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5 Ways to Encourage People Into God’s Family

Welcome

I've heard plenty of sermons about how our evangelistic ineffectiveness is directly attributable to our lack of love for lost people. Usually somewhere in those sermons is the phrase, "We just don't care enough." While I'm sure that's true to one degree or another at any given time, I have a different …

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Three Things Kids Need to See In Their Parents

Old Family Photo

We sometimes think that raising kids well is all about what we tell them. But what is even more important is what we show them. And if you want to do the best you can for the next generation's sake, you'll model at least these three traits in your home. Security and Stability Kids need to know that they're …

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Everybody Belongs, Starting with You

Stained Glass

Everybody belongs. When we say everybody, we mean every color, every shape, every personality, and people with every kind of story imaginable. Everyone belongs, even before they believe. It's sad that we have to expound on the word "everybody" to make sure people know that we mean everybody. This is the …

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Whatever It Takes, Short of Sin

Into the Darkness

At Grace Hills, we will do whatever it takes, short of sin, to find people far from God and lead them to life in Jesus. That's one of our core values, and it's the one that probably creates the most tension for Christians. It's a value that is drawn straight from Scripture: I have become all things to all …

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The Abiding Church: Calling Church Leaders Back to Jesus

The Abiding Church

When I first moved back to northwest Arkansas to plant a church, not everyone understood. Even quite a few church leaders wondered why the neighborhood needed another church. But Nate Sweeney embraced us and has encouraged us all along the way. I so appreciate his ministry in northwest Arkansas, and I'm excited …

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Planting Churches and Popping Bubbles

Double Bubbles

When we started planting Grace Hills Church, we moved fast. We had our first public information meeting in July of 2011 and launched in January of 2012. Some planting strategists would make the assumption that we were all about getting to the weekend show and not enough about making disciples. Nothing could be …

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A Dozen Ways to Kill a Great Idea

Some committee's recording clerk, waiting for action to happen.

Ever watched a really good idea crash and burn? Me too. Here's some brutal honesty... entire movements have gone down in flames because of boneheaded approaches to good ideas. This isn't to say we can't afford to make mistakes. In fact, the only way to know we're taking risks is to make mistakes. We can't …

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Three Prerequisites to Leading Others Well

Ninety and Nine

Being loud doesn't make you a leader. Neither does being popular. Leadership is influence, and influence means taking people in a direction they wouldn't otherwise be going - hopefully forward. Ambition isn't enough to qualify you to lead. There is more to the equation. You need to be led before you can …

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Why I Hope the Multi-Ethnic Ministry Conversation is Short-Lived

Multi-ethnic Church

I'm currently reading Building a Healthy Multi-Ethnic Church by Mark DeYmaz. It's one of several books I've read on the subject because it's a big area of concern for me as a Pastor who is planting a church in a community that is diversifying much more quickly than the churches within it. But I hope the …

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God Loves Big Thinking

Taking the World by Storm

Sometimes someone comes to Grace Hills from a larger church because they're "looking for something smaller." My reply is always the same. "You're welcome here, but I hope we let you down." It's not that we've set out to be a "big" church or a megachurch. But we also haven't set out on this journey merely to …

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Our extra greeters seem a bit blue today! @ Grace Hills Church http://t.co/orexDp0ta36 hours ago