a place of love. We have too many outbursts of anger and not enough pastoral tears.
Consider this bundle of terms in verse four: affliction, anguish, tears, and pain; but also, abundant love. That’s ministry. True love bleeds; that’s what we see in our suffering Savior, the Lord Jesus.
Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing our great Redeemer’s praise! Let us live and minister to his glory, and let us do so with missional integrity.
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We know the call to “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season” (2 Tim. 4:2), and the past couple of years have been out of season for many of us. Now we’re approaching the holidays, with calls to thankfulness, the anticipation of Advent, and the celebration of God’s gift to us in the birth of Christ. How do we celebrate and give thanks when our souls feel dry and parched, when it’s hard to raise our voices at all?
As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, I thank God for you! Pastor, pastor’s wife, church planter, ministry leader—we’re walking through a wilderness season right now. We’ve faced challenges none of us have ever seen before, and I pray may never see again. If you’re faithfully leading God’s people, proclaiming God’s Word, and living as a citizen of Christ’s kingdom, then you have taken shots. The more people are consumed by this world’s kingdoms and concerns, the more offensive true Christianity becomes. You might barely be standing, but you are still standing!
If you feel like you’re in the desert right now, you’re not alone. We need to recalibrate our expectations for what it looks like to follow Jesus and serve his church. We often only look at the wilderness as God’s judgment or abandonment. These times in the desert—the dry times, the tough times, the times we feel uncertain, abandoned, unprovided for, and powerless—too easily lead us to forget that the wilderness is God’s protection for the sake of our preservation.
Here are three things to remember and be grateful for in the wilderness:
1. God meets us in the wilderness. Think back to the storyline of Scripture. Moses and the burning bush, Elijah in the caves, and even Jesus as the Spirit filled him and led him into the wilderness. For too long, I read Jesus’s temptation (Luke 4) and made much of the idea that Satan was coming to him at such a vulnerable time. That idea misses that it was God’s Spirit that led him to the wilderness. Yes, Jesus was physically hungry, but he had spent 40 days communing with God in full dependence. He had never been stronger or more prepared to face Satan. As his Father was with him in the wilderness, so it is with us.
Throughout Scripture, the wilderness is the place of God’s protection, provision, and nourishment for his people.
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2. God protects and nourishes us in the wilderness. Throughout Scripture, the wilderness is the place of God’s protection, provision, and nourishment for his people. The clearest example is God’s provision of manna for the Israelites in the wilderness for 40 years. The book of Revelation extends this powerful help to us as God’s people, the church.
The wilderness is the place of God’s protection and nourishment (Rev. 12:14), where it’s safe for John to see the seductions of Babylon without falling victim to them (Rev. 17:3). For us, like John, the wilderness is a gift to protect us from the allure of this world so we can see it clearly for what it is. God brings us out to the wilderness to keep us from temptation. Keep that in mind as you pray, “Lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from evil.”
3. God breathes life into us in the wilderness. We need to fight to learn not to despise the dry, lonely times. Eventually, we can see that God is protecting us. In time, you may even choose some of the desert, like Jesus who craved time alone in prayer, who would slip away to be refreshed in God’s presence. We can learn to trust that God is the one to breathe life even when everything around us is a valley of dry bones.
Let’s not neglect the chance to thank God for the wilderness itself, for his provision and presence, and for leading us to and through the dry places and into abundant life in Jesus.
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Paul was brought into the wilderness of suffering as well, and in the depth of his weakness, was able to hear the voice of Jesus saying, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). This is what led him to long for Jesus, “that I may know him in the power of his resurrection, and may share in his sufferings” (Phil. 3:10).
So, take heart. If you feel like you’ve been walking through a wilderness, you’re not alone. Even if everyone around you looks like they have it all together (they don’t), we have the witness of Scripture across time to show us that the wilderness might be exactly where God wants you to be. It’s a place where you have the chance to meet with God and rest in his protection and nourishment, trusting that he will breathe life into your weary soul.
No matter how alone you feel, God has never turned his face from you. He will not abandon you. And for this, we can give thanks. If we recalibrate our perspective, we can reach a point of seeking out God’s presence in lonely places, like Jesus. This holiday season, let us thank God for his provision, but let’s not neglect the chance to thank God for the wilderness itself, for his provision and presence, and for leading us to and through the dry places and into abundant life in Jesus.
