There’s been a lot of talk about revitalization in the church lately. Because this is such an important conversation, partnership networks, books, blogs, and plenty of resources are popping up almost daily to help the local church reset their direction and reach the world effectively. This is, of course, great news, because we want churches to be strong and the kingdom expanded! We know that for a church to be revitalized, tough discussions need to happen. And often, these dialogues focus on ... Read More
10 Words of Advice for a Young Pastor
Welcome to your new church, young pastor. You’ve studied, prayed, and waited for this day to come. I know that feeling from so many years ago: the eagerness to get started, the ideas that keep popping up in your head, and the excitement leading to your first Sunday. I’ve been there, and there’s nothing like it. I’m thrilled for you and your church! And though you probably don’t need any more encouragement right now, I want to share some advice that should serve you both now and in the future. ... Read More
What is “#prayerACTS?”
The prayerACTS movement is over 1 million diverse Christians living out the book of Acts together. The book of Acts is not about racial reconciliation: it is about the Holy Spirit's move birthing the church after Jesus' ascension to heaven. However, as a result of the Holy Spirit's move, stories of racial reconciliation abound throughout the book of Acts. Where the Holy Spirit moves, racism simply must end. One cannot embrace both racism and the Holy Spirit - when he abides in one, he ... Read More
3 Things the Bible Is
Written by David Francis We recently identified 3 things the Bible isn’t. We said the Bible is not an encyclopedia, a self-help guide, or a fortune cookie. Among the many things the Bible IS are these three. Revelation. The Bible is not an encyclopedia. It does include everything about everything. It doesn’t even record everything about God. It does include everything He wants to reveal about Himself. From the account of the wonder of creation in the opening chapter of Genesis to the ... Read More
3 Things the Bible Isn’t
Written by David Francis: Director of Sunday School for LifeWay Groups Ministry 3 Things the Bible Isn’t There are probably more than three things the Bible is not. To non-Christians, it is not a lot of things! Just do a search. Be ready to get angry! But there are at least three things even Bible-believing Christ-followers should remember that the Bible is not. An encyclopedia: Every student and teacher of the Bible should have a good Bible encyclopedia. The Bible covers a lot of ... Read More