Training men means that you and I will spend much of our time wire brush grinders, chipping away at the rust of hammers left in the grass. Let’s do it with grace, using the opportunity to train men how to avoid mistakes as much as possible how to take responsibility for mistakes when they are made, and how to rest in the grace of our God through it all.

All men, whether they desire to be pastors or are simply husbands and fathers, need training in 6 key areas. Men who desire to be pastors must then learn to apply these 6 areas to a whole other section of life, a larger family -- their church.

He cared for the one who was lost and that is what Jesus does.

You do not accidentally live your life before God. Positioning yourself in the presence of God to know him, hear him, and respond to him takes discipline. 

Men who pursue planting churches should do so only after putting in the time to develop a pastor's heart. 

Do you ask yourself how your job change could affect your church? Do you consider how your moving would impact the work of God through your church in your community? Do you seek insight into how your decision to leave or stay at your local church would affect the advancement of the gospel?

On our fourth day, after a few days of rest and detox, we sat at a picnic table under an Aspen tree, next to the Colorado River, and we created our family mission statement. We want to spend our days and our nights on purpose.

I am by no means perfect in these areas, but I strive to be better each week. At the end of my days I am not primarily concerned with someone standing over my casket and saying that I was a good preacher or an attentive pastor. I want my wife to say that I loved her well.

In a desire to help us avoid the hungry bears in our churches, I would like to submit five types of people to avoid when choosing leaders for your church . . .

Jesus does not deny those he has called, no matter how grievous their denial of him has been in the darkest moments of life.

Rest requires faith and is the expression of faith.

You will not be a perfect pastor and your church will not be a perfect church.

Why should a planter be a missionary?

According to the Mission Society, approximately 75% of internationals are never invited into an American home. Most internationals come from cultures that put great emphasis on hospitality and yet they find that in America there is little hospitality offered to them.

There is something freeing when you humble yourself and place yourself before a group of people who say, “We see this area that needs to be worked on.”

I have much insecurity when it comes to the value of my input and wisdom. I always feel there is someone smarter, wiser, more experienced, and better qualified than I to speak on an issue. And the truth is that there is.

A calling to the pastoral ministry is a weighty calling that we should not consider casually. Here are four points from the Prince of Preacher to help us feel the biblical weightiness of the ministerial call.

We had no idea when we named our son Asa, that he would have a disease of the foot. Perhaps it is simply coincidence . . .

If a man is easily swayed, we are slow to consider him as an elder.

How do we minister to our wives? How do we encourage them, especially when their hearts are weary?

In the last 7 years I have planted 2 churches directly, led our church in planting 2 stateside churches, and helped coach and train dozens of church planters. I have learned many things along the way. Today I want to make 3 crucial suggestions for church planters.

Your volunteer leaders are your greatest resource at your church.

As believers, we seek to cultivate deeper relationships with one another, moving beyond surface-level interactions. Here are three reasons why community should be a non-negotiable for members of your church.

We are a little over one year into this journey of being bi-vocational. Here are 3 perks that I have found come from bi-vocational church planting . . .