Outreach & Missions Blogs – ChurchLeaders

How I Engage With the Bible

Lauren McAfee — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 11:01:57 +0000

Seeing my Dad engage with the Bible, even amidst his busy schedule as president of a large privately owned company and a homeschooling father of four (at the time), made a lasting impression on me.

How To Create a Gospel Advancing Network in Your Town

Greg Stier — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 06:29:28 +0000

Whether you're already part of an existing youth leader network, or you're creating one from scratch, the following simple steps will help you share a Gospel Advancing network with other youth leaders in your community.

The Top 5 Lies Christians Believe

Nicole Cottrell — Thu, 16 May 2024 06:01:00 +0000

There are hundreds of lies Christians believe, either collectively or individually. I chose these five lies Christians believe because I have personally seen them infiltrate the church, the lives of my friends and family and my own life.

One Reason I’m Not Faithful in Evangelism

Mike Leake — Mon, 15 Jan 2024 12:03:35 +0000

One reason we tend to be bad at evangelism is because we often try to call people to the grace of Jesus while at the same time being judgmental against them in our hearts.

To Those With Depression at Christmastime

David Murray — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 07:01:07 +0000

Depression is tough at the best of times. Perhaps it’s the best of times, such as holiday times, when it’s especially tough. The thought of mixing with happy people fills you with dread. The thought of remembering lost loved ones fills you with gloom. How can people be so happy when you are so sad?

What is Your Pet Sin?

Tim Challies — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 06:01:10 +0000

Every one of us probably also has a sin we rather enjoy, a sin we refuse to put to death. In fact, we may even protect and promote it. We might refer to it as a pet sin.

How to Organize Your Own Summer Bible Study

Margaret Feinberg — Fri, 07 Jul 2023 06:57:00 +0000

Here are six questions you’ll need to answer in order to set sail on your own summer Bible study adventure.

10 Ways to Honor Dr. King

Efrem Smith — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 07:02:00 +0000

There are plenty of practical ways to honor Dr. King. Beyond remmbering his legacy on thius special day, we can also honor Dr. King in the following ways.

Why Did Jesus Come as a Baby? There Are at Least 2 Reasons

Nicole Cottrell — Thu, 15 Dec 2022 12:03:00 +0000

As Christmas draws near I find myself asking, why did Jesus come as a baby –small and defenseless– and not a man ready to begin His ministry on earth?

Does “Breath of Life” in Scripture Mean an Unborn Child Isn’t Human Until They’re Born and Breathing?

Randy Alcorn — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 11:12:38 +0000

Some prochoice religious groups argue that as Adam’s life began when God breathed into him, so each human life begins when the baby is born and takes his first breath. However, the scriptures testify to the personhood of the unborn.

Local Churches Are an Essential Part of God’s Plan to Reach the World through Missions

Randy Alcorn — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 11:12:09 +0000

Local churches are a vital part of world missions in the way they stay engaged with the mission of Jesus both at home and abroad.

Flat Tires, Frustrations and Always Being Ready to Evangelize

Greg Stier — Wed, 06 Oct 2021 11:18:50 +0000

Life’s little frustrations can lead to Gospel conversations. Flat tires and frustrating situations never seem to come at a convenient time! But they often come with an important opportunity.

First Person: Report from a Missionary in South Asia

IMB Staff — Thu, 23 Sep 2021 10:06:59 +0000

Each week, more would join us and plead for us to visit their villages. This is nothing new for a missionary in South Asia: we felt the acute tension of His plentiful harvest on the cusp of being ready, yet knew we were woefully short on workers to labor in the harvest.

10 Differences Between a Believer and a Christian

Jarrid Wilson — Mon, 12 Jul 2021 05:00:08 +0000

What is a believer? Well, a believer is someone who merely believes in Jesus, whereas a Christian actually follows His commands.

