Mission is all about God. At Midwestern, we emphasize the study of who God is (theology) and what God does (mission). Good theology is crucial to missiology because the mission begins and ends with God.[1] The one true God has one unified mission, and each person of the Triune God distinctively carries out this mission as it unfolds in history. God the Father is the author, planning and initiating the mission. God the Son is the agent, executing and fulfilling the mission. The Holy Spirit is the administrator, applying and empowering the mission.[2] The object and ultimate end of the mission i ..read more

A new mailbag installment of the FTC Pod is upon us! In this episode, Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson answer your submitted questions and topics, including: when should pastors refer members to professional Christian counselors?, are church dress codes for those “on stage” reasonable?, preparing a small town church ready for city growth, when does a church plant become a “real” church?, is the age of accountability in the Bible?, what’s the best thing about the American Church?, best resources for training church leaders in gospel-centrality, and opinions about the streaming show The Chosen. Yo ..read more

He is inexhaustible. Unsearchably rich (Eph 3:8). Bottomless. We receive him, thinking he’s a pond, only to discover over time he’s an ocean. In him there is surprise after surprise. Endless discovery. Startling wonders around each bend. He’s ruling and reigning over the entire cosmos such that the top headline of both FoxNews and CNN and everything in between should read, every day, in all caps: GOOD NEWS: JESUS CHRIST STILL ON THRONE: EVERYONE FREE TO CALM DOWN. His rule extends to every atom, every molecule, the exact angle of the flutter of a leaf as it falls gently to the ground. He is a ..read more

It doesn’t matter how you start; it’s how you finish that makes the difference. In the season finale of The Heart of Pastoring Podcast, Jared and Ronnie discuss the “why” behind the qualification that pastors not be recent converts, what happens when they are recent converts, and the residual effect on ministers and their churches when there is too much rush of untested men into positions of leadership. Our hosts also take a little stock of their own lives and ministries from their mid-life vantage points and explore what it means to pursue a long track record of faithfulness, a reliable patte ..read more

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson talk about the importance of “story” as it pertains to our testimonies and to preaching and teaching, as well as the biblical and theological significance of the concept of story, before discussing Jared’s new book The Storied Life: Christian Writing as Art and Worship. The Storied Life, designed for writers and artists of all kinds, is published by Zondervan and is available to order/purchase wherever you buy Christian books. Order before May 7 and you can get access to Jared’s FREE teaching videos either for writers or preach ..read more

Does anyone go into ministry for the money? Maybe. Jared and Ronnie didn’t think they’d have a lot to say about the pursuit of money — and what the apostle Peter calls “shameful gain” — but they did. And it turns out ministerial greed and shameful gain isn’t just about money. There are other things pastors often succumb to becoming greedy about. In this conversation, our hosts explore the variety of ways pastors pursue discontentment, gluttony for things and experiences, and even how congregations can help pastors avoid financial (and other kinds of) anxiety and unrest ..read more

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson discuss how mature Christians might learn to consider, process, and adjust when their churches change in a variety of ways, as well as how leaders might initiate change in a way that best positions a church for health and stability ..read more

Is gentleness the lost art of pastoring? The apostle Paul forbids pastors from being bullies and from being quarrelsome, but many pastors (and churchgoers) today seem to think these qualifications are optional and even valorize ministerial violence, manipulation, and conflict. In this honest conversation, Jared and Ronnie share some of their own experiences serving under bully pastors, what sows the seeds of abuse in ministers, and how to pursue not an image of peace but a heart and reality of peace ..read more

The latest installment in our new Grab Bag! feature comes with a twist. This grab bag is a movie swap! Jared and Ross assigned movies to one another. Jared has to watch Ross’s “Christian movie” recommendation. Ross has to watch Jared’s “is it a Christian movie?” recommendation. Then they discuss. Will they like their assignments? Will they hate them? Listen in and find out ..read more

While attending Heriot Watt University I took a public speaking class. The course led students to produce and effectively deliver a public speech on any given subject. A well-crafted and excellently delivered speech can certainly produce results; at the very least an applause would be warranted. Although a response is given it is usually short lived and even the best of speeches will soon be forgotten. These emotional responses rely on a rousing speech. Therein lies the problem: when we apply the principles of a public speaking class to preaching, we can expect short lived emotional responses ..read more