Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
Grounded in Faith, Formed in Community
To church plant, or to grow? For some churches, this is a critical question for missional discernment. As God grows our community, should we respond by building more infrastructure in the congregation to support new members—additional worship services, more programs, etc.—or should we send a portion of our members off to start a new church, to…
The words contemplative and church planter do not frequently appear together. Church planters are sometimes caricatured as driven, gregarious, extroverted individuals who magnetically attract the team of followers who help them launch a new worship service. But that’s not the only way–and I would say not the best way–to plant a church. At Pittsburgh Theological…
Holy Week is my favorite time of year to be a pastor. That’s not to say it isn’t stressful. It is intense and tiring. But the extra effort seems worthwhile because of what it allows: For one week, we focus solely on Jesus. For one week, all the petty distractions and concerns that disproportionately consume…