A Word to the Wise: Faithfulness amid the Culture War, J. D. Greear
 
J. D. says, “My primary assignment isn’t to build a nation but to be a faithful witness to Jesus.”
 
Recently, he published a book, Everyday Revolutionary: How to Transcend the Culture War and Transform the World. “It’s possible to be faithful and true in everything we say on every public issue and still be unfaithful in the mission of Jesus.
 
Jesus’s mission, you see, was more than just the proclamation of truth; it was the ministry of reconciliation. Jesus spent his energy befriending sinners, bringing them back to God, not just establishing cultural beachheads. That meant he backed out of some important discussions to better focus on the essential one—he “solved” for reconciling sinners to God through the preaching of his gospel. In his day-to-day encounters, he seemed less concerned with saving a nation than he was with saving individuals.
If we’re his followers, that will be true of us too.”
 
Learn more here: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/faithfulness-amid-culture-war/
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A Word to the Wise: Is This Revival?
 
In evaluating the Charlie Kirk assassination, memorial service, and its subsequent impact, John Stonestreet reflects on Jonathan Edwards’ distinguishing marks of a true revival.
John Stonestreet, 10.6.25, Breakpoint, Is This Revival? We cannot manufacture revival, but that should not keep us from hoping, praying, and working for it.

1. Focused on the person and work of Christ
2. A clear call to repentance
3. Grounded in the Bible
4. Produces love, humility, and unity among believers

 
https://breakpoint.org/is-this-revival
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A Word to the Wise
 
How Much Time Should We Spend Reading the Bible? Tim Challies
https://www.challies.com/articles/how-much-time-should-we-spend-reading-the-bible/
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A Word to the Wise: The Gospel Side of the Charlie Kirk Memorial (Kentucky Today)
 
https://www.kentuckytoday.com/baptist_life/the-gospel-side-of-the-charlie-kirk-memorial/article_330192a4-98d7-4d9c-b806-ae37ebb09a29.html
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A Word to the Wise: 10 Statistics/Figures Church Leaders Should Know (Chuck Lawless)
 
Below are ten statistics/figures I would want church leaders to know. See how many of them you know about your church:
 

1. Worship center seating capacity. Knowing this figure can help you prepare for growth. If you don’t know it, measure the pews and assume 18-24” inches per person.  Or, just count the chairs.
2. Parking capacity. Where parking is limited, growth is most often limited as well, even if the building has more room for growth. It’s good for leaders to keep an eye on this issue. 
3. Attendance decline or growth. Sometimes the decline or growth is so slow that few people recognize the trends. Somebody in leadership needs to know reality.
4. Budget giving shortfall/overage. Not only does this figure give you a snapshot of the church’s giving and spending, but it also helps you to pray as needed regarding finances.
5. Conversions vs. transfer growth. Church leaders should know whether the church is growing by reaching lost persons or by transferring members—or both. Most “growing” churches are growing primarily by the latter.
6. Missions giving percentage. This figure helps show whether or not your church has a heart for missions.
7. Personnel budget percentage. Most of the time, this percentage directly affects how much of the budget remains for actual ministry.
8. Number of pastors or missionaries called out from the church. Too few church leaders emphasize the task of “calling out the called” today.
9. Number of unchurched people in the community. Church leaders who have no knowledge of the spiritual state of their community often lead churches that are not outwardly focused.
10. The church’s statistical goals for this year. I realize that numerical goals can become an idol, but having no goals seldom leads to healthy growth. 

Chuck Lawless, 9.17.25, https://chucklawless.com/2025/09/10-statisticsfigures-church-leaders-should-know/
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​A Word to the Wise: 3 Steps to Strengthen Your Leadership Development Strategy by Mac Lake
 
Strengthening your leadership development strategy starts with simple, intentional steps you can practice right now.
 
Here are three simple but powerful steps you can take today:
 
Be a leader worth following.
People don’t just follow vision, they follow spirit and skill. Psalm 78:72 reminds us that David “shepherded them with integrity of heart and guided them with skillful hands.” Leadership is both character and competency.
 
Pray about who to invest in.
Jesus spent an entire night in prayer before choosing the Twelve (Luke 6:12–13). Don’t just fill slots—seek God for the right people to pour into, and then give disproportionate time to a few in order to impact many.
 
Focus on transformation, not just information.
Dumping content into people doesn’t create change. Transformation happens when leaders are developed in both character and competency—when they’re equipped not just to run ministry tasks, but to live and lead like Jesus in every area of life.
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Mac Lake, 3 Steps to Strengthen Your Leadership Development Strategy, 9.8.25

A Word to the Wise: Most Countries Have a Christian Majority (Aaron Earls, Lifeway Research)
 
Christians make up 29% of the global population but are a majority in 120 countries, according to the most recent analysis by Pew Research.

​A Word to the Wise: 10 Ways to Scare Off Young Adults From Your Church (P. J. Dunn)
 
1. Your Google Maps listing
If young adults can’t find you, they won’t connect with you.

• 86% of consumers utilize Google Maps to find companies.
• 76% of local smartphone searches lead to a visit within a day.

One free and highly effective way to reach young adults is for a church to claim its Google Maps church listing. 
2. Your social media and live stream
3. Your website and/or app
4. Your church sign and branding 
5. Your church calendar and software
If everything’s important, nothing is.
6. Your discipleship communication 
Don’t advertise programs. Tell stories.
7. Your environments
8. Your people
Your greeters open more than doors; they open hearts.
9. Your authenticity
10. Your why
If your why is unclear, your what won’t matter.

• Churches that fail to communicate their mission drift into routines and programs.
• Young adults want purpose, not business.

P. J. Dunn, Commentary: 10 Ways to Scare Off Young Adults, The Christian Index, 8.26.25
https://christianindex.org/stories/commentary-10-ways-to-scare-off-young-adults-from-your-church,103756
 

A Word to the Wise: 12 Ways a Local Church Can Help a Missionary (Chuck Lawless)
 

1. Actually pray for them. 
2. Plan your trips with their input. 
3. Make a long-term commitment to work with them. 
4. Ask them what you can bring them.
5. Talk with them before you make commitments to national believers. 
6. Pray for the people they’re trying to reach. 
7. Actually read and respond to their newsletter and emails. 
8. Take seriously their requests about not posting or forwarding materials. 
9. Talk with them regularly. 
10. Provide housing and an automobile while they’re in the States. 
11. Give sacrificially to missions offerings. 
12. Pray for them some more. 

Chuck Lawless, 8.13.25, https://chucklawless.com/2025/08/8481/
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A Word to the Wise: James Clear

It is common to think about what you would like to accomplish. It is less common to think about what must be discarded to make space for your new endeavors. The time must come from somewhere. What do you need to give up to make space for what you would like to achieve?

James Clear, 7.31.25, 3-2-1 Thursday