Paul on Encouragement
Encourage More Jack Schull 1 Thessalonians 3:1-13 Apostle Paul wrote to a church he planted in Thessaloniki. In these works, he inspires a people that are living in uncertainty, to…
Encourage More Jack Schull 1 Thessalonians 3:1-13 Apostle Paul wrote to a church he planted in Thessaloniki. In these works, he inspires a people that are living in uncertainty, to…
Dear Roger, What are the key truths that guide your life? What words define you as a husband, Christian and pastor? Love, Rachel Dear Rachel, These are the words that…
How do you handle criticism? How does one protect himself from the “scourge of the tongue” (Job 5:21)? If you are going to be successful in the Lord’s work, you…
There was a time when going to church is what respectable people did. Church was a place not just of worship, but, for the worldly-minded, of upward mobility. My childhood…
1 Corinthians 6 – Skip Heitzig Calvary Church is dedicated to doctrine, and we want you to experience the life change that comes from knowing God’s word and applying it…
“Consumerism and the Church: Reclaiming the Gospel From Our Most Powerful Religion” is written by Joe Terrell, content manager at CareyNieuwhof.com. Joe’s writings for Medium, Relevant, Carey Nieuwhof, and his personal…
An encouraging study by Lifeway Research found that two-thirds of churchgoers invited someone to church in the last six months.[i] When was the last time you invited someone to church?…
Christianity is a faith of relationships. This means that we were created to be with one another. From the beginning of creation when God saw that the first man,…
Not long ago, Pew Research released a survey[i] on why Americans do and do not go to church. While 73% of Americans identify as being Christian[ii], surveys say Americans who…
Simon Sinek unpacks his back story, including how his grandfather shaped him, how ADHD impacted his leadership and how a deep, personal crisis led to him developing the ideas behind…
In this message, we’re digging into a subject that hits close to home for many people. In fact, it’s one of the biggest reasons people leave the church. We’re talking…
Last week an atomic bomb hit the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), the largest Protestant denomination in the United States, with an estimated 14 million members across more than 47,000 churches.…
In Psalm 63, we read of David’s worship in the hardest of places. He was hunted and hungry. Yet, in these moments, he cried out to God and spoke of…
Recently one of the members of our connection group courageously poured out her heart. She felt disconnected from God and bruised by a challenging season of life. “How can I…
When I say the word “church” what do you think of? Most Americans probably think of a single building that they might attend or drive by on the way to…
How do we reimagine community in the digital age? With everything going electronic and being stored on the cloud, will there be a backlash? A desire to be in a…
Although last year didn’t exactly usher in the post-pandemic era, it’s more likely that 2022 will. While no one can say exactly what the future holds, here are 12 trends…
So, you’ve decided to leave your church: you’re moving, or you’ve come to a doctrinal impasse, or there has been conflict that you’ve tried to navigate, but the church has…
It’s that time of year, when transitions happen: seasons close and new seasons begin. Maybe you’re a student who just headed off to college. Maybe you got a new job.…
Self-awareness is one of the keys to emotional intelligence. It’s also a key to growth. With that in mind, some recent research by the Barna Group through their Barna Cities initiative shows…
The days of being buried in the church where you were baptized and married are long gone for most. Ours is the age of the McChurch. There are realities embedded…
Epaphroditus kind of sounds like a disease, doesn’t it? It’s an unusual name. But in the Bible, Epaphroditus was a dear friend and servant of Paul the apostle. His name shows…
When you think about coming to church, what aspect do you look forward to the most? For the sake of this discussion, let’s assume your answer is something spiritually noble—nothing…
Church shopping is weird. It seems normal today. But it’s a very strange idea, when you think about it. The notion of “church shopping” first became a possibility in 20th…
There’s no question everything in ministry has shifted in the last eighteen months. But the real question is how? Some things, of course, never change. The mission of the church…
No matter how long you’ve been in leadership, it still hurts when people leave your church. It’s somewhat easy to understand people leaving when things are going poorly— when there’s…
What challenges will pastors and churches face in this decade? Will ministry ever come more easily? As you know, the last five years have been tough on leaders. Really tough. Pandemic…
As you know, the last five years have been tough on leaders. Really tough. Pandemic or no pandemic, every leader has realized we’re not in Kansas anymore. In fact, we’re not quite…
