In Preaching Articles: "Church Culture"

You Won't Accomplish Your Vision Without This

By Lance Witt on Mar 10, 2021

In my ministry Replenish, I am often asked “how do you know if a church is healthy”? What I know for sure is that the size of a church or it’s rate of growth or what happens on the platform in a weekend worship service is NOT a sure-fire indicator of health.

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5 Ways Ministry Leaders Start The Journey To Failure

By Ron Edmondson on Jul 31, 2022

One of the hardest things I do in ministry is interact with those who are no longer in ministry, but wish they were. They’ve been derailed. They messed up and either they got caught or the guilt got the best of them and they confessed. Watching this process over the years there appear to be some common reasons failure occurs. It doesn’t start at the failure. It starts months – and, perhaps years – prior. My hope is if we expose some of them we can catch a few people before it is too late.

Tags: leadership, pastoral leadership, avoiding trouble, avoiding burnout, church ministry, Leadership Failure, Exposing Blindspots, e, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

When A Private Apology Is Not Enough

By Joe Mckeever on Jul 14, 2022

"Nothing is so lovely and so welcome and so healing in a church as for a member to go before the congregation and admit to his/her destructive behavior and ask for forgiveness."

Tags: Humility, Reconciliation, repentance, restitution, Confession of Sin, church ministry, Apology, Making things right, Admitting Guilt, Repentance  (view more)  (view less)

4 Weapons Of Mass Distraction In A Leader’s Life

By Charles Stone on Nov 12, 2023

Ask yourself which of these four weapons of mass distraction divert you the most from leading at your best.

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:8

Tags: leadership, focus, distractions, pastoral leadership, Pastoral Ministry, church ministry, Effective Leadership, Leading Others Well, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

4 Spiritual Disciplines Pastors Often Neglect

By Charles Stone on Nov 15, 2023

What spiritual disciplines might you be neglecting?

Tags: leadership, Submission, confession, Solitude, Christian Disciplines, pastoral leadership, Spiritual Discipline, Pastoral Ministry, church ministry, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

Handling A Hurricane Part 3

By Lance Witt on May 5, 2024

In a storm, it is helpful to have a plan, but it is even more important to have clear, decisive leadership in the midst of everything being blown apart.

Tags: Perseverance, leadership, resolving conflict, pastoral leadership, overcoming sin, church ministry, Leadership Failure, Relational Dynamics, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

The Word Nobody Likes… Part 2

By Lance Witt on Dec 4, 2023

One of the reasons the word accountability gets a bad rap is because of the way some people have carried out accountability. Holding people accountable is not using your position as a club to embarrass, humiliate, mistreat, belittle or shame people. Our accountability of people should make those on our team better not bitter.

Scripture: Daniel 6:1

Tags: Humility, leadership, relationships, Accountability, Performance, Feedback, Pastoral Ministry, church ministry, Empowering Others, Effective Leadership, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

When Pastors Misplace Their Identity: 10 Probing Questions

By Charles Stone on Sep 18, 2022

“No one is more influential in your life than you are, because no one talks to you more than you do.” ––Paul Tripp

Scripture: 1 Samuel 28:1

Tags: Ministry, identity, Identity in Christ, pastoral leadership, Pastoral Ministry, church leadership, Right Priorities, self assement, ministry  (view more)  (view less)

5 Marks Of A Mature Leader

By Brandon Cox on Jul 2, 2024

Your body’s physical maturity typically peaks in early adulthood, but your spiritual maturity will keep growing even into eternity.

Tags: Humble, godly character, Godly Leaders, Leadership Listening, Encourage Others, pastoral leadership, church leadership, Leadership Traits  (view more)  (view less)

Don’t Try To Be Successful, Try To Do Good Work

By Karl Vaters on Jul 3, 2024

A minister with a well-nourished soul may or may not have a big church, but they’ll always have a healthy ministry.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:1-11, 1 Corinthians 4:2

Tags: leadership, Faithfulness, Good Works, pastoral leadership, success in ministry, church leadership, measuring success, serving faithfully, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

Memorial Day Is Not A Slam-Dunk For Preachers: Here's Why

By Kevin Deyoung on May 13, 2020

Kevin DeYoung: "Many churches could stand to think more carefully about their theology of God and country."

Tags: Preaching, preaching

Learn To Love The Wrestling

By SermonCentral .com on Aug 28, 2020

Preaching is a gift, but so is preparation. The hard wrestling with God’s Word feeds the preacher before it feeds the church.

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:15, 1 Timothy 4:16, Jeremiah 23:29, Psalm 1:2-3, Hebrews 4:12  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Preaching, spiritual growth, Life Unfair, preaching, Spiritual Growth  (view more)  (view less)

How To Deal With A Preacher-Eater

By Joe Mckeever on Feb 21, 2023

Practical advice for dealing with the self-appointed church rulers who try to dominate your preaching and your ministry.

Tags: Preaching, Ruler, practical advice, sons of diotrephes, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

10 Ways To Overcome A Sense Of Christmas Loss

By Ron Edmondson on Dec 8, 2025

Several years ago, to prepare for a Christmas message, I consulted with two professional Christian counselors in our church.

Tags: Christmas, Grief, Worship General

Search And Rescue

By Lance Witt on Oct 22, 2023

Outside the walls of your church, there is a spiritual harvest waiting to be reaped. Like Jesus, we must be broken for the broken.

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:18-21

Tags: Evangelism, Reconciliation, pastoral leadership, Reaching out, To be disabled, evangelism  (view more)  (view less)