Ray Deck IIIUsing the three-step Bible study process—observe, interpret, and apply—you’re bound to learn new things about God. The observe phase doesn’t require any tools beyond a copy of the Scripture itself. (If you’re in search of one, we...
It’s difficult to pray as a family. If you manage to get everyone in the same room, paying attention to something other than a glowing screen, try one of these three methods to lead your family in prayer—and keep even the youngest believers...
At some point, every pastor will face criticism about music volume. A few preemptive steps will go a long way to prepare you for the inevitable noise complaint. Use a dB meter to collect data Noise complaints are usually subjective, made on feeling...
As people grow closer, friction is bound to occur. Both small and not-so-small offenses are inevitable. Nobody likes to apologize, but Scripture tells us to confess our faults to one another (James 5:16), seek reconciliation when we wrong one...
It’s always a delight to read over a favorite passage of Scripture. Familiar words and phrases unfold, conjuring the sense of wonder we felt upon our first understanding. Unfamiliar passages can present more of a challenge, though. Personally...
J. D. Greear is the lead pastor of The Summit Church in Raleigh-Durham, NC, and the author of several books, including Stop Asking Jesus into Your Heart. We had a few minutes to chat with him about how they approach worship at The Summit Church...
Many evangelicals shy away from the word “meditation” because of its association with eastern religions, but it should be noted that meditation is taught in several places throughout Scripture (Joshua 1:8, Psalm 1:2, Psalm 119:148)...
Marking seasons and holidays can be a meaningful spiritual exercise in the life of a church. Some of the holy days on the traditional church calendar are familiar to us, like Christmas and Easter, but some of the lesser-known seasons can be just as...
You’ve built the greatest church presentation ever experienced by mankind. The visuals are stunning. The transitions are seamless. The videos make everyone in the room lean forward and gasp. Everybody loves it. Until the WiFi dies. Then what...
I’ve long been fascinated by the study of history. For a while, I aspired to become a historian myself. While that dream is dead and gone, my admiration for historians remains. They approach their work like surgeons, examining and analyzing...
Healthy relationships are fueled by dialog—ongoing, honest, two-way conversation. Without open lines of communication, a relationship withers. Nowhere is this more true than in our relationship with God. He speaks to us through the Scriptures, the...
The Lexham Bible Dictionary, the world’s most advanced Bible dictionary, is getting bigger and better. Buying a Bible dictionary is usually like buying a computer. As soon as you get it home, it’s already out of date. Words printed on physical...
All Scripture is important. All Scripture is true, but not all Scripture is meant to be read in the same way. Different kinds of literature have different expectations. You wouldn’t read The Raven and angrily reply, “No, the Raven did NOT say that!”...
So, you want to be a worship pastor. You want to lead people to the throne of heaven and get paid for it. People do make a living that way. It’s possible. Let’s talk about how to do it. Serve where you are Worship leaders lead worship...
The latest album and tour from liturgical post-rock artist Gungor has been far from conventional. In a recent interview with Relevant Magazine, group frontman Michael Gungor explained the group’s decision to subdivide their artistic efforts...