The main business of many mission committees is to determine how to spend the mission budget, …
Resources for Pastor/Church Leadership
Rethinking mission: Incarnational presence
The last post examined the missionary nature of God and the “sentness” of the church. God …
Brotherhood success stories: Rayden Hollis
I have been blessed with an amazing brotherhood of church planters in St. Louis. We are …
Brotherhood success stories: Ryan Rice
I never wanted to move back to New Orleans. It was truly a supernatural move of …
Brotherhood success stories: How brotherhood is accomplished
A significant part of the brotherhood I have experienced was an inherited grace. I take no …
Brotherhood success stories: How brotherhood is accomplished Read More »
In the fall of 2013, I came to a 3-year-old church plant in Southern Indiana as …
Pastoring a church when it is no longer a plant: Finances
“Wait a minute, what?” I thought to myself incredulously, “We are no longer a plant?” This …
Pastoring a church when it is no longer a plant: Finances Read More »
Pastoring a church when it is no longer a plant: Momentum
My father was one of the greatest high school basketball coaches in Kentucky history. After watching …
Pastoring a church when it is no longer a plant: Momentum Read More »
Everybody thinks they hate evangelism, but what if that was because they didn’t understand how evangelism …
Spiritual journal discipleship
Church planters get pulled in many directions at once. The task of discipling men can get …
9 characteristics of a church planter: Social skills
Before I knew Jesus, I was a user. Not drugs. Worse. I used people. I am …
9 characteristics of a church planter: Social skills Read More »
9 characteristics of a church planter: Disciple making
Recently I had the “privilege” of shopping at Home Depot. I say “privilege” because, depending on …
9 characteristics of a church planter: Disciple making Read More »
9 characteristics of a church planter: Family dynamics
We plant gospel-centered churches because it is the prescribed Great Commission strategy found in the Scripture. …
9 characteristics of a church planter: Family dynamics Read More »
9 characteristics of a church planter: Emotional and spiritual health
Church planting is a not a young man’s sport, nor an old man’s sport. It’s a healthy man’s …
9 characteristics of a church planter: Emotional and spiritual health Read More »
9 characteristics of a church planter: Calling/Intro
I still remember the angst I felt the first time I read the question, “When were …
9 characteristics of a church planter: Calling/Intro Read More »
9 characteristics of a church planter: Communication
One of the key ingredients of effectiveness is the ability to communicate clearly. Jesus was the …
9 characteristics of a church planter: Communication Read More »
9 characteristics of a church planter: Leadership
No one has ever called me charismatic. I’m not a raging extrovert. And I’m certainly not …
9 characteristics of a church planter: Leadership Read More »
9 characteristics of a church planter: Vision
Vision is overrated. “I’m just not very good at this whole ‘vision’ thing,” a discouraged pastor …
In January, I celebrated 14 years of marriage. I am truly amazed that God gave me …
Accountability with your growth
I remember the first time I heard Tim Keller say “Being in ministry will either make …
When it comes to church planting, the old saying is true, “Time is of the essence.” …
Accountability with your finances
‘Accountability’ is a popular word in our culture. Good stewardship is both biblical and practical. But …
Have you ever been thrown into a challenge, only to find out that the whole situation …
The Emotionally Healthy Planter: Fears
Perfect love casts out fear (1 Jn 4:18). The promise presupposes certain realities. First, fear is …
Send Network changed our college ministry and awakened us to church planting
Reach some students. Disciple them. Help them graduate and find a job. This was our mission …
Send Network changed our college ministry and awakened us to church planting Read More »
The Emotionally Healthy Planter: Family
Where’d that come from? We’ve probably all asked this question from time to time. Something happens …
Top 10 Posts of 2017: #2 Six Ways to Practice Hospitality
1. Reserve a night for “Neighbor Night” Years ago, when my wife and I started talking …
Top 10 Posts of 2017: #2 Six Ways to Practice Hospitality Read More »
Top 10 Posts of 2017: #7 Co-vocational Church Planting: Rethinking Vocation
The idea of rethinking vocation must start with considering the sacred/secular divide, or what some people …
Top 10 Posts of 2017: #7 Co-vocational Church Planting: Rethinking Vocation Read More »
Barriers of Brotherhood: Differences & Disagreements
At times it feels like the only guarantees in life are death, taxes, and disagreements between …
Barriers of Brotherhood: Differences & Disagreements Read More »
Barriers of Brotherhood: Busyness & Priorities
Both planters and re-planters who are burdened to serve Jesus can find themselves extremely busy — …
Barriers of Brotherhood: Envy & Insecurity
Two jumps in a week Bet you think that’s pretty clever Don’t you, boy? Flying along …
Why adoption is supposed to be hard: Part 3
What we are finding is that there is a special joy that comes from sharing in …
Why adoption is supposed to be hard: Part 2
As hard as this process has been so far—here is what we are learning, slowly and …
Why adoption is supposed to be hard: Part 1
This series of posts was originally written in November 2016. We have been home from China …
Securing a meeting location: 3 Ways to sustain a partnership
Finding a worship gathering space can be one of the most frustrating parts of launching a …
Securing a meeting location: 3 Ways to sustain a partnership Read More »
Securing a meeting location: Forming a contract
The late scholar Mark Seale said, “everyone has a way of ‘leaning into life,’ and the …
Securing a meeting location: Casting a wide net
One of the things I felt least ready for when planting City Church is how to …
If we want to see a move of God in North America, we should pray that …
Don’t ask your goldfish how the water is. Goldie won’t have any idea what you’re talking …
I was a shy kid with a debilitating stutter and no friends. One night, my dad …
10 Lessons from a decade of church planting: Part 2
2. Rootedness and hiring from within matters. “From the outside looking in, what has been the …
