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Many elements make up a healthy church—integrity from its leaders, Christ-centric preaching, engaging with the community in love and service, and especially discipleship. But what exactly does a discipled church look like? We asked a few of our previous conference speakers what they thought.
There’s going to be, I think, a visible maturation of the congregation in regard to love and worship of Jesus which involves knowing the Word and worshipping rightly. But I also think—and here’s where it can get sticky—there will also be quite a bit of messiness. And what I mean by that is, a genuine disciple who’s growing in a knowledge of the Word, who’s following Jesus, who loves him deeply is going to be sharing the gospel with friends and neighbors and coworkers and family members, which is going to be introducing a lot of new baby Christians into the church.
We’ve done a lot of research on what a discipled church looks like and, first, we realized that we’re in a context that is not very disciple-oriented here in the United States. So, a lot of Christians, not a lot of disciples. Only 8 percent of all US adults are resilient disciples. What a disciple looks like is one who believes in the authority of Scripture, they have made a commitment to Jesus that’s still important in their life, they’re actually active in church community, and they want their faith to matter in the world to make an impact.
What Jesus was so good at, how he made his disciples, was he really approached the whole person. Because he built the whole person, right? God built us to be people that are emotional, that are spiritual, that are physical, that are intellectual, that are relational. So those are the ways I look at an individual—how is their health? Those five fronts need to be thought of when we’re thinking about discipleship. If someone is a spiritual giant and they’ve memorized all of Romans and they quote it with force, but they are an emotionally immature person, that person is actually going to be damaging. If they’re actually emotionally healthy but they don’t know anything, then they’re actually going to be damaging to the faith. They’re going to be a heretic in something if they don’t actually intellectually know things. So, we’ve got to look at the whole person. As they are growing they should be giving that away, because one of the greatest ways they actually grow is to give it away. When I had the first girl in my life that I was pouring into and discipling and she asked me, “How do I know if the Bible is true?” you better believe I was like, “I need to go learn how I know the Bible is true.” So set your people on mission and I promise you they’re going to want to know God, and they’re going to want to grow in those ways.
How are you hoping to, or continuing to, cultivate and nurture a healthy framework and practice of discipleship within your church? If you need a resource to get started, check out Essentials of Faith—a multi-series discipleship program designed to help your church develop mature followers of Jesus. Click here to learn more about Essentials of Faith.
Every presidential election season in the U.S., all eyes look toward election day—“The Tuesday next after the 1st Monday in November”[1]—when Americans head to the polls to fulfill their duty as citizens: voting. Whether by candidates vying for office, journalists and news outlets, or friends and family members, voters are implored to exercise their constitutional right and pull the lever for the candidate they’d most like to see in the Oval Office. The act of voting is imbued with near-sacred importance.
While voting may not be sacred, it is important. In our representative form of government, casting votes is one of the principal ways we make our voices heard. And it’s a right that many in our country’s history have fought to see extended to all American citizens of voting age. Voting isn’t something we should take lightly.
But a presidential election only comes around once every four years. As important as it is to participate in the political process by voting, casting a vote shouldn’t be the only way we engage in the public life of our republic. As Christians, what does our faith compel us to do in the four years between presidential elections?
There are several ways to answer this question. From the prophet Micah (Micah 6:8) to Paul’s letter to the Romans (Romans 13:1–7), the Bible is replete with instructions on how we are to live in society with others. Yet regardless of where we turn in the Scriptures, Jesus’s words echo throughout: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31).
For Christians, the command we’ve been given is simple: we are to love our neighbors. We are to be neighbors.
Naturally, the command to love our neighbors sparks a handful of questions for us—chief among them: What is love?
First-century Christians must have had similar questions about love because the apostle Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthian church, spelled it out plainly:
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends (13:4–8a ESV).
What does it mean to love our neighbors now, in the time between presidential elections? At the very least, it means to be patient with our neighbors; to be kind to them; to be humble and respectful toward them; to be accommodating and open to meeting their needs and hearing their ideas; to be cheerful toward them; to wish them well; to commit to them for the long haul and to hope good things for them—and even to effect good things for them.
Love is nonpartisan. It compels us to cross all boundaries, political or otherwise, for our neighbors’ good. And without love, all our political activity, no matter how grand it is or “inspired” it seems, will be nothing more than a “noisy gong or a clanging cymbal” (1 Corinthians 13:1 ESV).
But like the lawyer in Luke 10, the command to love our neighbor might lead us to ask another question: “Who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:29 ESV).
Jesus’s answer to this question in the Scriptures, in the parable of the good Samaritan, flips the question on its head. Instead of “Who is my neighbor,” we ought to ask, “Who am I to be a neighbor to?” Answer: Those who are in need, regardless of class, religion, race, creed—or political affiliation. Even those we’d consider our enemies.
At its very core, our political engagement is not about grand gestures or national politics. It’s about seeking our neighbors’ welfare and “the welfare of the city,” the community, the neighborhood, and the street “where [God has] sent [us]” (Jeremiah 29:7 ESV). It’s about seeing every act of participation as an opportunity to love your neighbor as yourself.
