Before You Pick a House, Pick a Church
I recently had to make a decision—a decision I haven’t had to make in over ten years. Where would my family and I go to church? For about a decade, I served on church staff, so this decision was simply part of the job—a choice made through an interview process. When you work vocationally at […]
Kids in Church
Maybe no subject in church life is more polarizing than the prospect of small kids in the church service. Are they a delight? Or a distraction? The guys sort it out on this episode of the FTC Podcast.
Carried Through Cancer: The God Who Bears Up Daily
Counting the Days Ahead I tried to calculate what lay ahead. One emergency surgery. One tumor removed, along with part of my colon. An ileostomy bag. Six months of chemotherapy. An ileostomy reversal. Five weeks of recovery. Another month and a half of radiation. When I added it all together, the result came to nearly […]
Pastor, You Need to Preach About Marital Intimacy
The Apostle Paul is a valuable model for pastors in so many ways, including the way that he boldly waded into controversial and touchy topics. Evaluating his ministry in Ephesus, he said, “I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27). We can see this kind of boldness on […]
Women’s Ministry: Healing the Ways Women Hurt Each Other
The Power and Pitfalls of Women’s Groups There’s something about groups of women that can be incredibly empowering, but on the other side, deeply destructive. I’ve experienced both. Some groups are healthy and life-giving; others are toxic and draining. And for women, I think this issue begins young. The stereotype of the “mean girl” didn’t […]
When to Leave a Church
In an age of increasing church consumerism and church division, Christians sometimes leave churches for less than honorable reasons. But what are the honorable ones? In this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ronni Kurtz talk about the why’s and how’s of leaving a local church.
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 […]
The Christian Hope in Mourning
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the practice of delaying funerals became routine. Often postponed out of necessity, delayed funerals complicated the mourning process and created difficult conversations resurfacing months later. Indeed, by mid-2021, articles began appearing in major publications contemplating the awkwardness and grief attending the phenomenon of delayed funerals. A palpable sense was afoot that […]
Fasting
Most Christians know what it is. Most Christians don’t practice it. What is a biblical fast, and what’s the point of it? On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ronni Kurtz discuss the spiritual discipline of fasting.
Peace in a World Full of Conflict
The familiar car pulled into the church parking lot. As the driver stepped out, my stomach tightened and my heart raced. This churchgoer had a history of sharp words toward me, and I knew he had been involved in conflicts I’d mediated for others. My mind spiraled: “What is he going to say today? What […]