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In many ways, it was a typical Wednesday morning. I was meeting with a group of young and middle-aged moms for a Bible study at the local Presbyterian Church. I’d been attending for a few months since our brand-new church plant didn’t have a group like this—we barely had any moms at all.
Toward the end of our meeting, the women began sharing prayer requests. As they looked at me expectantly when it was my turn to share, I blurted out, “Please pray for me because I’m really struggling with looking at pornography.”
I am tense as I write this because I know this isn’t something we like to talk about in general, less so when it comes to a woman struggling with it, and probably the least if that woman is your pastor’s wife. However, over a decade on the other side of it, I want to share what it has looked like for me to walk in the light and hopefully encourage others to join me there.
Hiding in the Darkness As we began to build the core team of our church that first year, tried to raise money and meet new people, my husband, Eric, got a job delivering pizzas on the side to make ends meet. He worked late nights and I was lonely and exhausted with two small kids. We were doing a lot of gospel work, but I neglected taking care of my soul.
This isn’t something we like to talk about in general, less so when it comes to a woman struggling with it, and probably the least if that woman is your pastor’s wife.
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One night while Eric was delivering pizzas, I came across a late-night movie channel that eventually led me into a short but dark season of habitually watching porn. I remember after stumbling over and over, I cried out to God asking, who can help me? I felt trapped in a vicious cycle of indulging my flesh and then being disgusted by it.
Although I repeatedly confessed my sin to my husband, I knew I was living a double life. And the thought of my sin derailing my husband’s ministry was a fear so heavy it sent me into a panic. But I didn’t know how to walk away. This is often the nature of our sin and how the enemy tries to enslave us to it. He desires our complete destruction, but he also wants us to believe there’s no way to escape the darkness.
Walking in the Light But the devil is a liar. The truth is, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5). And if we walk in the light as our God does, we’ll have fellowship with one another and be cleansed from all our sin through the blood of Jesus (1 John 1:7).
As the Holy Spirit revealed these things to me one night amid my sin and shame, I knew the only way to break free was to repent and walk in the light. Immediately, my mind argued, If you tell anyone, no one will ever respect you. Eric will be disqualified; it’s best to keep it a secret. But God in his kindness reminded me to fear him and not man (Matt. 10:28). I realized that if I outed myself, there would be no need to live in fear that I would be found out.
Pornography tried to ruin me and it’s trying to ruin other men and women in our churches, too. But it needs the cover of darkness to thrive. Let’s be people who walk in the light.
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I called a few close friends and awkwardly, painfully confessed my sin. I told the mom’s Bible study group I needed prayer and accountability. I shared my story at our women’s retreat because I learned of so many other women with similar struggles. I knew if our church would be one that confessed sin and sought repentance, it would have to start with Eric and me, even if that meant possible embarrassment or unemployment.
Actionable Steps For anyone who feels trapped in pornography’s sinful clutches, here are five steps you can take toward holiness:
1. Repent. By the power of the Holy Spirit, turn away from your sin and walk in the newness of life in Jesus.
2. Put your sin and your self into the light. Confess your sin to other believers and give a few that you trust license to speak into your life and help you identify sinful behaviors.
3. Ask God for help. It wasn’t until I took my sin before the Lord and asked for his wisdom and help that I knew what I had to do next. In James 1:5, God promises to give us wisdom if we ask.
4. Do not fear. Remember your holiness is more important than your reputation. In Christ, God is pleased with you forever, so rest in that.
5. Behold the glory of Christ. Indulge your holy appetite for gazing at and longing for Jesus. As we behold him, we are being transformed more and more into his image (2 Cor. 3:18).
Pastors’ wives aren’t perfect; we need the grace of Jesus just like everyone else in our church.
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I’ve been a pastor’s wife my entire adult life. This role provides unique blessings, but it doesn’t guarantee an easy path to holiness. Pastors’ wives aren’t perfect; we need the grace of Jesus just like everyone else in our church.
Pornography tried to ruin me and it’s trying to ruin other men and women in our churches, too. But it needs the cover of darkness to thrive. Let’s be people who walk in the light. Let’s humbly confess, repeatedly repent, and trust God to make us holy as he is holy.
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Recently, by God’s grace, our church celebrated five years of public ministry in Detroit. I’m not nostalgic, but this time of year always stirs up my heart and mind. Paradoxically, my planting journey has felt like 20 minutes and 20 years at the same time. In five short years, we’ve seen baptisms, returning prodigals, people wandering away, deaths, other churches planted through our ministry, a global pandemic—and I’ve seen many of my dreams die. Here are five lessons I’ve learned so far.
