Being the church begins long before gathering for worship. It begins by coming alongside the people who call our city home. As followers of Jesus, we’re called to be present—to listen, learn, serve, and seek the flourishing of the communities where God has placed us. Before asking, “How do we plant a church here?” we […]
Reflections Inspired by I Once Was Lost: What Postmodern Skeptics Taught Us About Their Path to Jesus (Don Everts & Doug Schaupp) Throughout this series, we’ve explored the journey people often take as they move toward faith—learning to trust, becoming curious, opening their lives to change, and ultimately facing the invitation to surrender to Jesus. One of […]
The Final Step in the Journey of Faith—and What It Means for Us Adapted with attribution from I Once Was Lost: What Postmodern Skeptics Taught Us About Their Path to Jesus (Don Everts & Doug Schaupp) At some point in every journey, the question shifts. It’s no longer just about curiosity—it’s about direction. Like Alice […]
Adapted with attribution from I Once Was Lost: What Postmodern Skeptics Taught Us About Their Path to Jesus (Don Everts & Doug Schaupp) In Top Gun: Maverick, you can see it in Rooster’s eyes. He’s in the cockpit, the pressure building, the mission in front of him—and Maverick is right there, calling him forward. He’s […]
Adapted with attribution from I Once Was Lost: What Postmodern Skeptics Taught Us About Their Path to Jesus (Don Everts & Doug Schaupp) In today’s world, faith rarely begins with belief. For many shaped by postmodern skepticism, the journey toward Jesus doesn’t start with doctrine, church attendance, or even spiritual curiosity. It begins somewhere much […]
Joining God’s mission through simple, reproducible communities Church Planting is often imagined as launching a new congregation with a building, programs, and a weekly Sunday service. While those expressions can be fruitful, many leaders are rediscovering what could be called the Smaller Way—simple, relational communities of believers that gather in homes, neighborhoods, workplaces, and everyday […]
Rediscovering the Art of Neighboring in Apartment Communities and Neighborhoods The idea behind this article is inspired by Dave Runyon and Jay Pathak, authors of The Art of Neighboring—a book we highly recommend. In it, they share some eye-opening statistics: Those numbers are hard to overlook. They point to a simple reality: most of us […]
How Caring for Others Opens the Door for Relationship Church planting doesn’t always begin with a launch team, a building, or a worship service. And church engagement doesn’t always begin with a big event, a program, or a strategy. More often, both begin with something much simpler and far more personal: paying attention to the needs […]
In a time when digital reach has never been greater, it’s easy for pastors to lead from a distance—to equate influence with impact, and visibility with faithfulness. Yet, the ministry of Jesus was marked not by platform, but by presence. He touched the sick, sat at tables, and walked dusty roads alongside people. In 2025, […]
Celebrating 125 Years of Partnership and Gospel Advance This year, we gathered with more than 160 ministry leaders for the 125th Annual Meeting of the Nashville Baptist Association — a powerful night filled with encouragement, laughter, inspiration, and hope. It was more than a meeting; it was a celebration of partnership — a testimony that […]