Mailbag #73: Dealing with Cultural Commands in 1 Corinthians 11 . . . Must All Elders Be Teachers?

By J. Leeman, T. R. Schreiner | 02.23.2018

— How should we interpret the passages in 1 Corinthians 11 about women cutting their hair? — Should teaching be the primary function of every pastor/elder?

Book Review: Duties of Christian Fellowship, by John Owen

Review by Drew Cunningham | 02.22.2018

How do we know what makes a healthy church? Thankfully, we’re not the first generation of Christians to wrestle with this question.

5 Ways Pastors Can Prepare Their Churches for Suffering

By Dave Furman | 02.15.2018

If you can get a culture of care started today, you’ll be ready when suffering and tragedy come.

Book Review: Immeasurable, by Skye Jethani

By Aaron Menikoff | 02.12.2018

This book offers a thoughtful pushback against the pragmatic ministry mindset.

Mailbag #71: A Pastor and Pre-Conversion Sins . . . Young Children, Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper

By Jonathan Leeman | 02.09.2018

— To what degree should a man’s past life—perhaps even before his conversion—affect how we consider his qualification for ministry? — Should young children who have been baptized but left out of church membership be given the Lord’s Supper?

A Word of Empathy, Warning, and Counsel for “Narrow” Complementarians

By Jonathan Leeman | 02.08.2018

I might disagree with Piper on women teaching in seminaries, but before I scream “Injustice!” I should recognize that this is a jagged-line issue, and he can make a different yet still reasonable judgment than me.

Episode 38: On the Pastor's Heart and Other Churches

Episode 38: On the Pastor’s Heart and Other Churches

By J. Leeman, M. Dever | 02.06.2018

Pastors are used to saying goodbye to long-time friends. In this episode of Pastors’ Talk, Jonathan interviews Mark about how to prepare for these sad-but-joyful moments.

Mailbag #70: Should Our Congregation Appoint Temporary Elders from Outside Churches? . . . What Should Be the Goal of a Small-Group Bible Study?

By Jonathan Leeman | 02.02.2018

— Our church believes in elders, but currently no men are qualified. Should I recognize some outside pastors as “temporary elders”? — How should a small-group Bible study balance sound teaching with a desire for discussion?

Episode 37: On the 20th Anniversary of 9Marks

Episode 37: On the 20th Anniversary of 9Marks

By J. Leeman, M. Dever, M. Schmucker | 01.30.2018

January 2018 marks the 20th anniversary of 9Marks. To celebrate that milestone, Jonathan interviewed the two guys who were there when it all began: Mark Dever and Matt Schmucker.

Episode 36: On Discipling

Episode 36: On Discipling

By J. Leeman, M. Dever | 01.23.2018

Discipling doesn’t need to be tethered to an elaborate program. Instead, it should be a part of a church’s culture. That’s easy to say, but hard to implement.

Episode 35: On Leadership (with H.B. Charles, Burk Parsons, and Jeramie Rinne)

By B. Parsons, H. B. Charles, J. Rinne, J. Leeman, M. Dever | 01.16.2018

Jonathan Leeman interviews four seasoned pastors—Mark Dever, Burk Parsons, H. B. Charles, and Jeramie Rinne—about leadership.

What Is a Healthy Church?

By Mark Dever

What is an ideal church, and how can you tell? How does it look different from other churches? More importantly, how does it act differently, especially in society? Many of … keep reading…

Best Books for Pastors in 2017

By Alex Duke | 12.21.2017

We asked 60 pastors around the world a simple question: what books did you read in 2017 that helped you be a better pastor?

What is the most common temptation for a pastor building a church?

By J. Mack Stiles | 12.20.2017

Pastoral burnout happens when we think we can build a church ourselves, when we’re trusting ourselves and not the Lord.

Sometimes, Passivity Is Prideful

By Kyle Gregory | 12.15.2017

An elder’s authority must be carried out with both confidence and humility, as both an overseer and an example, recognizing both his God-given role and his deep need of God’s help.