The importance of rest in church planting
I wanted to reach people. I wanted to grow the church. I wanted to make an impact. But I didn't recognize what I was doing.
Resources for Personal Development
The intentional life of a Christian
The Christian life is not about me living for Jesus; it’s about Jesus living His life …
How to plant your church without losing your spouse: Pay attention
If we are discussing “How to plant your church without losing your spouse,” the most significant …
How to plant your church without losing your spouse: Pay attention Read More »
Brotherhood success stories: Ryan Rice
I never wanted to move back to New Orleans. It was truly a supernatural move of …
Brotherhood success stories: How brotherhood is accomplished
A significant part of the brotherhood I have experienced was an inherited grace. I take no …
Brotherhood success stories: How brotherhood is accomplished Read More »
Spiritual journal discipleship
Church planters get pulled in many directions at once. The task of discipling men can get …
9 characteristics of a church planter: Social skills
Before I knew Jesus, I was a user. Not drugs. Worse. I used people. I am …
9 characteristics of a church planter: Social skills Read More »
9 characteristics of a church planter: Disciple making
Recently I had the “privilege” of shopping at Home Depot. I say “privilege” because, depending on …
9 characteristics of a church planter: Disciple making Read More »
9 characteristics of a church planter: Family dynamics
We plant gospel-centered churches because it is the prescribed Great Commission strategy found in the Scripture. …
9 characteristics of a church planter: Family dynamics Read More »
9 characteristics of a church planter: Emotional and spiritual health
Church planting is a not a young man’s sport, nor an old man’s sport. It’s a healthy man’s …
9 characteristics of a church planter: Emotional and spiritual health Read More »
9 characteristics of a church planter: Calling/Intro
I still remember the angst I felt the first time I read the question, “When were …
9 characteristics of a church planter: Calling/Intro Read More »
9 characteristics of a church planter: Communication
One of the key ingredients of effectiveness is the ability to communicate clearly. Jesus was the …
9 characteristics of a church planter: Communication Read More »
9 characteristics of a church planter: Leadership
No one has ever called me charismatic. I’m not a raging extrovert. And I’m certainly not …
9 characteristics of a church planter: Leadership Read More »
9 characteristics of a church planter: Vision
Vision is overrated. “I’m just not very good at this whole ‘vision’ thing,” a discouraged pastor …
In January, I celebrated 14 years of marriage. I am truly amazed that God gave me …
Accountability with your growth
I remember the first time I heard Tim Keller say “Being in ministry will either make …
When it comes to church planting, the old saying is true, “Time is of the essence.” …
Accountability with your finances
‘Accountability’ is a popular word in our culture. Good stewardship is both biblical and practical. But …
The Emotionally Healthy Planter: Fears
Perfect love casts out fear (1 Jn 4:18). The promise presupposes certain realities. First, fear is …
The Emotionally Healthy Planter: Family
Where’d that come from? We’ve probably all asked this question from time to time. Something happens …
Barriers of Brotherhood: Differences & Disagreements
At times it feels like the only guarantees in life are death, taxes, and disagreements between …
Barriers of Brotherhood: Differences & Disagreements Read More »
Barriers of Brotherhood: Busyness & Priorities
Both planters and re-planters who are burdened to serve Jesus can find themselves extremely busy — …
Barriers of Brotherhood: Envy & Insecurity
Two jumps in a week Bet you think that’s pretty clever Don’t you, boy? Flying along …
Why adoption is supposed to be hard: Part 3
What we are finding is that there is a special joy that comes from sharing in …
Why adoption is supposed to be hard: Part 2
As hard as this process has been so far—here is what we are learning, slowly and …
Why adoption is supposed to be hard: Part 1
This series of posts was originally written in November 2016. We have been home from China …
The emotionally healthy planter: Discouragement and 4 ways to combat it
The sun doesn’t shine much in Portland, but on this day the clouds surrendered and the …
The emotionally healthy planter: Discouragement and 4 ways to combat it Read More »
The Emotionally healthy planter: Fear and 3 ways to combat it
Church planting is, in part, fueled by faith—expressed in prayer, godly risk-taking and faithful labor. And …
The Emotionally healthy planter: Fear and 3 ways to combat it Read More »
The Emotionally Healthy Planter: Anger
We don’t simply need to plant more churches, we need to plant healthy churches. A healthy …
5 Lessons I learned from Adrian Rogers
No one has influenced and impacted my life like the “prince of preachers,” the man known …
Voices that shape us: The Importance of mentors
One of the most influential theologians in my life is a musician. Songwriter Michael Card’s exegetically evocative and …
Developing brotherhood in your city: Why and how it’s successful
Ninja strike teams When I was a kid, we used to jump all over the playground …
Developing brotherhood in your city: Why and how it’s successful Read More »
Developing brotherhood in your city: Why you need it
Not Karate All over the world, people are being trained in the martial arts. That said, …
Developing brotherhood in your city: Why you need it Read More »
Last week I introduced you to, or reminded you of, a concept called identity amnesia: Christians …
The spiritual power of habits: Sabbath
For twelve months, I met with a wildly creative leader who wanted to plant a church. …
The spiritual power of habits: Time in the Word
Developing a tasteWhen I was a young adult I couldn’t stand the taste of coffee. I …
The Spiritual power of habits: Introduction
“I believe the gospel–I just don’t believe it right now. I believe that at a head level, I just don’t …
More than a song: Fostering a culture of worship in your church
The past few months, I have been reading through the Old Testament minor prophets. As a …
More than a song: Fostering a culture of worship in your church Read More »
Music matters: Why we worship corporately through song
In college, I led a small Bible study for freshmen. My primary aim was to study …
Music matters: Why we worship corporately through song Read More »
Genesis 2:18 – Keeping a marriage strong as a church planter
I will never forget the day that my husband sat me down and said the words, …
Genesis 2:18 – Keeping a marriage strong as a church planter Read More »
How to encourage your wife while planting a church
Regardless of where you are in your church planting journey, chances are you know how essential …
How to encourage your wife while planting a church Read More »
Free guide: How to build a successful marriage
The majority of Christians I meet like the idea of church planting conceptually but would never …
Where is church planting in the Bible?