Unhealed Hurts: From Bondage to Freedom

Chad Missildine — Tue, 22 Dec 2020 18:19:00 +0000

In professional sports, you are put on a list if you are injured. In life, we are taught at a young age to cover up our wounds. Hurt, to many, is a sign of weakness. So as to not stand out in the crowd, we mask our hurts and cover up our wounds. We put […]

"More Money Will Make Me More Generous" Is An Illusion

Pete Wilson — Fri, 04 Dec 2020 16:00:00 +0000

One of the greatest illusions of our day is: More Money Will Make Me More Generous. My wife, Brandi, and I have always enjoyed hosting small-group Bible studies in our home. Over the fifteen years we’ve been married, we’ve almost always had a group that met regularly in our house. I’ll never forget something that […]

Our Mission: We Were Born for THIS Generation

Brandon Cox — Fri, 04 Dec 2020 04:57:05 +0000

You were born for THIS generation. For this moment. And there has never been a greater time to be involved in the ministry of sharing Christ and his Kingdom values with the world around you.

International Missions – Building Upon John Piper’s Guidance

Zach Bradley — Mon, 30 Nov 2020 08:39:32 +0000

Over the past decade, John Piper’s categorical way of thinking about international missions and the local church has invigorated countless people.

Apathy as the Enemy of the Gospel

J.D. Greear — Sun, 29 Nov 2020 22:12:00 +0000

I picked up John Piper’s new book, Bloodlines and thought this was a great passage on how the gospel transforms a heart from passionless apathy to fervent living. “Apathy is passionless living. It is sitting in front of the television night after night and living your life from one moment of entertainment to the next. It is […]

Surprised by Chesterton

Dan DeWitt — Sun, 08 Nov 2020 17:17:00 +0000

“Ignorance is the first penalty of pride.” So wrote H.G. Wells in his 1920 work The Outline of Human History, in which he argued that Christianity had collapsed “like a house of cards” in light of evolutionary theory. “The whole moral edifice,” Wells said referring to Christianity “was built upon false history.” If ignorance is […]

What Makes Business Christian? ~ Part 4

J.D. Greear — Mon, 26 Oct 2020 20:58:00 +0000

Today we’re looking at the 4th characteristic that makes business “Christian.” Below are the links for the previous characteristics that I posted. Christian work is: – 1. Creation-Fulfilling – 2. Excellence-Pursuing – 3. Holiness-Reflecting 4. Todays topic – Redemption-Displaying: If Christians were to act in their jobs with equity and fairness, that alone would set them apart. But those […]

Five Steps to Planting Life Giving Community Groups

Acts 29 Network — Mon, 12 Oct 2020 19:38:00 +0000

I am real proud of Brad and excited about this great resource that explains how he led Mars Hill Church to establish over 500 small groups. It is a reproducible model full of robust theology, shepherding principles and practical steps. – Scott Thomas, President of Acts 29 By Pastor Brad House, author of Community: Taking […]

Celebrating New Life

Scott Thomas — Mon, 12 Oct 2020 13:49:00 +0000

Below is the story of a baptism event at Vintage21 Church in Raleigh, NC. Pastor Matt Stevens beautifully describes the event and the work of Jesus in the lives of those who were baptized. These words were the response of a man about to be baptized in Jordan Lake this past Sunday at our annual BBQ Baptism. […]

Is There an Unforgivable Sin?

Eric Bryant — Tue, 18 Aug 2020 01:50:00 +0000

Is there really an unforgivable sin? And, if so, what is it?

Spiritual Gifts: Who Needs ‘Em?

Nicole Cottrell — Mon, 13 Jul 2020 18:05:00 +0000

This post is from the archives. However, members of my church family and I have been discussing spiritual gifts as of late. I forget how important and powerful the realization of your gifting truly is. With that in mind, I thought I would re-run this spiritual gift series. I am also guest posting today over […]

11 Signs That You Suffer From Ministry Arrogance

Scott Williams — Thu, 21 May 2020 02:00:00 +0000

It's easy for emerging movements to become ministry arrogant.