This post was written by Dillon Smith, a Gen-Z team member at CareyNieuwhof.com who lives in Omaha, Nebraska. We’re so grateful to the Citylight team for making the time to share…
While no one can say exactly what the future holds, here are 8 trends I’m watching and would encourage you and your team to consider and process as well. 1.…
I may or may not know your pastor. But I know one thing: your pastor is tired. I have the blessing of being a part of a couple of local…
Hiram Johnson said, “The first casualty in war is truth.” God’s people have been in a cosmic battle since the fall. Satan’s first allegation against truth was in Genesis 3:1:…
If you feel disconnected, hopeless, or you just know something is missing—it’s not the end of your story. It’s an opportunity to reconnect. To find hope. And to rediscover what…
Dear Roger, I recently attended the funeral of one of my best friends. As I listened to the comments, I was surprised by how many people weren’t really…
My youth group was great, but I had never seen a youth event like this. Teens spilled out from the Youth Center into the lawn. Big-eyed, I wormed my way…
“Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.” 1 Peter 3:8 Pastors and Leaders, This is probably one of the…
I want to talk today about you. There are a lot of questions about what kind of unique witness should the church have at a time like this—how do you…
Covid has been like a mission trip for the analog church. We thought we were going on a short-term trip to a place that felt foreign. We got there, and…
“Wilson, where are you? Wilson! Wilson! I’m sorry! I’m sorry, Wilson. Wilson, I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Wilson! I can’t!” If you’ve seen Cast Away, this scene is etched in your…
What do you look for when you look for a church that is a good fit for you? Maybe it’s the music? Maybe it’s the preaching? Maybe it’s the children’s…
As you know, these are some of the most complex times in church leadership in decades. As churches reopen their in-person gatherings, there’s one particular trap to watch out for.…
Dear Roger, Our current crises are leading churches to develop all sorts of new technology to evangelize as well as minister to their own congregations. Streaming, zooming, drive-in church, online…
So, in light of everything that’s changed and been disrupted so far in 2020, what future church trends should you be watching as a leader? I usually do a church…
As churches slowly reopen their physical doors, church leaders are all asking the same question: who will still be around? It’s a great question. And not an easy one to answer.…
There are three test areas to evaluate if we’re personally doing church right – are we growing in knowledge, love, and service? How do the following verses reinforce the importance…
As the world slowly re-opens on the other side of COVID, a question for you today. Are churches behaving like malls in the age of Amazon, just hoping for people…
If you were to list your top three most creative people, who would be on that list? Maybe Vincent van Gogh? Walt Disney? JK Rowling? Thomas Edison? Leonardo DaVinci? Marie…
So all of a sudden you’re online like you’ve never been before. And now there’s a long road ahead. While no one knows exactly where all of this lands post-pandemic,…
Like it or not, digital is your new default as a leader. Everyone’s world has changed radically in the last week. And it will likely change even more in the…
If there is one topic or theme that prevails throughout the book of I Corinthians it is unity. I Corinthians deals with many significant and difficult issues including leadership, wisdom,…
Pastor John Beeson describes why a local pastor and a local congregation is key to your spiritual growth and well-being: “You have access to the best pastors in America. You…
The way we raised boys in the faith 20 years ago eliminated many of the men Christian women would love to date today. Ladies, I feel your pain. The dating…
I want to go out on a limb, I want to expose the secret society that has long held sway over churches around the world. I want to talk about…
Christianity is a faith of relationships. This means that we were created to be with one another. From the beginning of creation when God saw that the first man, Adam,…
Jesus was more than a mere prophet – he was the sinless Son of God, the human-divine sacrifice for our sins. But he is a prophet nonetheless, and the greatest…
Why is church attendance declining? Why are churches failing? Carey Nieuwhof reveals the hearts of many Christians today. He writes: SPIRITUALITY HAS BECOME AN INDIVIDUAL PURSUIT First, spirituality is increasingly seen…
My Daddy was an extrovert. He never met a stranger. Dad, a consummate salesman, built a successful construction company from the ground up. Pop was a joiner! He served as…
Who are the most influential leaders in your life? What made them such great leaders? I fear that our cultural understanding of leadership is going further and further astray from…