The good Samaritan stands as an example of what it looks like to love our neighbor as ourselves. And Jesus’s command to us today—before, on, and after Election Day—is the same as it was to the lawyer in Luke’s Gospel: “Go and do likewise” (Luke 10:37 ESV).
So, by all means, vote. But don’t let your vote be the sum total of your political engagement. Love your neighbors. Serve them. Befriend them. Feed them dinner. Be generous toward them. Pray for them. Tell them about Jesus. Invite them to church. Drive their kids to practice. Have them in your home. Listen to them. Be kind and patient and committed to their good. Sacrifice for them, as Jesus did.
[1] “2U.S. Code § 7 - Time of Election,” Legal Information Institute, accessed September 26, 2024, https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/2/7.
We have “work friends,” social happy hours, and a unique dialect that would have our families and friends side-eyeing us if we spoke similarly outside of work: “Could we pick a dinner spot by EOD?”
Even though our workplaces feel compartmentalized, they’re not. When Jesus commanded his followers to “Go . . . make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19), he didn’t mean for them to accomplish his mission everywhere except where they work. Jesus intended for us to see all areas of our lives as opportunities to share who he is and what he’s done—and that call extends to our jobs.
So, what does disciple-making at your workplace look like? How can we best live out Jesus’s command to make disciples not just where it’s most comfortable but where it’s most needed? Whether you’re an employee or a manager, you can take practical steps to make disciples where you work.
Most people fear being “that person” at work who only talks about their faith. While we are called to be unashamed of our faith, being belligerent about our faith isn’t the most winsome—or faithful—approach.
Never discussing your faith isn’t a faithful option either. As a Christian, you likely engage in plenty of Christian activities throughout your week—attending church, participating in small groups, or reading your Bible. When people ask the familiar, “What did you do this weekend?” on a Monday morning, tell them. Simply sharing your experience at church or with a small group—not even what happened, but just that you engaged in some Christian practice—could open the door for deeper questions.
On a more basic level, telling your coworkers stories of how God has worked in your life, whether it’s answered prayers, things you’re learning, or experiences you’ve had with Jesus, can also be a good way to prompt spiritual conversations.
Have you ever noticed the people you most enjoy talking to ask the most thoughtful questions? There’s a big difference between listening half-heartedly to someone’s answer to your question, waiting to answer it yourself, and genuinely paying attention to someone’s answer.
If you want to make disciples at work, ask good questions of your co-workers. Jesus often asked questions to prompt conversations, most famously to Peter in Matthew 16:15, “Who do you say that I am?” Look for opportunities to move beyond the typical action-oriented questions, “How was your weekend?” and “What are you doing for dinner?” Ask questions concerning their thoughts and feelings: “How did you feel about that meeting?” or “What do you think I should do?”
It may be unnerving to invite this deeper level of conversation, but the more you show interest in your co-workers’ thoughts and feelings the more likely they are to come to you with their perspective on non-work-related topics. These conversations often lead to more spiritual conversations.
Being forward with your faith can be frowned upon as a boss in a non-Christian workplace. However, one of the most enticing aspects of the Christian faith is the servant-leadership of Jesus which is modeled for us in his sacrificial death. As a boss, you can show people your faith.
As a Christian called by God to imitate Jesus, you can be a servant-leader for your employees by seeking their good above your own. Being the kind of boss who sacrifices for your employees may invite people to ask why you lead sacrificially.
Think about ways in which you can lead sacrificially for your employees. What kinds of things would the people working for you feel appreciated by? What habits could you start to show your care for your employees?
While being overly forward with your faith may not be appropriate from nine to five in the workplace, great potential exists outside those hours for spiritual change.
Companies of many sizes often have social groups focused on specific interests or hobbies—recreational sports, book clubs, food sampling, etc. Suggest beginning a Bible study or prayer meeting before or after work hours to higher management. If your company is small enough and you’re a manager, you may be able to initiate these activities all on your own.
If your company already serves your local community in some way, you could lead the service project at the next opportunity or find new partners to work with in the future. Just like Jesus met the physical needs of people around him, you can meet the physical needs of people in your community using your workplace’s resources.
For resources about how to work, live, and lead within the workplace like Jesus calls us to, check out RightNow Media’s Work library.
RightNow Media’s mission is to work with the global church to inspire people to love others before self and Christ above all. We are committed to equipping pastors and leaders worldwide with the resources they need to make a lasting impact in their congregations and communities.
As part of our global expansion, we’ve formed a strategic alliance with like-minded individuals and teams, extending our reach and impact across various countries. By working together, we amplify our efforts to support the global church.
