Tag Archives: preaching

7 Characteristics of Growing Churches

Posted on December 28, 2025 by Mark Cole

Church growth in North America isn’t accidental—and it isn’t primarily about style, denomination, or budget. Growing churches tend to share a set of intentional characteristics that shape everything they do. They don’t abandon theology or tradition, but they continually ask … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Church, God, Healing, Jesus, Leadership, Wisdom, Worship | Tagged anxiety, applied, baptisms, belonging, church, church growth, clear, encounter God, engaging, excellent, experienced, first impressions, God still, growing, growth, guest experience, heals, How do we reach them, joy, leading, marriage, mission, Music, new life, outsiders, pathways, prayer, preaching, reaching, restores, saves, sermons, serving, singable, testimonies, transformed, truth, vision, vision-casting, work, Worship | Leave a comment

Fan the Flame: Using the Gift God Has Placed in You

Posted on November 20, 2025 by Mark Cole

Based on 2 Timothy 1:6–7 Every now and then, Paul writes something to Timothy that sounds less like an apostle and more like a seasoned coach staring down a timid rookie: “Fan into flame the gift of God…” In modern … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, God, Jesus, Leadership, Wisdom | Tagged cheer us, comfort zone, encouragement, faith, fan it, fear, feed it, flame, foster it, fruitful, generosity, gift, gift of God, gifts, God-given, hospitality, leading, love, motivation, new roles, perseverance, power, practice, pray, preaching, preparation, self-control, self-discipline, serving, songwriting, sound mind, spiritual gifts, teaching, timidity, use it, use the gifts, your gift | Leave a comment

Sharing God’s Promise of Abundant Life

Posted on November 20, 2025 by Mark Cole

One of the most powerful themes in Paul’s second letter to Timothy is purpose. Paul writes with clarity and conviction about why he lives, why he preaches, and why he endures hardship. In 2 Timothy, he makes this simple yet … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, God, Jesus, Worship | Tagged abundant life, calling, carry it, commissioned, divine call, everlasting life, faith, faith in Jesus, free, freedom, fullness, gift, God's promise, Good News, greatest news, hope, humility, joy, kindness, life, live it, mission, peace, preaching, purpose, salvation, sent, sent out, serving, share it, singing, speak it, transformation | Leave a comment

Where Does Faith Come From?

Posted on October 2, 2025 by Mark Cole

Many people wonder how faith begins. Is it something we simply work up inside ourselves through determination or discipline? Is it the result of being raised in a Christian family? Or does it appear randomly in certain people but not … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, God, Jesus | Tagged eternal life, faith, faith is born, faith spreads, God's Word, Good News, hearing, His death, open hearts, preached, preaching, promise, resurrection, spoken, sung, testimonies, voice of God, Word of God | Leave a comment

What We Learn from the Devotional Life of Jesus and Paul

Posted on September 28, 2025 by Mark Cole

One of the best ways to grow in our walk with God is to study how Jesus Himself prayed and engaged with Scripture—and how His follower, Paul, continued in that same rhythm. While the Bible doesn’t lay out a complete … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, God, Jesus, Leadership | Tagged all night, Apostle Paul, ask the Father, before meals, daytime, devotional, devotional life, evening, fruitful, God's Word, morning, night, Paul, pray, prayed, prayed before meals, prayer, prayer life, preaching, public reading, quoted, scripture, seek God, strong in faith, taught, teaching, walk in wisdom, wisdom | Leave a comment

How Concerned Were Jesus, Paul, and Peter with Politics?

Posted on March 15, 2025 by Mark Cole

In today’s world, politics dominates conversations, news cycles, and even the church. Many Christians wonder how much they should engage with political issues or whether they should remain focused on the spiritual mission of Christ. A great way to answer … Continue reading →

Posted in Church, God, Jesus, Leadership, Wisdom | Tagged activism, allegiance, Apostle Paul, Apostle Peter, authoriities, Christ, factions, government, His kingdom, honor, injustice, Jesus, Kingdom of God, news cycles, political, political revolution, politics, preaching, proclaim, respect, spiritual, taxes, transformation, ultimate mission, wisdom | Leave a comment

Staying Focused on the Mission

Posted on March 12, 2025 by Mark Cole

In Mark 13:9-10, Jesus tells His disciples, “You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are My followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell them about Me. For the Good News must first be preached to … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, God, God Adventures, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Leadership, Travel | Tagged all the world, Bible, boldness, community, disciples, God's mission, Good News, Gospel, Great Commision, Holy Spirit, mission, opposition, persecution, pray, preached, preaching, sharing our faith, teaching, trust God, worship leading | Leave a comment

How a Pastor Can Grow a Church: Lessons from the Parable of the Growing Seed

Posted on February 23, 2025 by Mark Cole

One of the most encouraging parables Jesus told about the Kingdom of God is found in Mark 4:26-29: “The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, while he’s asleep or awake, … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Church, God, Leadership, Wisdom, Worship | Tagged church, church growth, community, culture, discipleship, God's timing, growth, harvest, leaders, plant faithfully, planting, prayer, preaching, process, relationships, seed, sending people, sowing, step by step, training, transformation, trust God, Worship | Leave a comment

10 Keys to Growing a Small Church

Posted on January 30, 2025 by Mark Cole

Working in a small church is a special privilege. It’s intimate, personal, and often deeply fulfilling. However, small churches often face unique challenges when it comes to growth. Whether your goal is numerical growth, deeper discipleship, or both, here are … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Church, God, Jesus, Leadership, Wisdom, Worship | Tagged actionable, Bible studies, Biblical, change, children, children's ministry, clear steps, community needs, disciple, faithful, fasting, follow-up, greetings, host meals, invite, needs, participation, patient, prayer, prayer meetings, preaching, pulpit, relationships, relevant, serve, spiritual vitality, teaching, vision, Worship | 1 Comment

God’s Secret Plan

Posted on August 6, 2024 by Mark Cole

In Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, he writes, “I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan” (1 Corinthians 2:1). This statement is profound and offers a window into Paul’s approach to sharing the Gospel. But what exactly is this “secret plan” Paul refers to, and how can we, as modern believers, understand and apply it in our lives? Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Church, God, Jesus, Wisdom | Tagged authenticity, change lives, Christ's love, faith, Gospel, Holy Spirit, inclusivity, Jesus, lives, message, power, preaching, reconciliation, secret, transformation, unity | Leave a comment

Tag Archives: preaching

7 Characteristics of Growing Churches

Fan the Flame: Using the Gift God Has Placed in You

Where Does Faith Come From?

What We Learn from the Devotional Life of Jesus and Paul

How Concerned Were Jesus, Paul, and Peter with Politics?

How a Pastor Can Grow a Church: Lessons from the Parable of the Growing Seed

10 Keys to Growing a Small Church

God’s Secret Plan

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