1. Some family and friends aren’t forever. Every church planter has heard the painful truth that some who started with you will leave. Despite this inevitability, the sting remains and cuts deep. As I stood before our congregation on our anniversary service fighting back tears, I saw just a handful of people from our original service five years prior.
We’ve sent people out to plant churches, and we’ve been ghosted. We’ve said hopeful gospel goodbyes and cried over abrupt departures. We’ve seen people drift away slowly, leaders bail without warning, and experienced people doing hurtful things on the way out. But no matter how people leave, they ultimately belong to our Chief Shepherd. We don’t own the rights to anyone; Jesus does. They belong to him because he died to save them, and we must entrust them to their Creator.
2. The Lord is not obligated to meet my expectations and dreams. It’s laughable and ironic how much my church doesn’t look like what I dreamed. When I first began imagining the church I wanted, it was all African-American, with a few hundred people and an awe-inspiring facility. The local body I serve is wildly different from what I originally desired. Looking back, I realize I subconsciously thought the Lord was obligated to fulfill my dream. It was very subtle, but after leaving a stable career, accepting a residency making less money, having to raise support, and moving my family to one of the most violent zip codes in America, I felt entitled. Deep down, I felt God owed me.
I learned that he is planting not my “dream church” but the church he planned in eternity’s past—and this is good news.
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I was abruptly awakened from my dream, but I truly love my church. I’m exceedingly grateful for what the Lord is doing and has done. I learned that he is planting not my “dream church” but the church he planned in eternity’s past—and this is good news. I had to allow some of my dreams to die to embrace the local church God intended.
3. Treasure and cultivate real friendships. I recently received a text from a friend. He didn’t know it, but he was a means of grace to me that day. I was struggling—physically exhausted, mentally foggy, and emotionally low. After encouraging me with wise words, calling me to rest in my Savior, and cracking a few jokes, he asked, “how can I be praying for you?” This fifteen-minute text exchange was refreshing and life-giving; it changed my disposition that day.
We often get so bogged down with the requirements and pace of ministry that we’re like my five-year-old on her tablet. She used to get so fixated on her show that she’d ignore the low battery warnings until it shut down. Having peers and mentors is imperative because we sometimes can’t see when our battery is low, or we’re too weak to charge ourselves. Prioritize, preserve, and pour into these relationships. You need to be pastored and have the gospel planted deep in your heart.
4. Christ and change are the only constants. I wish I could give you a narrative that belongs on a grand stage at a big conference. I wish I could say our journey has been “the church plant starts, grows, and continues to grow.” But much like Michigan roads, our journey has been filled with potholes and detours instead of smooth pavement.
Earlier this year, I hit the wall because the only constant was uncertainty. Decision fatigue hovered over me like an impending storm cloud. On top of the constant COVID-19 changes, the collapse of our facility purchase left us scrambling to find a place to gather, and a key ministry leader suddenly stepped away. During this crazy season, I learned to lean more heavily on my team. Their wisdom, input, and counsel have lightened my burden greatly. If you don’t have a staff or leadership team yet, gather trusted, wise, and godly men and women as a board to provide you with the necessary assistance.
It’s not my strengths, gifts, or abilities but Jesus’s powerful salvation that undergirds and strengthens my ministry.
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5. I’m weak, but God is strong. I thought I was well-versed in my shortcomings and frailty when we began planting Cornerstone in January 2016. Now, five years later, I see that I only had a view of the top of my limitations iceberg. I’m weaker than I realized.
But the good news is that Cornerstone doesn’t need a “strong” pastor because we have a strong Savior and Lord! It’s not my strengths, gifts, or abilities but Jesus’s powerful salvation that undergirds and strengthens my ministry. While it’s humbling and often humiliating to face your weakness, it will leave you all the more awestruck by our Lord’s resurrection power.
The Lord has demonstrated his constant faithfulness to our church through five years of joy, sorrow, trouble, and change in ministry. May he lead us forward into the next five years and beyond, multiplying fruit in and through his church for his glory.
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As part of Acts 29’s Rural Collective, this event was designed to connect, encourage, equip, and resource pastors and leaders serving in isolated, forgotten, and small places. Our hope and prayer was that this event would not only support and encourage pastors and leaders in existing rural churches, but also serve in the planting of new churches in small towns everywhere for the glory of Jesus.
This talk was given by John Hindley at the Rural Collective Summit and was originally recorded in May 2019.