God is using RightNow Media to support and empower church leaders around the world, making a meaningful impact in their congregations and communities. Discover powerful stories of transformation from RightNow Media regional teams and the churches they serve:
“Prior to subscribing to RightNow Media, one of the tough challenges that I faced as a senior pastor was looking for resources, quality materials, basically to help me, both as a pastor here in my church and as someone who leads other pastors here in my community. When I came across RightNow Media, I told myself this is heaven-sent…RightNow provided me with a plethora of digital resources where I am allowed to learn from the wisdom of excellent Bible teachers and wonderful pastors in the comfort of my home at the convenience of my schedule.”
—Daniel Gabasa, One Body, One Lord, Asia-Pacific
"RightNow Media represents a very uplifting experience for our congregation. Each of the resources available on the platform has served as training for leadership and as teaching material in discipleship groups."
—Pastor Mariano Marroquín, Camino Bíblico Leche y Miel, Latin America
“Not only has this tool been beneficial to us as individuals, but it has also been vital to the training and formation of leaders in our congregation.”
—Pastor Roberto Torres, Iglesia Vida para la Ciudad, Latin America
“The use of this platform and all its resources at Iglesia el Pacto has enabled us to find a deep intimacy with the Word of God and we have experienced significant spiritual growth as a community. We are grateful for this tool that has allowed us to strengthen our faith and our commitment to the gospel.”
—Andrés Bunch, Iglesia Cristiana el Pacto, Latin America
[We’ve] found it to be an absolutely fantastic resource for our church. We’ve been using it in our life groups. We’ve been encouraging people to use it on a personal basis, as well as in our kids, youth, [and] leadership development. All across the board, we’ve found it helpful in so many areas of church life.”
—Jamie Haxby, Hope Church, United Kingdom
“We are equipping all our ministries in church with tools, resources, and teaching all in God’s Word, that are relevant to them. RightNow Media gives us easy tools to go deeper in God’s Word so that we can focus on going wider in reaching the world.”
—Karen Beatty, Newtownbreda Baptist Church, United Kingdom
See some of the originally-produced RightNow Media content from around the world:
Explore our Around the World library to find a variety of content that supports church leaders everywhere. We hope these resources inspire and equip you to make a meaningful impact in your own community.
No matter how we organize our church calendar, it often ends up being a mishmash of the ancient liturgical cycle (Advent through Easter) and the school year schedule (back-to-school in the fall through summer break). So for many churches, the return of small groups in the fall can make a lot of sense.
Whether your small groups are interested in studying a book of the Bible, a frequently discussed topic, or a broad theological theme, the RightNow Media library houses a variety of series to meet you where you are and challenge you to move forward in your faith. Here are some studies to consider as we enter the fall.
Essentials of Faith is a transformative twelve-study journey designed to deepen Christians’ understanding of the gospel and address fundamental questions of our faith. Our hope is that, after going through the Essentials of Faith series, Christians will be more mature, equipped to disciple others, and emboldened to reflect Christ in their lives.
What is a Christian? with Francis Chan
Ask any group what it means to be a Christian, and we will hear different answers. In this six-session series, Francis Chan will explore key concepts common to all Christians through the centuries. No matter what divides us, we are united by these truths about the God we worship and our relationship with him.
Why Does Jesus Matter? with J.D. Greear
What makes Jesus such an important person? In this six-session series, pastor and author J.D. Greear will answer, “Why does Jesus matter?” He’ll explore who Jesus is, why he came, and what he said and did to help us understand the life-changing effect Jesus had—and continues to have—on the world.
Every marriage has its strengths and its stresses. In this six-session series created in partnership with FamilyLife, discover a transformative marriage resource to help you explore new levels of intimacy, communication, and connection with your spouse.
The Life of Joseph with Bryan Carter
Everything Joseph endured was for a purpose. His success came from the Lord, and even the most devastating events in his past were used to accomplish God’s aims. In this six-session series, Pastor Bryan Carter will trace the themes of purpose and faithfulness through the life of Joseph, teaching us how to identify and live in our God-given purpose.
The Book of Ecclesiastes with Jonathan Pokluda
Life is a gift, but it rarely turns out how we expect. Where do we turn when things are going great, but we still feel empty? In this ten-session series, pastor and author Jonathan “JP” Pokluda takes us through the book of Ecclesiastes and shows us that we are not alone in our search for meaning.
The Book of 1 Samuel with Sharon Hodde Miller
The stories of biblical heroes prompt us to examine the difference between our outward appearance and what God sees in our hearts. In this ten-session series, pastor and author Sharon Hodde Miller guides us through the book of 1 Samuel, exploring the frailty of the human heart and the faithfulness of God.
If you’d like help building a collection of studies to guide your group or ministry, check out these Bible Study Roadmaps. Each roadmap features series that are already part of your church’s subscription, and you can feel free to customize it by swapping out studies according to the needs of your group. We have roadmaps specifically designed for adults, men’s or women’s groups, youth groups, and kids.
Maybe it was something simple, like their infectious laugh or the fact that they had candy on their desk every day. For many of us, if we thought about it long enough, we’d say that our favorite teachers were those who made us feel seen, loved, and valued—they showed consistency and care for not only our grades but our personal lives.
