Church & Ministry

Lighting Up the Valley

Mel McGowan explores how Shepherd Church redesigned its Los Angeles campus with a new 3,500-seat auditorium, creative outdoor spaces, and a vision to welcome its diverse community and…

The Night Before Christmas

Kelly Carr gathers Christmas Eve church service ideas from ministers nationwide, exploring familiar carols, candlelight, creative outreach, family-friendly worship, and ways to care for church staff during the…

Maximizing the Role of Women in Church Planting: A Conversation with Debbie Jones

David Dummitt interviews Debbie Jones of Stadia's Bloom about protecting church-planting families from ministry strain through healthy boundaries, counseling, coaching, marriage care, and intentional rhythms of rest.

Imagineer

Mel McGowan draws on his Disney imagineering experience to explore how churches can communicate their mission through strategic storytelling, digital media, and physical environments that bring meaningful stories…

When You Can See the World from Your Backyard

James C. Book shares how Kissimmee Christian Church developed Hispanic and Haitian worship ministries, studied local demographics, and expanded community outreach to serve diverse neighbors under one eldership.

An Inside Look at Rural Communities and Churches

How do demographic changes, growing diversity, and limited broadband access affect rural churches? Kent Fillinger examines historical research and survey findings that reveal important differences between small-town, suburban,…

The Church that Does the Recovery Program

A church recovery program helped transform First Christian Church in Belle, Missouri. Discover how Celebrate Recovery brought people facing addiction into a welcoming congregation and created opportunities for…

Overcoming the Challenges of Rural Ministry

What makes rural church ministry different? Justin Horey interviews Barney Wells and Randy Kirk about building trust, navigating change, serving small-town communities, and overcoming barriers to sustainable church…

The Miracle in the Cornfield

How did Redemption Christian Church grow from 12 people to more than 1,800 in rural Indiana? Darrel Land shares four lessons about mission, bold faith, tangible love, and…

Minister’s Salary Survey (It’ll Take 2 Minutes)

Changing Our Church to Change Our Community: The South Fork Story

Rural Church Planting: A Conversation with Pastor Jerry Harris

A Church for Forgotten Places

A Salute to Small Towns, Rural Areas, and Micropolitan Communities (Our Attempt at a Glossary of Terms)

Inner-City Catalyst: An Interview with Samson Dunn