The majority of Christians I meet like the idea of church planting conceptually but would never …
The Bible speaks about the reality of a conflict we face as believers, and we popularly …
Transformational relationships with God
The most important things to measure in your church plant are often the hardest things to …
Is your calling based on identity?
Every Christian is called to be a missionary, and this calling extends wherever we are. Every …
Why friendship is important as a church planter
I read a recent survey about friendship that was disheartening, but not terribly surprising. Since the …
The Coach TestThe church planter coaching “frequently asked question” list is always growing. We love this …
Another year brings with it the history of story after story of pastors who are removed …
Things I won’t do in 2017: Brian Bowman
In many wonderful ways planting Valley Life Church has been church planting fairy tale. Healthy financial support …
Most popular of 2016: #4 Raising kids to love the church: Jeff Christopherson
The North American Mission Board is blessed by a wide array of voices that speak to …
Most popular of 2016: #4 Raising kids to love the church: Jeff Christopherson Read More »
How to navigate through dark days
The dark days we experience as pastors bring many difficulties. But maybe one of the most …
Navigating dark days: Spiritual sickness
I’m not exactly sure how I got there. I assume there were numerous factors that caused …
How to find freedom from regret
Regret is as deadly as worry. One confronts an unknown future, the other an unfortunate past. …
Navigating dark days: Dark places
“The iron bolt which so mysteriously fastens the door of hope and holds our spirits in …
How to raise kids to love the church
I’ve been part of church plants ever since I can remember. My dad took over as …
Raising Kids to Love the Church: Laura Christopherson
Six months into our first pastorate, I had a real “aha” moment. I didn’t even know …
Raising Kids to Love the Church: Laura Christopherson Read More »
Raising kids to love the church: Jeff Christopherson
Laura and I always invested our savings in the next church plant, so we were constantly …
Raising kids to love the church: Jeff Christopherson Read More »
Qualifications for a church planter: Part 2
In part one, I indicated how Jeff Foxworthy has entertained audiences across North America by poking …
Qualifications for a church planter: Part 1
Jeff Foxworthy is a nationally recognized comedian who combines Southern charm with a touch of soft …
The fallacy of our spiritual gifts: Part 2
(Continued from The fallacy of our spiritual gifts: Part 1.) What is the Kingdom’s O.S.? Weakness. Just weakness. …
The fallacy of our spiritual gifts: Part 1
Brett and Noelle are busy penciling in 200 dots in the new member’s class at church. …
What does God require? Not success, but faithfulness
As a church, we recently finished a series through the book of Acts. It’s easy to get …
What does God require? Not success, but faithfulness Read More »
Several years ago, I was asked to share with a group of missionaries in Chili about …
We all have spiritual heroes. We admire these leaders God has placed in our path, even …
Stories from the frontlines: Dustin Nimmo
This week we interviewed three practitioners serving on the field as church planters. These are their …
Stories from the front lines: Whitney Clayton
This week we interviewed three practitioners serving on the field as church planters. These are their …
Brotherhood: God’s prayer for relationships
My phone usually pings around 7 a.m. on Sunday morning. The most recent one read: “Praying for …
Christians understand the necessity of burden-bearing relationships. We know that we are broken, sinful men and …
Brotherhood: Giving encouragement
All ministry is hard and church planting is typically harder. Obstacles abound within the church planting …
There are few things that will get you out of your comfort zone more than planting …
For as long as I can remember, I’ve struggled with approval. The question, “What do people …
People with a natural passion and ability to keep plants alive are said to have a …
The Planter in Community: Defer Leadership
A few years back I attended a missions conference and struck up a conversation with a …
The Planter in Community: No Masks Allowed
I was in the middle of small group when I got the barrage of text messages. …
The Pastor in Community: You Need It
I remember sitting at a conference for a particular church planting network. We had reached the …
Redefining Success: Family Culture
What makes a church successful? Is it the number of those who attend the weekly gathering, …
Church Discipline: The Outcome of Church Discipline
THE OUTCOME OF CHURCH DISCIPLINE As we have faithfully practiced discipline as a body, we are …
Church Discipline: The Outcome of Church Discipline Read More »
Church Discipline: The Process of Church Discipline
The elders of The Austin Stone have studied, prayed and labored over the process of discipline …
Church Discipline: The Process of Church Discipline Read More »
On the playground of spiritual disciplines fasting gets picked last, and sometimes not at all if …