As teachers and administrators, we want what’s best for our students. We want to see students thrive at home, in their relationships, and as individuals. And as Christian teachers, we especially want to see their spiritual growth. But discipling our students faces certain challenges—rules within the public school system, parental control, and lack of time. But that doesn’t mean we can’t care for our students’ spiritual well-being.
One way that we can disciple our students is by offering our support to a Christian student activity. Many groups like Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Young Life need faculty sponsors and advisors. While there are limits to your involvement, your support could look like becoming an advisor of the group, volunteering to oversee the meetings, or being an extra point of contact for the group. If your school doesn’t have any Christian groups and isn’t against the formation of one, you could suggest to your Christian students that they could form a group that you could advise. Your voice and presence can support their faith.
Especially in the public school setting, it can be difficult to remain neutral toward the subject of faith while also trying to live it out. But we can be faithful disciples even when we can’t share the gospel. We also share our faith with our students by showing them the love of Christ. First Corinthians 13:4–8 tells us that love is patient, kind, not envious or proud. Students—especially those who may not be used to kind, patient, or loving adults—will see a reflection of Jesus in your lived example. Reflect on the ways you engage with your students: Does a stressful day make you impatient with them? Are you kind to all of your students—or just the well-behaved ones? When students come to you for advice, do you quickly reply or do you usher them into wisdom that comes from Scripture? The way you love your students speaks volumes about your love for God.
Simply being present for our students can be a form of discipleship. For many kids, having a consistent adult figure in their lives means the world—having a consistently encouraging adult can be life-changing. While you see them in class, consider attending their school games, plays, and performances. Let students hang out in your class over lunch. Being present in your students’ lives will not only serve them but provide you with an opportunity to pray with them and give them godly counsel.
We might spend most of our teaching careers planting good seeds of faith without ever seeing a student come to Christ or having the opportunity to actually share the gospel. But while discipleship may look different in the classroom, we can do what Jesus has commanded of all of us—to love our students as he loved us.
Ministry leaders want their ministries to develop mature disciples, but how do we know if our methods are working? During RightNow Conference 2023, we asked Lisa Harper, Matt Chandler, and David Platt their thoughts on measuring the effectiveness of a church’s discipleship efforts. All three agree that measuring spiritual maturity is a difficult but important factor to keep track of in your church.
Boy, you've got to watch me on this one, because I hate analytics. Because if you’re not careful, it becomes perfunctory. It becomes performative. It becomes transactional. I think the best way to measure [is], “Is your personal relationship and authenticity with one another actually driving you further into the embrace of Jesus Christ?” That’s hard to measure on a graph; it’s much easier to measure in the context of relationship. Do you want to keep meeting together? Has the realness of that relationship become such an anchor in your life that you wish it was more than once a week because it’s actually become an extension of your family or the family you wish you had?
If you’re talking about normal numerics, I think it’s really hard for a local church to do that. I think that what I’m looking for at The Village Church—which is the church that I pastor—if you stumble and fall and get up and repent and run to Jesus, I think we’ve done a really good job of “gospeling.” This is a person who really has grown and matured in their faith; they’re able to endure with joy and gladness. What I was taught when I was a younger pastor is: “Are they giving?”, “Are they attending?”, “Are they in your programs?” But I think they can be in programs and not mature. Is what we are doing working in regard to their understanding of who God is and the ability the believer has to be in his presence, to be comforted by him and shaped by him regardless of life’s circumstances?
There are so many potential pitfalls there, because if we don’t have the right measurements in place, we’ll end up doing a whole lot of things Jesus hasn’t told us to do. I think of Galatians 4:19 when I think of measuring discipleship: “I labor to see Christ formed in you.” Are the people that I’m pouring my life into looking more like Jesus? And not just those people, but other people, as a result of those people’s lives, are they looking more like Jesus? I want to labor toward that end. So, I would just encourage you, more than numbers—more than a lot of different things we would think of when it comes to measuring success—look for Christlikeness in the people of the church and in people being reached through the church who are becoming more like Jesus.
Maybe your schedule loosens with the close of the school year, or you find yourself stressing out for what should be fun vacations. Whether summer brings deeper rest or unrest, the change in season invites us to consider engaging—or re-engaging—in spiritual practices.
Spiritual practices—also known as spiritual disciplines—mark the lives of followers of Jesus and sustain our relationship with God. Just as regular phone calls or eating dinner with loved ones build our relationship with them, spiritual disciplines strengthen our relationship with God.
Regardless of where you find yourself—stressed or relaxed—here are four spiritual practices to aid your relationship with God this summer:
Writing on prayer in Celebration of Discipline, Richard Foster said, “Of all the spiritual disciplines, prayer is the most central because it ushers us into perpetual communion with the Father.” Prayer is how we talk with God. We see Jesus model prayer for us in the gospels (Luke 11:1–4) and are directed to continually pray by the apostle Paul (1 Thess. 5:17). Without prayer—much like without consistent communication with a friend or loved one—our relationship with God is distant and apathetic.
