Week 1—What Christians Should Do For Government: Love Your Nation, People, or Tribe
By Jonathan Leeman | 08.30.2016What does “rendering to Caesar what is Caesar’s” mean in a twenty-first century, democratic context?
12 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Posting Something Online
By Mark Dever | 08.29.2016Remember, you will give an account for every word you type (Mt 12:36). Does saying things at a “safe distance” from people tempt us to say things we wouldn’t say to their face?
Divide and Prosper: A Historical Account of Church-Planting by “Peaceable Division”
By Simeon Williams | 08.25.2016For too long, the narrative of American churches has been divide-or-die. So perhaps it’s worth asking the question: have we given proper consideration to divide-and-prosper?
9 Choices for a Healthy Music Ministry
By Mark Dever | 9Marks Journal: The Church Singing | 08.24.2016The musical excellence we aim for should be more in the congregation than in the instrumentalists or vocalists who lead or accompany our singing.
In Praise of Low-Budget, Non-Professional Music Ministries
By Mark Dever | 9Marks Journal: The Church Singing | 08.23.2016I’m not saying the way my church “does” music is the only way, or even the best way. What I am saying is that the quality of music and especially the quality of singing is not dependent upon the size of your music budget.
A Pastoral Response to Millennial Autonomy
By Kevin McKay | 9Marks Journal: Authority: God's Good and Dangerous Gift | 08.15.2016The church gives millennials the joys of intimate relationship and meaning, but not in ways most might naturally think.
Twelve Steps to Regain Meaningful Membership
By Mark Dever | 08.12.2016Pastors must again meditate on Heb.13:17 and consider the seriousness of the accounting to God we are to give for those to whom we have given assurance of their salvation. Continued membership in our congregation is giving such assurance.
The Compelling Community: What to Do Next?
By Jamie Dunlop | 08.04.2016Periodically, pastors read The Compelling Community, and then ask us where to start in putting its ideas into practice. Here are three thoughts for your consideration.
Book Review: The Vine Project, by Tony Payne and Colin Marshall
By Nathan Malpass | 07.25.2016I hope that The Vine Project is read widely by churches, planters, pastors, and ministry leaders alike. It faithfully guides its readers toward shaping the culture of the church around disciple-making.
Race, Grace, and the Church
By I. Adams, J. Leeman | 07.22.2016Here’s everything I’ve learned about the race conversation in a nutshell: it has to start by building friendships across racial lines with other members of my church.
Am I a Noisy Gong?—Pastoral Reflections on Love
By Aaron Menikoff | 07.21.2016No faithful leader wants to be a noisy gong. So how can we grow in love?
Four Biblical Foundations for Contextualization
By Zane Pratt | 07.18.2016The goal of contextualization is not comfort, but clarity.
Church Revitalization: Surviving a Plane Crash
By Mike Christ | 07.14.2016Four years ago, when I began this church revitalization, I believed my main goal would be to preach, pray, and stay, and included in “stay” is to develop personal relationships with people and pour into discipleship. That’s the same advice I’d give now.
The Recent Shootings and What to Say This Sunday
By Brian Davis | 07.08.2016Your people need to know how the gospel applies to both the Alton Sterling and Philando Castile situations and the long dark tradition of racial injustice, as well as how it applies to retaliatory violence
Praying Together: An Invisible, Yet Vital Work
By Megan Hill | 9Marks Journal: The Church Praying | 06.21.2016Corporate prayer isn’t much to look at. But it’s one of the most important things a church does.