Any idea what the best outreach opportunity of the year at your church might be? You might think it’s an event you do, or perhaps it’s Easter. But whether Christmas has…
Leadership would be so much easier, the saying goes, if it wasn’t for people. And topping off the list of difficult people to work with or lead is toxic people. The hard…
Jon Acuff writes a hilarious (but truthful) assessment about how churches treat singles: Single adults, I have failed you. Although I’ve written a handful of ideas about being single at…
Brandon Cox shares the prayers his church prayed for revival. You can pray them, too! “There were nine particular prayers we’ve prayed, repeatedly, and that we’re going to continue to…
When our dreams are shattered, can we actually experience the grace of God in the midst of our humanity, watch God’s spirit move in a powerful way, in a vibrant…
Dishonesty begins when you avoid conflict and intimacy. Dishonesty is based on the fear of revealing your weaknesses. Be authentic and give grace. Allow others to extend grace and acceptance…
In an age where everyone is looking for alternatives to gathering together, here are 10 things that—helpful as they may be in some respect—aren’t church. If it gets a bit…
It was during a family dance party to Taylor Swift’s “Shake it Off” that our patriarch commented about the vapid lyrics. “They just don’t make them like they used to,”…
We’re lonelier than ever, some say. We’re not lonely enough, say others. They’re both right. THE PROBLEMS OF LONELINESS AND COMMUNITY University of California, Berkeley, sociologist Claude S. Fischer writes…
There was a time when going to church is what respectable people did. Two generations ago, every self-respecting citizen went to church, regardless of their desire to be there or…
Here’s a challenging question: Why do you want your church to grow? Your motivation for wanting your church to grow is pivotal for a number of significant reasons. First, if you’re…
It’s a challenge you face as a church leader: what do you do with people who only occasionally attend church? Like at Easter or Christmas or special occasions? But infrequent…
Many things in our culture work against the maintenance of real community. We are conditioned in countless ways to think and act as individuals only, not as members of any…
One of my most enjoyable professors at seminary shared a story with our class describing one aim of the church that I’ll never forget. It went something like this, “My family…
I want to let the cat out of the bag about how church is going to be. Consider this your guide to what’s going to happen at your church this…
Musical preferences are profoundly etched into us. One generation’s trash is another generation’s treasure. Modern worship has a bullseye on it. It’s a fairly regular occurrence that I read a…
Did you know that every time a lion pride hunts together it is a lightly organized operation? They do not test their potential prey for weakness like other predators do.…
Joy is triumphant elation in the face of great loss. Joy is not getting what you want, it’s appreciating what you already have. You are God’s workmanship! Preached…
Hello Roger, Church is killing me. It started out that my husband, Ben, was serving with five or six other people several times a month on the soundboard. That…
It’s a challenge you face as a church leader: what do you do with people who only occasionally attend church? Like at Easter or Christmas or special occasions? But infrequent…
How do you treat your elders? Do you respect your aging parents, your frail grandmother, your annoying aunt with dementia? Do you consider them an inspiration, an inconvenience, or both?…
Social media is changing you and me in more profound ways than any of us imagine. Like a growing number of people, I’m increasingly concerned with how addictive tech has…
Dear Roger, I am presently pastoring a church in a remote area in Nigeria, a community of idol worshipers. My neighbor joined the church. In the process, I discovered that…
No matter how long you’ve been in leadership, it still hurts when people leave your church. It’s somewhat easy to understand people leaving when things are going poorly— when there’s…
Talk to any church leader, and they’ll tell you it feels more challenging than ever to get people to come to church on a Sunday. Even in growing churches…
Most Christians I know want the church to experience revival. We just don’t all agree on what revival looks like. Back in the “olden days” (the mid-1990’s) I preached a few times…
Facebook recently announced they’ve hit the milestone of two billion users. There are more Facebook members than members of any religion except Christianity. (Just barely. There are 2.4 billion proclaimed…
So this isn’t an easy post to write, nor a glib one. I’m not even sure what I’m about to write is accurate. But once again last week, we heard…
