Welcome
After years of pastoring, planting, and coaching church leaders, I’ve noticed something: most of us need more help than we let on. Pastors carry burdens nobody sees. Church members want to follow Jesus faithfully but aren’t sure where to start. Ministry is hard, and it was never meant to be done alone.
That’s why Ministry That Matters exists. Everything here is gospel-centered, written for the local church, and practical for everyday ministry. Whether you preach every Sunday or you’re simply trying to follow Jesus on a Tuesday, you’re in the right place.
Here’s where I’d start.
What we’re about
Three convictions behind everything here
Gospel-centered
The good news of Jesus isn’t just how we start the Christian life. It’s how we grow, lead, and keep going.
For the local church
God’s plan for the world runs through ordinary churches. We write to strengthen them.
Practical
Clear, usable help for real ministry, whether you lead from the pulpit or the kitchen table.
Path one
For pastors and church leaders
Five articles on enduring in ministry, preaching faithfully, and leading from a healthy place.
Read first
Ministry Is Hard: 10 Keys to Enduring in Ministry
Only one in three ministry leaders finishes well. Ten keys to enduring in ministry from Dusty Thompson and JR Vassar.
Read second
The Unique Burden Pastors Carry
Pastoral ministry isn’t harder than every other job, but it carries a unique weight. What pastors carry, and why we built pastor support into the Redeemer Network.
Read third
Six Preaching Principles Every Pastor Needs
Six principles every preacher needs, from a workshop for church planters: match the vibe of the text, work hard, expect the Word to work, and more.
Read fourth
Five Qualities of a Healthy Church Planter
What are the marks of a healthy church planter? Five qualities I’ve seen over fifteen years in rooms full of planters.
Read fifth
Cultivating a Prayerful Ministry
There’s a lot of prayerless ministry going on. Ask me how I know. How pillars and pockets of prayer can anchor and sustain a prayerful ministry.
Path two
For every Christian
Start with identity, growth, and hope, then see how the gospel shapes your everyday work.
Read first
Where Does Your Identity Come From?
If I handed you an index card and asked you to answer “Who am I?” in one sentence, what would you write? Where your identity comes from matters more than you think.
Read second
Understanding Christian Growth: 5 Essentials
Five essentials for spiritual growth, first shared with students at Redeemer: two gifts God gives, why growth never stops, and the secret weapon of discernment.
Read third
Finding Hope in Suffering: Discipleship Through Pain
“We’ve failed to disciple people in sorrow.” How the gospel makes us people of resilient faith and enduring hope when suffering comes.
Read fourth
What Is the Bible and Can We Trust It? Here’s My 30-Second Answer
If a coworker asked you what the Bible is, what would you say? Here’s my 30-second answer: one story, centered on Jesus, worth trusting and worth treasuring. Plus how we got the Bible and why it holds up.
Series · 2 parts
Faithful Work
How the gospel connects to your job, whatever your work, and the better story it tells about why your work matters.
Go deeper
Read a series
Some subjects need more than one article. Pick a series and read it start to finish.
3 parts
A Church That Cares
Why pastoral care can’t rest on the pastor alone, and how a church builds a culture where members care for one another.
Start the series →
5 parts
Evangelism, the Gospel, and Renewal
Recovering the full gospel for evangelism in a post-Christian culture, and what past revivals teach us about renewal today.
Start the series →
4 parts
Understanding Mission
What mission is, where it comes from in Scripture, and how the church lives it out through every season.
Start the series →Free resources
Tools for your church
Guides and workbooks built from real ministry. Free to download and use with your team.
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