Church Life

“By the time he sits down to prepare, much of his emotional and mental energy has already been spent elsewhere. Then his phone buzzes. ‘Pastor, when you get a chance …’” - Lifeway

“Most of us have a habit of sitting in the same place in church on Sunday, and I realize that nobody else is calling for changing this pattern. Nevertheless, I press on with my reasons that you and I should sit in a different place at church this weekend.” - Chuck Lawless

“Many faithful Christians are committed to churches they love, even if they don’t always care for the music. They join and stay because the preaching is biblicalb…. Because music engages our affections, though, it can be painful when we don’t love our church’s music.music.” - TGC

“The word suggests speech that rouses and stirs. When we exhort, we urge others to action—sometimes away from sin (Hebrews 3:13), sometimes toward good works (Hebrews 10:24–25), always nearer to God.” - Scott Hubbard

“How can we lead our churches to find success in following Bible reading plans that help them spend time in God’s Word in a meaningful way?” - Lifeway

“In a world where houses double as impenetrable castles and most shopping is done online, serving as a greeter is countercultural. Greeters reflect an otherworldly gospel.” - TGC

“The influx of people from all over the world has happened in the last five years….What is your church like? Are you learning to love a wide variety of cultures and educational backgrounds? I hope so.” - Don Johnson

“There was the time a church fought over the appropriate length of the pastor’s beard… We witnessed a conflict over people leading worship with their eyes closed during a portion of the song. One church held two business meetings to determine which weed-eater to purchase.” - CPost

“I admit that my assessment is entirely subjective, but here’s what makes the worship so strong for me that I can’t wait to preach.” - Chuck Lawless

“In every organization, particularly in churches, there’s an invisible gravitational pull toward safety, sameness, and silence. … But a well-timed laugh? It slips past all those well-guarded defenses. That’s the beauty of an inside joke.” - Lifeway