Discipleship
Parachurch, Not Parachute: Advantages and Disadvantages of Extra-Church Bible Studies and Fellowships
By Sam Crites | 9Marks Journal: The Church's Ministries | 12.15.2022The key to healthy parachurch ministry is to make sure its ultimate goal is to support and encourage healthy churches.
Our Main Goals for Youth Ministry
By Deepak Reju | 9Marks Journal: The Church's Ministries | 12.15.2022Foster a culture of discipling with the teenagers. Build a bridge from the rest of the church into their lives.
How to Encourage Women’s Discipling
By Madison Hetzler | 9Marks Journal: The Church's Ministries | 12.15.2022Let what happens on Sunday spill over into the rest of the week. Share a church pew, then start sharing dinner tables, sidewalks, and car rides.
Why a Pastor Should Care about Children’s Ministry
By Ed Moore | 9Marks Journal: The Church's Ministries | 12.15.2022We as pastors should never fall into the trap of thinking we are above caring for the souls of young children.
The Empty Promises of a Busy Schedule
By Justin Perdue | 9Marks Journal: The Church's Ministries | 12.15.2022A busy ministry calendar can distract and exhaust the saints more than it establishes them in the faith and furthers the church’s mission.
How to Redeem Your Singles Ministry
By John Lee | 9Marks Journal: The Church's Ministries | 12.14.2022How do you care for the singles of your church without them feeling like they’re attending a Christian speed-dating event?
Risks and Benefits of Age-Specific Ministry
By Jason Seville | 9Marks Journal: The Church's Ministries | 12.13.2022May we faithfully consider how to leverage “age and stage” for gospel purposes while avoiding the prevalent pitfalls.
Children’s Ministry Is NOT the Church
By Nathan Loudin | 9Marks Journal: The Church's Ministries | 12.12.2022It’s best not to think of children’s ministry as part of the church. Instead, think of it as a mission field.
Small Groups: Thoroughfares not Cul-De-Sacs
By Andy Johnson | 9Marks Journal: The Church's Ministries | 12.12.2022Community building is a fruitful but risky strategy for a church. They can encourage members but also morph into cul-de-sacs of complacency.
Book Review: Build on Jesus, by Deepak Reju & Marty Machowski
Review by Connie Dever | 9Marks Journal: The Church's Ministries | 12.07.2022‘Build on Jesus’ is a book that can help you build tomorrow’s healthy church today.
What Should ‘Equipping’ Christians Look Like?
By Champ Thornton | 11.11.2022Are we over-programming or over-complicating what is actually required to help men and women learn to “speak the truth in love”?
The Benefits of Having a Building
By Benjamin Woodward | 9Marks Journal: The Pastor and Church Administration | 09.30.2022Church buildings are beneficial because they maximize Word ministry, provide stability long-term, are a public witness to the gospel, and help the church better steward its money.
What Makes a Good Hymn?
By David and Barbara Leeman | 09.09.2022Erik Routley, a renowned British hymnologist in the 1950s, routinely said a good hymn should be “well-written, well-chosen, and well-sung.”
Book Review: Men and Women in the Church, by Kevin DeYoung
Review by Rosaria Butterfield | 09.08.2022Kevin DeYoung has written the book that will guide the faithful evangelical and reformed church to live as men and women to the glory of God and be a refuge to those refugees from transgender ideology.
Book Review: Sing!, by Keith & Kristyn Getty
Review by Sam Emadi | 09.06.2022So much ink spilled in the worship wars of the late 20th century missed the rather important point that when Scripture talks about the church’s musical worship, it focuses explicitly on the congregation singing, not instrumentation or musical style.
