November 6, 2025
If we’re serious about trying to reach lost sinners and fish for people like Jesus told us to, then it’s essential we understand the beliefs, behavior, and belonging of those we’re fishing for so we can use the right kind of “bait.”
November 6, 2025
We’re hearing stories from across the country about college ministries where thousands are giving their lives to Christ and being baptized in obedience to him. There’s something real happening in This Generation.
June 22, 2019
A Strategy to Reach a ‘Dry and Weary Land’ By Justin Horey Every three years, the leadership team at The Crossing in Milton, Delaware, asks itself this question: “If the Lord allows us to minister here for three more years, what does he want us to focus on?” That question is part of a three-day planning retreat in which staff, elders, and key leaders prayerfully consider a strategic plan that will guide the church’s ministry. Senior minister Mark Magee has led The Crossing since June 1993, when he was just 25 years old. There were 40 people in attendance on
September 21, 2018
E2: Effective Elders Blog Editor’s Note: Each Friday we publish a new blog post from our partners in ministry, E2: Effective Elders. We publish it here simultaneous to E2’s posting on their site. The leaders of E2 write an article for our print and online magazine every month as well. Those articles are full of wisdom and practical help for elders. Please check them out! _____ By Jim Estep Putting it simply: Change is hard. We try to change our diet, exercise more, adapt to new technology, change our routines . . . but it’s hard to take the risk of
May 21, 2016
By Michael C. Mack Studies point to a steep decline in senior adult ministries in churches. “As the large baby boomer generation moves into their older years,” says Thom Rainer, president and CEO of LifeWay, “they will resist any suggestion that they are senior adults, no matter how senior they may be.” Churches must be prepared to adapt to this new reality. If they continue to minister to senior adults as they always have, says Rainer, they are headed for failure. In February we asked Best Practices readers, both in print and in our Facebook group (www.facebook.com/BestMinistryPractices), “What are you
September 26, 2015
By Michael C. Mack Over the summer of 2015, Northeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky, served its community through a wide variety of big, all-in serving events called Love the Ville (#lovetheville) that took lots of planning and coordination and made a huge impact on the community. What does it take to plan and execute big serving initiatives like the ones Northeast carried out? What are the secrets that any sized church or ministry can implement? Go and do minister Randy Gordon provides three vital planning and execution principles: 1. Talk to the right people. Maximize the relationships you already
July 24, 2014
Kevin Dooley from New Mission Systems International talks about marketplace ministry as a strategy for influencing culture anywhere. Hear this exclusive interview with CHRISTIAN STANDARD Editor Mark Taylor here.Â
June 22, 2014
By Eddie Lowen I would not trade””for anything””the experience of seeing what happened with our team when we united around the words of our vision and mission. For a long time, I was a skeptic and contrarian regarding church mission statements. To my eye, nearly all were synonymous, so why bother? Besides, isn”t the church”s mission already expressed in Scripture? Jesus said he came to seek and save the lost. He commissioned his followers to preach the good news to everyone. His words are clear and compelling. Best of all, using the words of Jesus does not require several days
January 11, 2009
by Ryan Frank God has given me the privilege of connecting with thousands of children”s pastors and ministry workers. Through the ministry of KidzMatter and K! Magazine, I interact with new people in children”s ministry almost every day. One thing I”ve learned is this: everyone in children”s ministry desires to reach children for the Lord Jesus Christ. Is there anything greater one can do than to reach boys and girls for our Savior? One of the greatest ways to reach children in your church and community each summer is with Vacation Bible School. It”s the biggest thing we do at my
January 13, 2008
By Johnny Scott Have you ever come home from a convention with great enthusiasm about your new small group master plan? You have the best volunteers ever, and you”ve communicated to parents and fellow church staff in meticulous detail how the program will be a success. The curriculum was field-tested by the leaders and chosen by the student leadership team. Everyone is excited. But somewhere between the “back-to-school kickoff” and Christmas break the impact you envisioned fizzles out. What went wrong? It just didn”t seem to add up. Let me propose you take a step backward. Ask yourself, “How did
January 13, 2008
By Matt and Amy Andrew Why are so many ministers to children and youth experiencing burnout and leaving the ministry? Could it be we need to focus on what is truly important in youth and family ministry? Have we learned to spend the most time on activities that make ministry effective? How often do ministers feel as if they are on an unstoppable treadmill, jumping from one program to another, packing as many activities into the week as they possibly can? How many feel they are not effective in ministry unless the church door is always open and something is
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