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Even though I came out of seminary with a counseling degree, I didn’t go into it pursuing one. I wanted to be a pastor, so I decided to focus on the discipline of preaching. Pastors need to be able to preach, right? Through a convergence of circumstances, however, I came to a crossroads in my program after about a year. One of those circumstances was the Intro to Biblical Counseling class I was required to take.
Through that class, my eyes were opened to the ministry of counseling. As I showed up week after week, I began to see the necessity of providing Christ-centered, biblical counseling as a pastor. So I switched programs and never looked back. I never thought I would be a “counseling” pastor, but I can’t imagine serving in any other way.
The Dual Functions of a Pastor Your job might not include counseling in the same formal sense that mine does, but make no mistake: if you’re a pastor, you’re also a counselor. Pastors are shepherds, caretakers of God’s people, and counseling is at the heart of pastoral ministry. I’ll use parenting as an analogy to further drive this point home. As a parent, you’re responsible for setting the direction and tone for your family. It’s your responsibility to communicate, model, and reinforce your family’s priorities. You establish rules, set boundaries, and put guidelines in place.
It’s hard to shepherd those among you if you aren’t among them. We have to be with the flock to exercise oversight, and one way we exercise oversight is through engaging them as pastor-counselors.
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Those are all macro functions of parenting. However, that’s not all parenting entails. If you were a master at setting the direction and tone for your family but never stopped to listen, talk to, and care for your children when they were struggling or hurt, you would be a negligent parent. That’s because parenting is a combination of macro and micro responsibilities.
Similarly, pastoral ministry has macro and micro responsibilities. As a pastor, you lead your church. You set the tone and lay out the expectations for what it looks like to belong to the body of Christ. You facilitate small groups and other discipleship initiatives so that your church may be presented mature in Christ. Your preaching likely reinforces these priorities every Sunday.
But if you cast vision, coordinate discipleship efforts, and preach without wading into the individual hurts and struggles of your people, you’re neglecting an important aspect of your calling. Pastors must serve in the macro, but they also must serve in the micro. Peter tells pastors to “shepherd the flock that is among you” (1 Pet. 5:1–3). It’s hard to shepherd those among you if you aren’t among them. We have to be with the flock to exercise oversight, and one way we exercise oversight is through engaging them as pastor-counselors.
Jesus Is Our Great Pastoral Model We also read in 1 Peter 5 that Jesus is our Chief Shepherd. That means pastors are undershepherds serving at and for his pleasure. So it would make sense, then, as undershepherds, to look to Jesus as we develop our pastoral priorities. Jesus invested time and effort into both the macro and micro functions of his earthly ministry.
If you cast vision, coordinate discipleship efforts, and preach without wading into the individual hurts and struggles of your people, you’re neglecting an important aspect of your calling.
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In chapters five through seven of Matthew’s Gospel, we see Jesus as the preaching shepherd. The Sermon on the Mount is a great example of Jesus laboring in the macro—making known the mystery of the kingdom of God to a crowd of people. In chapter four of John’s Gospel, we see Jesus as the counseling shepherd. His interaction with the woman at the well (John 4:1–45) is a great example of Jesus laboring in the micro—patiently, compassionately, and skillfully engaging the Samaritan woman.
Spend time studying Jesus as both a preaching and a counseling shepherd. For every book on leadership and exposition you read, make sure to read one on counseling or pastoral care.
Embrace Your Weakness for Effective Gospel Ministry Let me answer your question about your lack of counseling knowledge before you ask it. You don’t have to have a counseling degree to provide effective counsel as a pastor. First, no one has all the answers. Thankfully, you don’t have to have all the answers to display Christlike love and compassion to hurting people. Second, you aren’t called to minister out of your own strength anyway, but out of the strength God provides.
There is something powerful (and necessary) about embracing your weakness and being desperately dependent on God. I continue to see God’s sense of ironic humor in my ministry. I hate confrontation and I don’t think I’m very good at it. But in God’s providence, I find myself in situations almost daily that involve some kind of confrontation. “When I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:10).
Pastor, embrace your responsibility to counsel the flock among you. God has given you a front-row seat to watch him work and move in powerful ways among his people. What a privilege! Look to Jesus and learn from him. See his compassion for hurting people. Ask him to shape your heart to look like his. Ask the Spirit for wisdom as you listen and seek to help the suffering saints under your care. “He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it” (1 Thes. 5:24).
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