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Over the past few years, every pastor has had to rethink what “worship attendance” means. The pandemic didn’t introduce online worship—but it certainly accelerated it. Today, in nearly every congregation, you’ll find a growing group of people who join worship not from a pew but from a living room, a hospital bed, a break room, or even a car between shifts. Here’s the truth: Your online audience is not an afterthought—they are part of your congregation. Engaging them well is n

How did your last Leadership Team or Church Board meeting go? Did you sit around a table listening to reports about things that already happened—budgets spent, projects completed, money that’s no longer in the account? How was your stress level before the meeting… and how much worse was it afterward? Now picture something different. Imagine every report—financial, trustees, ministry teams—was written, emailed, and read before  anyone stepped into the room. Instead of spending

Most churches don’t wake up one Sunday and realize they’re in decline — it happens slowly, almost imperceptibly. Attendance slips a little. The energy fades. The mission becomes cloudy. Leaders work harder, but momentum feels stuck. The good news? Decline isn’t destiny. Recognizing the signs early is the first step toward renewal. This isn’t about criticism or blame — it’s about hope . Because any church, no matter how small, can experience new life when it realigns with Chri

This week, I’m excited to share an excerpt from my latest book, The Kitchen Table Gospel . In this chapter, “The Heart of Hospitality,”...

One of my favorite sayings is, “No faith is required when you’re comfortable.” I remember a time when I was pastoring a small-town...

“Marital Love: A Love That Endures and Delights” Text: Song of Songs 8:6–7   Introduction You know… we live in a culture where love is often described with expiration dates . “As long as it works.” “As long as I feel it.” “As long as it’s easy.” But when you open the pages of Song of Songs, you find a love that’s described very differently. It’s not shallow, it’s not fragile, it’s not temporary. It’s a love that is sealed , strong , and enduring . Listen to the words from cha

By Sam Peters, Small Church Coaching “The Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place...

“Loving One Another: A Love That Reflects God”   Welcome to week 2 of our series “Love Worth Singing About”. Last week, we opened our series by discovering that the Song of Songs is more than just ancient poetry—it’s a love story that points us to God’s love for us . We saw that just as the groom pursues and delights in the bride, God passionately pursues us  with a love that is personal, powerful, and permanent. We were reminded that: God’s love is intentional  — He seeks us

Small Churches, Big Impact Series – Week 2 “While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me...

A Journey Through the Song of Songs Sermon 1: “The Love of God: Pursued and Cherished”   Recently, I was doing a Bible study through the Old Testament and I arrived at Song of Songs, sometimes called The Song of Solomon . It struck me that in all my years of preaching, I had never done a sermon series using this book. I’ve quoted a verse here or there, but I had never preached through it intentionally. And as I began to read it again, I was reminded of how beautifully this bo

Small Churches, Big Impact Series – Week 1 “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son...

Part 6 of 6: The Road to Renewal “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in...

Part 5 of 6: The Road to Renewal "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the...

Part 4 of 6: Aligning Everything Around Your One Excellent Mission Every church has many ministries, but only one mission. Alignment...

Part 3 of 6: From Programs to Purpose: Realigning for Mission “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is...

Part 2 of 6: The Road to Renewal "There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of...

Part 1 of 6 Why Every Church Needs One Excellent Mission Welcome to Week One of “One Excellent Mission: How Smaller Churches Find...

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” – Galatians 6:9   As a...

Imagine walking into a doctor’s office with a deep pain in your chest. The doctor listens for a moment, smiles politely, and says, “Let’s...

“I’m just tired.” That’s what I told a close friend when he asked how ministry was going. Not burned out. Not quitting. Just… tired. If...