The Pastoral Virtue of Avoidance
At least seven times in the pastoral epistles, Paul directly charges Timothy and Titus to “avoid” and to “have nothing to do with” ideas and people who pose a threat to their flock. This is jarring since one of the main purposes for these letters is to encourage Timothy and Titus to engage false teaching […]
Ordering the Church for Ordinary Growth
Most pastors agree on what spiritual health looks like. Christians should grow in holiness, love God’s Word, participate in the life of the church, give generously, serve faithfully, share the gospel, and invest in one another. The difficulty is not defining the goal, but ordering the life of the church so that members actually pursue […]
How Church Structure Fuels Disciple-Making
Polity can play a significant role in disciple making in the local church. Church polity—or simply the way a church is structured—can either hinder or motivate disciple making. Some traditions and denominations have a set structure they follow not only locally but also regionally, statewide, or nationally. In some faith traditions, a general council or […]
Four Barriers for New Leaders
Stepping into leadership, in any context, for the first time can feel both thrilling and overwhelming, whether in the church, workplace, or any other context. Leadership is not just a role—it is a calling, and like all callings in the life of a believer, it carries both privilege and responsibility. God equips those He calls, […]
When Passion Outpaces Prudence
I spent a decade in youth ministry, and it came with some of the greatest joys of my life. Few things are richer than walking alongside parents to see their teenager come alive in Christ. There were light bulb moments I was able to witness during fun overnight trips—all on very little money and sleep. […]
The Compassion of a Shepherd
When is your compassion tested most in ministry? Recently, after a long and somewhat discouraging Sunday, I was finally sitting on the couch ready to relax. Then my cellphone rang. It was one of my church members—a kind lady, usually encouraging and full of positive words. But we’ve all had “those days.” “Those” are the […]
Episode 329: Discipling Emerging Leaders
Why should more churches take leadership development seriously? Why is raising up leaders “in house” so important? And how would you go about doing it? On this episode of the podcast, Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson discuss the ins and outs of raising up the next generation of church leaders in your local ministry.
A Winning Vision
The visions of all local churches should sound pretty similar if we are going to be faithful to the mission mandate given to us by our Lord.
On Life and Doctrine
There’s one, often overlooked, verse that has captivated me more than any other. I reflect on it often, returning to it again and again as a compass for my life and ministry. I do so because of the stark warning and promising reward this verse contains.
Episode 307: Mixing it Up on Student Ministry
Jared and Ross return to a past episode format — “mixing it up” — where they draw out the usual podcast banter to specific subjects. No agenda; no plan. Just a free-form conversation — this week, on student ministry.