Prayer encompasses many postures: praise—expressing joy to God; thanksgiving—showing gratitude for God’s gifts and provision; confession—acknowledging our sin before God; lament—bringing our grief to God; and petition/intercession—asking God for forgiveness or to act on someone else’s behalf.
Exercise: Fixed Hour Prayer
Early Christians prayed at specific times of day to establish a rhythm of talking to God. Set a time to pray each day through the rest of the summer.
For more on prayer, visit The Prayer Practice by Practicing the Way in the RightNow Media library.
Keeping the sabbath might be the most disruptive spiritual practice in our modern age. In the Old Testament, the sabbath was the day set aside for all people to stop working and worship God. To be part of the people of God back then meant you practiced sabbath. Now, followers of Jesus are not obligated to keep the sabbath (Col. 2:16), but the principle of following God’s model of rest in Genesis 2:1–3 is woven into the very fabric of creation. Regularly practicing worshipful rest can be good for you even if it’s not required of you.
Because we live in a fast-paced, achievement-oriented culture, purposefully withdrawing from all work—not just our employment—for a set time to stop, rest, delight, and worship may be exactly what your soul longs for this summer.
Exercise: Mini-Sabbath
Setting aside an entire day to rest and enjoy God may be intimidating. Start with a small amount of time—a weekday afternoon or a Saturday morning—where you remove distractions and engage in activities that deepen your joy in God and relationships with others.
For more on the sabbath, visit The Sabbath Practice by Practicing the Way in the RightNow Media library.
In Matthew 6, Jesus assumes his followers will fast when he warns us about practicing our “righteousness in front of others” (v. 1) when we give to the poor (vv. 2–4), when we pray (vv. 5–15), and when we fast (vv. 16–18).
At its core, fasting is choosing to go without something you want or need to make room for something you want or need even more. Perhaps you choose to go without food to make room in your heart to hear God or to give the money or food you would have used to sustain your own body to sustain someone else.
Exercise: Fast with a Friend
Fasting has the potential for good, but also misuse. Because of the dangers of treating fasting like dieting or taking your heart to an unhealthy place with food, ask someone you trust if fasting is a good spiritual discipline for you to try. If they agree, invite them to walk with you as you start this practice. Consider skipping lunch once a week and spending the time you would have been eating to pray with your friend.
For more on fasting, watch The Fasting Practice by Practicing the Way in the RightNow Media library.
Solitude can be refreshing for some and a struggle for others. But Jesus demonstrated the need to spend time alone throughout his life—withdrawing to the desert to start his ministry (Matt. 4:1), retreating after a busy day of ministering (Mark 1:35), and before making monumental decisions (Luke 6:12–16). Just as Jesus needed space to hear from the Father, we need solitude to turn down the noise of our busy lives and focus on God. It may sound counter-intuitive, but the goal of solitude is not to be alone—rather solitude frees us from noise to be with God.
Exercise: Find Your Place
While we can make space to be alone with God anywhere, it can be helpful to have a designated space to retreat and sit with God. It doesn’t have to be anywhere fancy—maybe it’s your back porch, your kitchen table, or at a local park. The goal is to go to this place consistently and avoid distractions to focus your attention on God. Determine where that place is and use it for holy solitude this summer.
For more on the practice of solitude, check out The Solitude Practice by Practicing the Way in the RightNow Media library.
Instead of scampering around, chauffeuring kids to and from school, practice, and other activities, life tends to slow down a bit this time of year. We trade filled (or overfilled) schedules for more downtime—more time off, more trips, and more time together. For that reason alone, summertime is a welcome relief from the hustle and bustle of normal life.
But if we’re not careful, summer can slip away just as stealthily as it snuck up on us, leaving all our plans and good intentions in the dust. So, for families with a little more time on their hands this summer, or fewer schedules to keep, what can we do to make the best use of the extra time we have with our kids?
There are hundreds of meaningful things we can do as a family during the summer months. Vacations. Trips to the pool. Time at a waterpark. Camping in the backyard. Movie nights. Or simply sitting on the porch together, talking about things that matter to us. The possibilities are endless.
Since this time of year generally gives families more time together, parents can make it a point to prioritize evangelism and discipleship with their kids. And contrary to popular belief, that doesn’t mean we have to run them through a rigid program. But it does give us more opportunity to think intentionally about what it can look like for us to pass the faith down to our children—and then act on it.
Evangelism is an impossible task. Think about it, if the goal of evangelism is to “awaken” those who are “dead in [their] trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1–3), then that means, in some mysterious way, a resurrection must take place. I don’t know about you, but I don’t have the power to bring someone back to life, whether physically or spiritually. We need God’s help.
If we hope to pass the faith down to our children, our evangelism must be saturated in prayer. Pray for yourself. Pray for opportunities to talk with your kids. Pray for a clear and natural delivery of the good news. And pray for your child or children, that they will have a receptive heart to Jesus’s gospel and receive it with joy.