Christians Behaving Awesomely: The Story of Brent Cunningham & The Boston Marathon

Margaret Feinberg — Thu, 23 Apr 2020 14:28:00 +0000

All too often Christians make headlines for negative actions or attitudes. These stories tend to garner the most media buzz. But in the midst of the Boston Marathon tragedy, one Christian made international news for his act of kindness and generosity. Shortly after the bombs exploded, Brent and Karin Cunningham, along with their daughter Megan, encountered […]

Should the Church Be Culturally Relevant?

Scott Williams — Thu, 09 Apr 2020 02:00:00 +0000

"The methods must change, but the message “the word” never changes," says Scott Williams.

The Power of God

Nicole Cottrell — Sat, 28 Mar 2020 00:41:00 +0000

So many of us worship a different God. Oh, it’s still the God of Jacob. The God of Abraham. Yahweh. Jesus Christ. But, as my days in salvation go on, I have seen and met so many hopeless Christians. So many people, who are complacent in their faith. Lukewarm. Vacillating. I have seen so many […]

5 Smart Ways To Build Trust in Your Marriage

Chad Missildine — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 21:23:00 +0000

So trust is pretty important in marriage. Some of you that are married have a decent amount of trust in your relationship. How great would it be to raise that level of trust and grow even closer in your marriage? Others of you may have little trust. How would you like to move towards restoring […]

The Secret Sexual Revolution

Pete Wilson — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 18:53:00 +0000

Since I get to pastor a church with a high percentage of adult singles I found THIS article entitled “The Sexual Revolution” written by Tyler Charles very interesting. He writes… And the reality is the numbers arenʼt going down. Of those 80 percent of Christians in the 18-29 age range who have had sex before […]

Liberation Must Include Reconciliation

Efrem Smith — Mon, 17 Feb 2020 03:00:00 +0000

Efrem Smith: "To separate deliverance and reconciliation is to limit freedom and salvation."

The Importance of Building Genuine Relationships with Other Believers

Philip Wagner — Sun, 16 Feb 2020 21:06:00 +0000

One of the most important aspects of becoming strong in your faith, is building healthy relationships with other believers who have a genuine & mature walk with God. The lack of mature followers of Jesus in your life will result in difficulties that are unnecessary. No friends. Wrong friends. Friends who you think are spiritually […]

God is Good..Blah, Blah, Blah…

Nicole Cottrell — Fri, 31 Jan 2020 09:57:00 +0000

The other day, I was relating a story to my husband about something great God had done. “Yeah, and then God did this and then He did that. He healed them. He saved them! It was awesome. You know, God is good. Blah, blah, blah.” My husband immediately caught my slip and burst out laughing. […]

Breaking The Silence

Pete Wilson — Thu, 09 Jan 2020 20:56:00 +0000

And David declared… Psalm 32:1-5 1 Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! 2 Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! 3 When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, […]

3 Abnormal Gifts for Your Small Group This Christmas

Rob Bentz — Thu, 12 Dec 2019 12:00:00 +0000

Here’s a different holiday idea: How about getting a few abnormal gifts for your whole small group?

12 Secrets Most Leaders Won’t Tell You

Carey Nieuwhof — Tue, 14 May 2019 12:01:48 +0000

Leadership is a journey…a journey that’s probably different than you thought it would be before you stepped into leadership. When I was young, I always thought top leaders had it all figured out. That the uncertainty would one day disappear once I had more life and leadership under my belt. But as you eventually learn, […]

Too Good to Be True

Paul David Tripp — Fri, 25 Jan 2019 06:55:52 +0000

The word rolls off our tongue so easily. Good. “Wow, this cereal is so good!” “We had a good time at the park.” “Let me tell you where to get a good cup of coffee.” “Sam is a really good husband.” It’s become such a familiar and mundane word in our vocabulary that our mind […]

When Busy Becomes Too Busy: The Essential Business of Staying Connected to Your Heart

Justin Rizzo — Thu, 24 Jan 2019 06:55:28 +0000

A few weeks ago, as I was talking with one of my mentors, my answer to a question she asked me left me in pain. Her question wasn’t new or profound, but my response shocked me. “Where is your heart in this season?” she asked. Now, as a “well-trained” pastor’s kid, I immediately opened my […]