After a decade of decline that left many wondering if the church planting movement had run its course, something remarkable is happening. Acts 29 grew from 125 men in the pipeline to over 450 in just two years—more than tripled. The Presbyterian Church in America planted 54 new works in 2025, their highest number in […]
Here’s a statistic that should stop every pastor and church leader in their tracks: Of the only 20% of churches that are growing today, 95% of that “growth” is not actual growth at all—it’s shuffling Christians around into new groups. Only 1% of what we call “church growth” represents reaching lost people. Let that sink
From Seating Capacity to Sending Capacity: Why Real Church Growth Requires Death Read More »
“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” — 2 Timothy 2:2 We love to talk about the vine. Disciple-making movements. Spiritual multiplication. The organic spread of the gospel through relationships, house to house, life on life.
The Trellis and the Vine: Why Church Operations Is Theological, Not Just Administrative Read More »
\n\n Paul’s charge to Timothy is startlingly simple: “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2). Four generations of discipleship in one verse. Yet here’s what we often miss—Paul doesn’t say “the things you’ve
The Lost Art of Imitation: Why Disciple-Making Requires More Than Bible Studies Read More »
Seventy percent of church conflicts that reach crisis level involve elder board dysfunction. Not the culture. Not the youth pastor’s wardrobe. Not the worship style. Elders who cannot disagree well. This statistic from Lifeway Research should stop every church planter cold. You’re pouring your life into a new work, building a launch team, finding a
When Elders Disagree: Why Conflict-Killing Leadership Multiplies Churches Read More »
Something unexpected is happening right now. The generation that pollsters call “the least religious in American history” is also the most spiritually hungry. Gen Z is walking away from church buildings — but they are not walking away from God. And if we’re honest, the question that should keep every pastor, every small group leader,