Engaging your children evangelistically doesn’t require a rigid program—you don’t have to build out a years-long scope and sequence to teach that the claims of Christ are true. Nevertheless, you can still think ahead and consider what methods are most appropriate for you, your child, and your schedule as you aim to pass down the faith. Consider asking the following questions to determine a method that fits your family:
There are plenty of other questions to ask and considerations to make. The point is to make intentional plans to have gospel conversations with your kids—over and over again.
Sharing the gospel isn’t a one-time event. It’s something we ought to do with our children every chance we get. While we can make plans to teach them about Jesus, we should also be prepared to take advantage of all the unplanned opportunities we have to expose them to the gospel.
It was the apostle Peter who told us to be “ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks [us] for a reason for the hope that is in [us]” (1 Peter 3:15)—and that applies to the conversations we have with our kids too. Inevitably, during a normal car ride, after a breakup, or in response to an injustice they’ve observed, our kids will ask, “Why?” and “How?” and “Why me?” And when they do, make sure you’re ready to engage them truthfully and compassionately, pushing them—graciously and by the Spirit—to Jesus and his gospel, which can make sense of all they’re experiencing spiritually and emotionally.
Conventional wisdom tells us, “It takes a village to raise a child.” That can be true with evangelism as well. Raising and rearing children, and passing the faith on to them, is a task that benefits from an all-hands-on-deck approach. So, what could you do to invite grandparents, aunts and uncles, siblings, friends, teachers, and fellow church members into the process of discussing faith with your kids? You don’t have to go it alone. Sometimes the good news might even be better received when it’s delivered to your child by someone else. If you want your children to say yes to Jesus, as we all do, consider making evangelism a community project.
As parents, many of us approach evangelizing our kids with a sense of urgency. And there’s nothing wrong with that—it’s good that we want them to follow Jesus as soon as possible. But often, the pressure of “getting them saved” can quickly morph into a frantic and anxious approach to evangelism that’s driven by fear. But we can temper the urgency we feel with patience. Why? Because God is trustworthy; he “wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4).
God wants your child to be saved—even more than you do. And because that’s true, we can prayerfully engage our children with the truth. We can show them the beauty of that gospel and make plans to do so in myriad ways—through movies and music and food and friends and books and trips and long conversations. We can take advantage of the everyday opportunities that arise to model and discuss the good news with our kids, and we can do it in a community of believers who will help us. And finally, we can take a deep breath and take our time, trusting that God will impart saving faith in our children in due time.
Paul offers us metaphors about bodies and buildings to show how Christ brings us together as his people. We even see in Jesus’s life that he had close friends. We know community should characterize God’s people. So, what is it?
For the church, being together begins with Jesus. He unifies us—not only with himself but also with each other. By the power of the Spirit, he enables us to overcome differences, arguments, and divisions to stand shoulder to shoulder with other Christians. And he sends us out on the same mission to make disciples. To be in Christian community is to belong to Jesus, to love each other, and to be witnesses together.
On November 6–8, pastors and church leaders will gather in Dallas, TX to explore what it means for the church to be the community of God. As we hear from speakers like Kyle Idleman, Nona Jones, Ben Stuart, and more, we’ll explore how we can be unified in Christ by the power of the Spirit for the glory of God.
Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection pave the way for us to be with God. When we put our faith in him, we are unified with him by the Spirit. The foundation of our unity as God’s people is Jesus (Ephesians 2:19–22).
Salvation belongs to God’s people—the church. Together, we represent God in the world, empowered by the Spirit. Despite our differences, we stand together under the banner of Jesus (Hebrews 10:24–25; Acts 2:44–47).
Our God-given mission to make disciples of all nations begins in our community and branches out through our relationships to the ends of the earth. Together, we share the good news about Jesus (Philippians 1:27; Matthew 28:19–20; Acts 1:8).
As church leaders, we want the church to love Jesus, to be unified, and to pursue God’s mission. Our hope is to see Jesus’s prayer from John 17 answered: “May they all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us, so that the world may believe you sent me” (John 17:21, CSB).
Join us at this year’s RightNow Conference—you can even bring your team at a discounted rate. Find out more at rightnowconferences.org.
There’s always someone to meet with, church bathrooms to clean, a small group curriculum to plan, volunteers to train, or a sermon to write. And while all of these are good and necessary tasks in ministry, the constant pressure to do more can drive church leaders to exhaustion.
In my early ministry, I served a church plant and worked in a coffee shop to help pay my bills. The grind of building a church from the ground up while working a second job became so normal that I couldn’t even recognize how exhausted I was. Luckily, my lead pastor was a good friend who saw that I was skating near the edge of burnout. He forced me to take a sabbatical to rest. Yes, forced. I didn’t think I could leave all my pressing work undone and, in some ways, I didn’t want to.
