Don’t Hibernate Your Ministry: 5 Reasons Winter Is Prime Time for Outreach
When the temperature drops and the days get shorter, it's tempting for churches to shift into hibernation mode. Attendance dips, energy wanes, and ministry leaders start counting down to Easter season when things will "pick back up."
On the Mission Field with the Pratts to Calgary
A Story of Gospel Growth in Calgary, Alberta Recently, Karen and I had the privilege of visiting Steve and Laura Pratt in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. In their two years on the field, the Pratts have
Rhythm Isn’t Just Repetition: Finding Fresh Purpose in Familiar Ministry Patterns
The calendar's open on your desk. It's January 2026, and you're looking at another year of ministry. VBS in June. Fall Festival in October. Christmas program in December. Easter cantata. Missions conference. The weekly rhythm
Starting 2026 Right: A Holistic Planning Guide for Ministry Leaders
Starting 2026 Right: A Holistic Planning Guide for Ministry Leaders As we approach a new year, ministry leaders face the familiar challenge of balancing pastoral care, administrative duties, program development, and personal spiritual health. Too
Jesus’ Prayers
Luke 11:1-4 tells us: "And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he
Make a Powerful Point with PowerPoint
If you are like me, I like to use PowerPoint as a teaching tool from time to time. Years ago
This is the Worst!
“Oh. My. Word. Can you believe this?! It is the worst! Listen, Linda, you do not understand all I have
3 Benefits of Having a Health & Hospital Ministry
The phone call at 2am that a church member is in critical condition in the hospital. The impending surgery date
Embracing Collective Results: Overcoming the 5 Dysfunctions of a Team Part 6
Over the past five days we have taken a shallow dive into how we can make our church ministry teams
Harnessing Accountability: Overcoming the 5 Dysfunctions of a Team Part 5
In our last article we spent time talking about the role commitment plays in having a functional church ministry team.
Fostering Commitment: Overcoming the 5 Dysfunctions of a Team Part 4
In part 3 of our series, we discussed the role healthy conflict plays in staving off dysfunction within a church
Embracing Healthy Conflict: Overcoming the 5 Dysfunctions of a Team Part 3
In part 2 of our series we discussed how important trust is within a ministry team. As the foundation of
The Foundation of Trust: Overcoming the 5 Dysfunctions of a Team Part 2
In any organization, trust is the bedrock upon which effective teamwork is built. The same principle holds true for a
Strengthening Church Leadership: Overcoming the 5 Dysfunctions of a Team Part 1
In the realm of church leadership, effective teamwork plays a vital role in fulfilling the mission and serving the congregation.
5 Ways for Groups to Maximize the Dog Days of Summer
When late spring arrives, churches get busy. Mother’s Day, graduation, pre-camp and pre-VBS sign ups, and summer mission trips all
6 Ways to Honor Your Church’s Graduates
Graduating from college or high school is a major accomplishment that deserves recognition and celebration. As a church, there is
Nurturing an Addition Mindset vs. Cultivating a Multiplication Mindset in Our Local Baptist Church
In the journey of faith, churches play a vital role in nurturing and guiding believers. Within the local Baptist church
Don’t Let the Fire Die
In ministry, some Sundays can be a day of victory and others a day of defeat. Whether your fire today
Claw Machines and Crazy Preteens
“Remind me, why do we have a professional claw machine in our garage right now?” This was a question I
Persecution
The book of I Peter is mainly speaking about persecution. The first-century Christians suffered great persecution for their faith in
4 Ways to Keep Your Group Outwardly Focused
“The natural inertia of any group is to turn inward.” That statement was made by my friend and Lifeway’s former
Paris 2024
BCMN is expanding our outreach. In 2024 we will have our first BCMN mission trip. This will be like no
5 Principles for Leading, Loving, and Equipping Your Youth Leaders
You can’t do youth ministry alone. Youth pastors and ministry leaders often forget this. We can all too easily fall
BCMN Endorsed Missionary Itineraries
One of the strengths of BCMN is our love for and support of missions and missionaries. In order to help
Good Friday
Today is Good Friday, and so it makes sense for us to pause and think about the cross. The true