Ministry Action Plans

04/20/2026

Being a pastor can feel like the loneliest job (and calling) in the world. Part of that feeling is the nature of vocational or bi-vocational ministry service—giving freely of yourself to advance the church and help others, sometimes at great personal cost.

There are many times in my ministry life when I've felt completely alone. Consider a journal entry I made many years ago: My extreme busy-ness has often crowded out self-reflection—we've worked so hard these last few years that I may have lost sight of my own personal spiritual health. New buildi....

03/12/2026

Barna's most significant marriage and family study in over 20 years is now available for purchase.

Inside The State of Today's Family, you’ll discover how families are really experiencing marriage, parenting, and discipleship in today’s culture, where pastors and parents align—and where their perspectives differ—and practical opportunities for churches to come alongside families with meaningful support and spiritual guidance.

Get your copy today. https://hubs.la/Q03SRrP50

05/01/2025

People desire strong, spiritual leadership in most churches. But any leader worthy of his high calling as Pastor recognizes the need for collaborative thinking and consensus building. So how do you strike a balance between commanding and collaborating?

There's inherent tension between leaders and followers in any congregational church. Because effective leaders usually have a strong sense of vision and values for accomplishing the church's missional objectives, and some members and leaders desire a voice in those same objectives, there's bound to....

04/21/2025

At a time when organized religion in America faces scrutiny and skepticism, a new Barna study as part of the State of the Church 2025 initiative shows a groundswell of commitment to Jesus over the last four years.

This shift is not only statistically significant—it may be the clearest indication of meaningful spiritual renewal in the United States.

Get Barna’s free Easter sermon slides meant to help you talk about the resurgence in beliefs in Jesus: https://hubs.la/Q03gjdgH0

04/15/2025

Healthy churches possess clear vision, effective leadership and able ex*****on. After a short pause at the end of the growth cycle they are able to recharge, refresh and relaunch into a new season of growth.

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04/04/2025

My 2025 Church Trends Leader Guide is a free PDF that highlights the five most significant shifts shaping the future of the church. Packed with data and actionable insights, it equips pastors and church leaders to navigate challenges like Gen Z's spiritual journey, the decline of evangelism, and the rise of non-derivative churches. This resource will help you stay on top of trends so that your day-to-day efforts in ministry lead to meaningful growth.

04/01/2025

Create strategy and generate ministry ideas with volunteers, key leaders and teams who make ministry happen every week. And for maximum ministry impact, delegate ex*****on to ministry leaders nearest the people being served.

The best ideas and strategies come from leaders and teams closest to the people being served and the ministries deployed to meet their needs. Think about that for a moment. While we often make strategic ministry decisions around the conference table, consider that a better way is to create strat...

03/21/2025

PREACHING TIP: Spend as much time preparing for the invitation as you do the sermon.

We’re encouraging every church to fill their baptism tanks on April 27 and trust God to save people between now and then! 🙏 🌊

🚨 Free resources for Baptism Sunday: https://www.namb.net/evangelism/baptism-sunday/

03/18/2025

🌟 Crossover Dallas 2025 is coming! 🌟

From June 2-8, 2025, join Southern Baptists in Dallas, TX for a powerful week of evangelism leading up to the SBC Annual Meeting.

🙌 Ways to Get Involved:
📍 Host an event (block parties, sports clinics, VBS & more!)
🤝 Volunteer & share the Gospel with the community

Let’s make an impact together! Sign up today: namb.net/crossover

03/15/2025

Recognize that different meetings have different purposes: information, collaboration, planning, ex*****on or vision. Depending on your objective, you’ll do best when you match the environment with the meeting’s purpose.

Early in my ministry life, I remember a weekly staff meeting around a large conference table in a cramped room (with fluorescent lights and leather-bound club chairs). At the time, I didn’t think much about the setting or the meeting outcomes, but in retrospect, I see how the two things are inextr...