I don’t think my experience is unusual. Far too often, pastors don’t rest because they don’t think they can. We preach about rhythms of rest and practicing the sabbath to our congregations while silently feeling like that blessing is off-limits for us. And so, we slowly march closer and closer to burnout where the quiet contemplation we typically find in rest morphs into a dire questioning of our calling. Instead of prayerfully considering what God might have for our next ten years of ministry, we secretly wonder if we should leave ministry all together.
According to Barna research, at least one in three Protestant pastors has seriously contemplated leaving ministry in the last three years. 1 More than half say they do not have the luxury of a private life.2 Less than a quarter of pastors would describe their relationships as flourishing, and less than one out of five pastors would say they are personally flourishing.3 Pastors are struggling, exhausted, and ready to leave the pulpit for a healthier lifestyle.
Between our unique cultural moment and the pressure of ministry leadership, we need to prioritize sabbaticals—extended periods of rest to spend time with God, to contemplate where he might be leading our ministry, to study, and to connect with our families and friends.
There is no singular right way for a church to practice sabbaticals, but every church should care for their leaders by offering, even mandating, that pastors take them. If you do not currently have sabbaticals in your church or are considering how you might update your current rhythm of pastoral rest, here are some parameters to consider:
It isn’t easy to slow down, especially when a lot of us are used to running on coffee and the adrenaline of immanent church deadlines. Having nothing to plan, no fires to put out, and no meetings to run can leave us feeling bored or useless. The temptation is to fill our schedule with home repair, travel, or family events. But don’t miss the unique opportunity to rest both passively and actively.
Passive rest—sleep—is essential for recovering and lowering our cortisol (the stress chemical) levels. During a sabbatical, you can not only catch up on sleep, but set a healthy sleep schedule. When you’re tired, take a nap. You need it.
Active rest is participating in hobbies, attending events, or visiting places that bring you joy. Your sabbatical gives you the space to participate in those things that always get bumped off your schedule. Make them a priority for both you and your family.
God desires a relationship with you just as much as he does with the people you preach to on Sunday mornings. Your sabbatical gives you the space to pray, read Scripture, and walk with God without any agenda. During this time, you don’t have to be a “pastor”—you are a disciple.
It is a special blessing to worship in a service that you did not plan and are not responsible for when you are used to working on Sundays. Consider attending sister churches during your sabbatical where you can worship without having to shepherd someone. If you choose to attend a different church, let your congregation know why and reach out to the pastor at the church where you will attend. Clear communication will help your church know why you are not around on Sundays and help the visiting church best serve you and your family during your sabbatical.
Like Jesus withdrawing to pray and Elijah retreating to the mountain, your time away from ministry is an opportunity to hear from God. Define a purpose for your sabbatical. God may give you a new vision for your ministry, direction for your church, or call you to start something new. Take time to intentionally listen to God about your leadership, teaching, family, your church’s direction and vision, and the way you approach ministry. You may come back from your time both rested and changed.
If a sabbatical is not on your immediate horizon, you don’t have to wait to find a healthy rhythm of work and rest. A sabbatical can give you time away from work, but if you do not correct the root issue of your burnout, you will continue to risk your longevity in ministry. Some simple practices could be creating a rule of life, practicing and protecting a sabbath day, setting a sleep schedule, or delegating tasks to others.
God loves you, pastor. You can rest, both in seasons of work and on sabbaticals.
1 BarnaGroup, The State of Pastors Vol. 2 (Ventura, CA: Barna Group, 2024), 18.
2 BarnaGroup, The State of Pastors Vol. 2, 27.
3 Barna Group, The State of Pastors Vol. 2, 33.
The message of the gospel remains constant, but culture changes constantly. To engage people in relevant ways, we must be willing to adjust our methods. We asked some of the plenary speakers from our 2023 RightNow Conference, Grow: Making Healthy Disciples, to share their ideas on engaging in discipleship in our current age.
I think it’s a good opportunity and time for the church to be “re-presented” to the world. The Bible talks about—in Ephesians 3:21—it says, “To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus.” In other words, the church is God’s tabernacle now for Jesus’s presence. In other words, represent him. And so I think that we need to rebrand everything from how we talk about the gospel, how we talk about men, how we talk about women, how we talk about family, how we talk about relationships, how we talk about money. I think one of the mechanisms to do that is utilizing social media, by utilizing reels and YouTube videos and all these other means that are out here to really express, explain, and rebrand discipleship.
I think a huge opportunity for the church to engage in discipleship in the coming years is around community and how lonely people are, how isolated they are, how much they’re desperate for a better way to be in community, to be human, and to answer some of these nagging questions that lurk in our hearts and in our souls. There’s a sense in which, in community, we actually realize what we’re made for. I have this idea that we’re a storied community and we try to tell our stories and understand our stories in light of Jesus’s story. In community we could be shaped into the men and women that Christ can use in the world.
People are longing for connection and relationship. People are longing for life on life, sharing life together. One of the ways that can happen is one believer walking with someone else and just helping them in their walk—using the Word of God to guide them, to share life with them, to instruct them. This is one of the great ways we have to leverage our lives to invest in one another each and every day.