10 Lessons from a decade of church planting: Part 2 Read More »
10 Lessons from a decade of church planting: Part 1
Recently we celebrated the 10th anniversary of City Church in Tallahassee. What started with 24 friends …
10 Lessons from a decade of church planting: Part 1 Read More »
The emotionally healthy planter: Discouragement and 4 ways to combat it
The sun doesn’t shine much in Portland, but on this day the clouds surrendered and the …
The emotionally healthy planter: Discouragement and 4 ways to combat it Read More »
The Emotionally healthy planter: Fear and 3 ways to combat it
Church planting is, in part, fueled by faith—expressed in prayer, godly risk-taking and faithful labor. And …
The Emotionally healthy planter: Fear and 3 ways to combat it Read More »
The Emotionally Healthy Planter: Anger
We don’t simply need to plant more churches, we need to plant healthy churches. A healthy …
Stories from Sending Churches: Michael O’Neal
In March and April 2017, we interviewed three practitioners serving on the field as church planters, …
Stories From Sending Churches: Brian Bloye
In March and April 2017, we interviewed three pastors serving in Sending Churches. These are their …
5 Lessons I learned from Adrian Rogers
No one has influenced and impacted my life like the “prince of preachers,” the man known …
Voices that shape us: The Importance of mentors
One of the most influential theologians in my life is a musician. Songwriter Michael Card’s exegetically evocative and …
Developing brotherhood in your city: Why and how it’s successful
Ninja strike teams When I was a kid, we used to jump all over the playground …
Developing brotherhood in your city: Why and how it’s successful Read More »
Developing brotherhood in your city: Why you need it
Not Karate All over the world, people are being trained in the martial arts. That said, …
Developing brotherhood in your city: Why you need it Read More »
There are many reasons you’d want to attend an established church—some good reasons and some, well, …
Co-vocational church planting: Rethinking vocation
The idea of rethinking vocation must start with considering the sacred/secular divide, or what some people …
Co-vocational church planting: Rethinking vocation Read More »
The practice of hospitality: Your home on mission
To develop healthy disciple-making practices, we must recapture the art of hospitality. Our castle or His …
The practice of hospitality: Your home on mission Read More »
The planter as generalist: Delegation
What is the vision God has given you for your church? What are the dreams you …
The planter as generalist: Administration
On a scale from 1-10, my administration skills fall somewhere between 1 and a separate scale …
The planter as generalist: Fund raising
I was recently in a conversation with a friend that was all too familiar. It had …
The planter as generalist: Counseling
Anyone that has ever attempted to start a business quickly learned this truth: There is a …
The planter as generalist: Leadership development
Church planting, when done properly, is proof that God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. …
The planter as generalist: Leadership development Read More »
The planter as generalist: Intro
The label “intern” used to be code word for the person who does anything and everything …
5 Ways to prepare for church planting
For most church planters, the season prior to planting feels much like the engagement season leading …
Why does the Send Network exist? This is a great question and one that you should …
What does it mean to preach the gospel?
Busy. How many times have you heard someone say that word this week? How many times …
If you’ve heard me speak or if you’ve read any of my books, what I’m about …
Last week I introduced you to, or reminded you of, a concept called identity amnesia: Christians …
“When I see someone baptized, I see myself,” says Martin Haghani. Martin planted Iranian Baptist Church …
Money matters: Staff and salaries
In 2010, my family moved to Boston (one of the most expensive places to live in …
The spiritual power of habits: Sabbath
For twelve months, I met with a wildly creative leader who wanted to plant a church. …
The spiritual power of habits: Time in the Word
Developing a tasteWhen I was a young adult I couldn’t stand the taste of coffee. I …
The Spiritual power of habits: Introduction
“I believe the gospel–I just don’t believe it right now. I believe that at a head level, I just don’t …
Friendship and the pastor’s wife: In friendship, resist the discomfort of receiving
On my first Sunday as a pastor’s wife, a college girl approached me with a question …
Friendship and the pastor’s wife: In friendship, resist the discomfort of receiving Read More »
How to keep a healthy perspective as a pastor’s wife
I was standing at the door after church, talking with folks, when a woman who’d been …
How to keep a healthy perspective as a pastor’s wife Read More »
The difference between church relationships and friendships
My husband and I have been in full-time vocational ministry since the day we were married. …
The difference between church relationships and friendships Read More »
More than a song: Fostering a culture of worship in your church
The past few months, I have been reading through the Old Testament minor prophets. As a …
More than a song: Fostering a culture of worship in your church Read More »
How to choose songs for your church
As a worship leader, one thing that I have learned is that art is very subjective …
Music matters: Why we worship corporately through song
In college, I led a small Bible study for freshmen. My primary aim was to study …
Music matters: Why we worship corporately through song Read More »
e-book: Partnering Well: Planters and Sending Churches
Without a doubt, planting a church without prayer is like building a house on bare ground …
e-book: Partnering Well: Planters and Sending Churches Read More »
3 Things church planters should look for in a worship leader
I am approaching the end of a season in life. By the grace of God, I …
3 Things church planters should look for in a worship leader Read More »
Why celebration is a tool for multiplication
You’ve heard it said that you are what you celebrate and there is nowhere that is truer than …
Why membership is a tool for multiplication
Recently, my wife and I were driving back home, and decided to check out the country …