Most church leaders I know would love to see their church grow. Similarly, most leaders I’ve met want their church to grow for what we might call the ‘right’ reasons:…
Dear Roger, For several reasons I’m looking for a new church home. I’m looking for guidelines to help me in my search. If I were to ask you, “What…
Do you struggle with control issues? Brandon Cox pens wise words for pastors and church leaders: “I used to design websites for churches as kind of a hobby and side…
Dear Roger, Our church just went through an awful split. I’ve heard about the ugliness of church fights but I never dreamed I’d actually be in one. Many of what…
David, a young adult with autism and mute from birth, was admitted to the hospital for medication adjustment (Names and details have been changed). Two weeks earlier David’s parents had…
Andy Stanley and comedian Jeff Foxworthy discuss life issues and the importance of making a difference in our community. “When the church does good, God’s name is made great. This…
Dear Roger, Please help me! My family and I belong to a church were cliques are always formed- even the leadership seem to be encouraging it. I’ve held on for…
The Knot recently did a study and found that over the past seven years, weddings in churches have dropped from 41% to 26%.[i] Wow. Did you hear that? Only a quarter…
You’d think that being in church leadership would ensure you’re not tempted to fall into the same temptations as, say, leaders in the marketplace. As nice as that line of…
Hello, Roger! Jack Wellman of “Telling Ministries: Talking Truth Through Technology”, emailed me an article that he had written delineating some of the signs of apathy that tell the…
Dear Roger, I am a new Christian. I attend a weekly Bible study with men who have been Christians a long time. Someone mentioned about spiritual gifts but did not…
Why does your pastor need your help? If he were really competent, would he need his church members to do ministry for him or with him? Moses was crushing it.…
Ever feel like your work is never finished? You can’t quite stop working at home. You wake up most mornings feeling like you’re just stepping back onto the treadmill that…
Church leaders who have been around for the last few decades know this ain’t the 1960s! Christians simply aren’t attending church as frequently today as they did in the past. Thom…
According to American business historian Robert Sobel, the British government created a civil-service job in 1803 which called for a man to stand on the white cliffs of Dover with…
Any church leader who’s been in ministry for more than a few months has heard different variations of it: “I’m looking for a church that meets my needs.” “What are…
An old Chinese proverb says, “One generation plants the trees, and another gets the shade.” You and I are still benefiting from the shade provided by trees planted by our…
It’s a tough question to answer: so, is your church ready for the future? A lot of the time, I’m afraid the answer is no. This year especially, culture is changing so…
Lead pastors spend a lot time in the front row of the church participating in worship services. In fact, if you’re a church leader reading this you know the double…
Recently, I had a phone call with a young leader convinced he was no longer qualified to lead because he’d messed up in a way that pretty much every man…
So many leaders face the conundrum of the chicken and the egg when it comes to church growth. There’s an 85% chance you’re facing it right now because 85% of…
Mark Zuckerberg, the founder and CEO of Facebook, claimed that as church attendance declines, Facebook will become the new church for people, offering a sense of community and meaning.[i] But Facebook…
One of the questions almost every church leader I know is asking is “How do we reach Millennials?”—that demographic of young adults now in their mid-twenties to age 40. It’s a great…
Many years ago when our church began revitalization, we prayed and asked God whom he was calling us to reach. The answer we felt God impressing upon us then was…
I sat across the room from the couple, trying to slow down my mind and open my heart to the criticism they were leveling at me. They had been offended…
So maybe you wonder why your church isn’t growing, or why it’s not growing faster. You’re not alone. The vast majority of churches are plateaued or declining because they can’t…
Chances are you have already given to at least one of the disasters that have rocked the United States and Caribbean over the past few months: Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria;…
So you’re a bit of a control freak. And you’re a leader. That’s not surprising. People who like control seem to have a natural ability to get into leadership positions.…
Why should churches engage in social media as an essential priority in reaching the world? As we develop a driving philosophy of why to take up the mantle of social…
Abuse can occur in one-on-one relationships, in families, in institutions, and in society at large. Wherever abuse is found, it should be uncovered, repented of and rejected. It is not…