I think social media, digital, AI—these avenues open doors for all kinds of exposure to the gospel in people’s lives and exposure to God’s Word. How can we steward some of these things at the same time? That must be coupled with life-on-life, in the flesh together, walking through all that this life brings and applying the gospel to it. So how do we steward both of those to the full in the days ahead? I think that’s a challenge and an opportunity and a chance the church hasn’t had in history. So, let’s make sure to do them both well and wisely with the Word and the Spirit as our guide.
Technology can be an excellent means of spreading the gospel and connecting with one another. We can use digital media while knowing it does not substitute for in-person community. Discipleship happens most effectively face-to-face.
Or when was the last time you tried to engage in your favorite hobby, only to find yourself constantly checking your work email? I’m willing to admit I’m guilty of this—and I’m sure you are too.
Our fast-paced, hustle-and-bustle culture puts us in an endless state of busyness. Our jobs and career goals bump against our personal time, family obligations, and ability to sleep, making it hard to find a rhythm in life. Which, even in the best case, only leads us to anxiety, imbalance, and burnout.
Our desire to work hard and make progress in our professional lives isn’t a bad thing. In fact, God expects us to have a strong work ethic to care for ourselves and our families. Diligence and excellence are two of the major ways we steward the talents, abilities, and resources he’s given us. Colossians 3:23 says, “Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people.” But many Christians live with a tension of wanting to excel at work while prioritizing their health, family, friends, and ministry.
A healthy work-life balance is simply the ability to maintain a sustainable rhythm of work and rest. Achieving a perfectly curated work-life balance is improbable because life is full of sudden and unforeseeable changes. Instead, think about a rhythm that best suits your current season of life. It’s more achievable than you may think.
If our main priority is to serve and glorify God in all that we do, then we must take inventory of all he’s given us—our relationships, jobs, our bodies, resources, and our time. We should be faithful with all that God has given us but know that we can’t do everything. Some people and tasks are more important than others. Ask yourself: what are the responsibilities, hobbies, and relationships I refuse to put to the side? Is it serving in the local church? Having dedicated quality time with family and friends? Or maybe climbing a corporate ladder? Verbalizing your priorities will help you determine what you do and don’t have time for. It may even reveal some disordered priorities that need to be rearranged.
For advice on how to balance work with family, check out Expert Ownership: Mastering Small Business with David and Jason Benham.
It is easy to overlap our work and home lives. To ensure that we are at our best, whether at work or home, we need to establish boundaries. Everyone’s boundaries are going to look different because none of us has the same family dynamics or work schedules. But, to get your mind started, here are some examples of helpful boundaries:
For more practical ways to set personal boundaries, watch Jordan Raynor’s series Redeeming Your Time on RightNow Media @ Work.
Taking a sabbath is not an optional time for rest—it’s a command and a gift from God (Exodus 20:8–11; Mark 2:27–28). Having a whole day set aside for rest allows us to reset within a divinely orchestrated rhythm established at the creation of the world (Genesis 2:2–3). The difficulty for busy Christians is that we don’t think we have time to rest. We can’t afford to stop everything for a whole day! But God says it’s for our own good to slow down once a week.
Resting is a faith exercise—reminding us that God is in control, not our calendars. Sabbath teaches us to let God be God while we enjoy the blessings he has given us. For busy Christians, practicing a weekly day of rest can be one of the most helpful ways to maintain work-life balance.
For more ideas on sabbath, check out The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry with John Mark Comer.
Conclusion
Ecclesiastes 3:12–13 says, “I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God.” (NIV) Working hard is a necessary part of life—it’s the way we provide for ourselves. But our work should never come between our health, family, children, or ability to simply enjoy the little things in life.
Our mission is to work with the global church to inspire people to love others before self and Christ above all.
Our mission and dedication to supporting the global church prompted our international expansion across the globe in 2018, beginning with serving churches in India. We have since extended our work to Latin America, East Asia, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, and Africa.
Through a strategic alliance with NextGen Global Leaders, RightNow Media has been able to serve more than 30,000 churches in over 100 countries.
RightNow Media works with trusted Christian teachers from around the world to create meaningful discipleship content. We are proud to offer a digital library of more than 25,000 Bible study videos and discipleship resources supported in 13 languages to more than four million worldwide users.
See some of our original content produced within the last six months from each of the regions we serve:
Max Premson, Regional Director over Asia Pacific (APAC), shares how RightNowMedia has played a role in his life, both personally and professionally:
Personally, RightNow Media has helped me grow spiritually. Whenever I needed strong teachings on certain topics, RightNow Media has always been helpful. Representing RightNow Media in the APAC region, we have witnessed many small groups in the region being blessed. In our church, we have seen youth, teens, and kids’ groups using it effectively, resulting in holistic transformation in their lives.
To see more RightNow Media original content produced globally, check out our Around the World library on RightNow Media.
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