Theology
What’s the background on some of these church policies? What are the biblical backbones to these concepts? Below are some case studies and other articles, giving the theology behind a ministry strategy.
Preventing and Resolving Conflict in the Church
Let's talk about how Christian leaders can model, practice and teach the principles of relational wisdom. This is a gospel-based form of emotional intelligence, biblical peacemaking and Christian conciliation. You can do this within [...]
I’m Thinking About Giving Up Church for Lent
You heard me right. I’m thinking about giving up church for Lent. Last year I attended a church that placed a high priority on all the disciplines associated with Lent Season, beginning on Ash Wednesday [...]
A Personal Perspective on Worship Songs
I recently visited with a pastor of a large church who articulated his concern for the state of music and worship in the church. He described his view of church music as a “cutting [...]
A New Scorecard: Why Your Church Needs Spiritual Measurements
Four years ago, our staff huddled up in the Senior Pastor’s office to answer one question: What are the marks of a disciple? The person leading the meeting drew a figurine on the board [...]
What Does It Mean? “Repent, the Kingdom of Heaven Is at Hand”
Thursday, February 7, 2019 Hey Fletch … Thank you for all you are doing in the will of God. Matthew 4:17 says, “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, ‘Repent, for [...]
Do Not Harden Your Hearts in Rebellion
Friday, October 26, 2018 Hey Fletch … I need your help with Hebrews 3:12-15. I think God, through the writer of Hebrews, is warning against unbelief and hardness of heart. Is there a better [...]
A Capella to Instruments in Worship
Saturday, June 30, 2018 Hey Fletch … Our church is moving from a cappella singing to including instruments in our worship services. How does this communication statement sound to you? “The shepherds have lifted [...]
Knowing God’s Call to a Ministry
Saturday, May 19, 2018 Hey Fletch … Question! What do you do, if you know God has called you but not sure what He is calling you to do? Moreover the person in question [...]
Church Planting & Running a Business
Saturday, March 3, 2018 Hey Doc … Here in India I am pioneering a church planting ministry. We, are doing some income generating projects based on the people and the places. I would like [...]
Sign Gifts Policy
XPastor tries to help churches by providing some of the essentials for running a church---items like job descriptions, employment applications, review forms and policies. Below is the 1995 Sign Gifts Policy at Northwest Bible [...]
Biblical Parallels of the Five Functions
Below are definitions of the Five Functions of an Executive Pastor---Administrator, Catalyst, Mentor, Relational, and Overseer---complete with biblical examples of each one. The Five Functions were originally established through the XP-Indicator which is now called [...]
Misquoting Jesus
For most students of the New Testament, a book on textual criticism is a real yawn. The tedious details are not the stuff of a bestseller. All this changed with Bart Ehrman’s recent Misquoting Jesus: The [...]
The Single Greatest Threat to Any XP
“Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day [...]
Why Does Your Church Exist?
Church members frequently understand themselves to be the raison d'êtrefor which their congregations exist: “Our church is here to meet our needs.” But, as they move toward a missional stance, many congregational leaders today seek a [...]
Paradigms for Urban Ministry
I like to ask myself what assumptions lie behind the way I think about ministry. In May of 2007, I was asked to write a preliminary, background assessment as Campus Crusade for Christ began rethinking [...]
To XP or Not to XP? That is the Question
When was the last time that the President of the United States attended the dedication of your Youth Education Center? When was the last time that the President quoted your Senior Pastor or called for advice? Dr. [...]
Care & Correction or Shaming—A Case Study
XPastor recommends readers take special note of the resources provided by Watermark about the issue of Care and Correction. These resources are found in Appendix V and Appendix VI at the end of this case study and in [...]
Care & Correction or Shaming: Excerpts from the Case Study
XPastor recommends readers take special note of the resources provided by Watermark about the issue of Care and Correction. These resources are found in Appendix V and Appendix VI at the end of this case study and in [...]
Dallas: The New Capital of Evangelicalism
In Christianity Today, Associate Editor Edward Gilbreath presents a thesis which could serve as a cogent rationale for the selection of case study churches. In the cover story, Gilbreath writes on “The New Capital of [...]