Building Ministries vs. Making Disciples

Building Ministries vs. Making Disciples

ByJames Warren

Full disclosure: I think leaders and pastors fall into the trap of focusing more of their time on building ministries than making disciples. It is not that leaders and pastors don’t think discipleship is essential, but the reality is that discipleship does not pay the bills. The commitment to discipleship is time and energy-intensive, ultimately taking time and energy away from the ministries we are paid to oversee. As a result, discipleship takes a back seat to most everything else. 

Stages in Discipleship Development: A Well-Established Concept

Stages in Discipleship Development: A Well-Established Concept

ByDavid Carroll

Introduction Which of us has not finished our training and entered the workforce of the Church with great dreams of helping young people “find Jesus” and move on to become giants of the faith, filling their personal pews for years on end, serving God’s children from a purity of heart, and raising themselves a whole…

The Youth Ministry Separator: What Makes the Best Youth Ministries Best?

The Youth Ministry Separator: What Makes the Best Youth Ministries Best?

ByJeff Cochran

There are a lot of different youth ministry models to choose from. Different youth ministries do different things well, and we can all learn from each other. Regardless of the size of your ministry, we all have something to learn from one another! I learned a powerful youth ministry lesson from watching other youth ministries. As I’ve traveled and…

BIG TRENDS: The Millennials Have Left the Building; Enter the iGeneration!

BIG TRENDS: The Millennials Have Left the Building; Enter the iGeneration!

ByDavid Carroll

Introduction On March 1, 2018 Michael Dimock, President of the Pew Research Center, shared in an article called “Defining Generations: Where Millennials End and Post-millennials Begin” that the Pew Center would use the year 1996 as the last year of the Millennial Generation. And while there is some disagreement amongst experts in the fields of…