As iron sharpens iron,
one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)
“In my ninth year as lead pastor of my church, a crucial question loomed large. Were believers truly growing spiritually? Despite an influx of people and an air of excitement at my church, the pastoral team grappled with the depth of discipleship.” - GARBC
“One week ago, I preached at a church in the area where I pastored for 14 years…. I also think about some things I wish I had done differently. So, here are some of those things I wish I had said.” - Chuck Lawless
“Simply because a plural ‘you’ is used—because a community is being addressed—doesn’t exclude individual action. That said, an individualistic application of a plural “you” should not lead us to assume every plural “you” is meant for the individual. There is much more going on.” - 9 Marks
“Reading lyrics on a page helps us grasp what kind of song we’re singing and enables us to meditate on lyrics after the slides move on. We can also look back at lyrics we sang previously to see connections the writer is making.” - 9 Marks
“There are many paths I could take to attempt to answer that question. For now, one of my research-based answers is that many church members are confused about the meaning of church-based evangelism.” - Church Answers
The handwriting was already on the wall before the pandemic killed it. Attendance at the evening service of a typical Bible-preaching church in America has been plummeting for years. Many abandoned it long before COVID restrictions forced each church to evaluate what was truly essential to its ministry. While some resolutely returned to the old schedule, many dropped their evening service in the subsequent years.
“I’m so struck by… the way [Paul] budgets his writing of Romans, spends about as much space and time talking about getting along together in our churches as he spent explaining the doctrine of justification by faith.” - TGC
“trying to recruit church volunteers primarily by making announcements from the pulpit, via email, or within the church newsletter. Here’s why that approach doesn’t work” - Chuck Lawless
“For the time being, we continue to offer it as a help to those who are legitimately unable to attend church due to illness. However, to ensure it is being used for only that purpose, we put it behind a password.” - Challies
“These four posts will move from the more fixed and foundational things to the more practical and flexible—from theological foundations (Part 1) to liturgical rhythms (Part 2) to preparation of a Sunday gathering (Part 3) to tips for getting organized (Part 4).” - 9 Marks
Discussion