In 1 Cor. 14:34 the Apostle Paul’s letter states: “…the women should keep silent in the assemblies. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law…
We need balance in our ministries. We need to be focused on our mission while at the same time constantly searching for ways to improve our methods. True Christianity is…
We all have them. Actually, worship wars started with Gregorian chant. Some monks got bent out of shape over the newer, fancier plainchant. Pastor Carey Nieuwhof has some sagely advice…
What is the impact of the water we swim in in 21st century America? Consumerism can infiltrate our spiritual lives. The notion that you have any decision to make on the…
You may be fighting a losing battle. First-time guests to your church make up their minds whether they’re coming back or not in the first ten minutes of their visit. …
Once in awhile, people will ask me questions about leaving their church. They want my advice and opinion on it. This happened again very recently. Because I’ve received this question…
Preaching is always a challenge, especially in an unchurched culture. In terms of seeing radical life changes in individuals, nothing can take the place of Spirit-anointed preaching. The message is…
How do you keep those first-time visitors coming? Every single Sunday, the goal of our services at North Point is the same: to create an experience so engaging that folks…
When you’re a church leader, you feel a lot of pressure. Almost every leader feels the pressure to do more when the key to effectively accomplishing your mission is often…
Church leaders, times are changing, but the real question is how quickly and how deeply? In fact, unless you’re under 25, the world into which you’re born doesn’t really exist…
Do I really want to see myself? Really? Not as I might prefer to see myself in order to have some rickety and ill-placed semblance of peace. Not the image…
Why should we understand the heart and mind of others who do not choose to attend church? If you’re like many Christians, you have an authentic desire to share your…
Why should the church disengage from politics? There are voices shouting from both sides of the issue. I often hear from some Christians who argue that we should disengage from…
/Dear Roger, Can a church look good on the outside, and yet really lose their love for Christ? How can you tell? I never want that church to be mine,…
Is God calling you to serve Him in ministry? First of all, it’s a big YES. God draws lost people to himself to save them, and his desire is that…
Mark 9 allows us an eyewitness account of a mountain top experience Jesus has with some of his early followers. It’s known as the ‘transfiguration’ – which is a fancy…
Spiritual abuse is often unrecognized among Christians and churches. A person who has experienced hurt at the hands of a religious leader who “spoke for God” will likely have a…
Two thousand years ago, Jesus approached twelve seemingly unsuspecting Galileans and bid them: “Come, follow me.” For the next three years, they walked alongside him as he discipled them. Toward…
Peter teaches how deeply Jesus values you and showers you with unconditional love, grace, joy and blessing for the good purpose of blessing others. Imagine the audience in 1 Peter.…
I recently took a survey that made this amazing claim: “Given that over 95% of people in the U.S. under the age of 33 don’t attend church, to what degree do you…
The message of Jesus was hard. He demanded that His followers take up their cross, leave everything behind and follow Him. He didn’t cultivate the crowds, He weeded them out…
Jesus loves the disabled and uses them in a mighty way for His kingdom work. Like Paul, He uses weakness to build spiritual strength and great faith. Nancy Guthrie relates…
Getting old to the glory of God means resolutely resisting the typical American dream of retirement. It means being so satisfied with all that God promises to be for us…
The words of Jesus to the seven churches reveal much about His will for the church universal. Using the guidelines in this passage, a prayer guide is developed to effectively…
I came across a sad story this week, a story about a honeymoon disaster. The newly weds arrived at the hotel in the wee hours with high hopes. They’d reserved…
We serve others well when we have Christ’s heart, when we humble ourselves and become caringly and intimately involved and invested in their lives.
God created man with physical, spiritual and relational needs. Relational needs are to be satisfied by near ones such as spouses, family, friends and church members.
Paul encourages us to finish the race with the strength and power only God can provide. Our hope is in heaven, not here on earth.
Living a grace-filled life calls us to refrain from judgment and to live with a clear conscience. Replace legalism or hedonism with a focus on the basics.
FRIENDSHIPS ARE ESSENTIAL TO LIFE From the beginning, in the Garden of Eden, God declared, “It is not good for man to be alone” even though He walked in fellowship…