Click through to the Resurgence if you can't see the video.

In this interview I talk with Acts 29 Director Scott Thomas about two things that he has lots of experience with—replanting churches and dealing with criticism.

As expected, he offers some sound counsel for both.

Watch, learn and help us spread the word.

For more from Dustin Neeley check out cp4us.org.

Death By Love

Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears tackle some of the most serious redemptive aspects of Jesus' work in these twelve letters of counsel. Find out more.

From the recent sermon Jesus Loves Sinners. Here's the full sermon:

Click through to the Resurgence if you can't see the video.

Luke Sermon Series

The current Mars Hill sermon series traces the life of Jesus through the Gospel of Luke. Watch the preview.

Every opportunity comes with opposition, and we must rely on God’s wisdom to proceed with any opportunity. This involves a careful examination of time and energy, which begs the question: Do you know your priorities?

Yes vs. No

Many of us wrestle with people-pleasing and a reluctance to say “no,” but sometimes it’s the only possible answer.

If you say yes to everything, you will spread yourself thin and perhaps miss truly beneficial opportunities while fulfilling less meaningful requests. You’ll see better opportunities come and go; with no margin available you’ll be trapped by foolish commitments.

On the other hand, if you don’t know your priorities you may never confidently commit to the work God’s called you to, out of fear that a better opportunity may come along. In other words, inaction and action can both be sinful.

Prepare Yourself for Action

Aligning your decision-making with a set of pre-determined priorities is critical. If your priorities aren’t defined up front, then when the opportunities come you’ll respond hastily—usually adding another plate to the pile.

“Yes” is the right decision sometimes, but how do you know? For starters, consider whether or not the opportunity compromises or enhances your priorities.

These Are Your Priorities

In its simplest form, the Christian’s priority list is:

1. Jesus
2. Spouse (if applicable)
3. Children (if applicable)
4. Ministry/Vocation

If you clarify your priorities ahead of time, you’ll be able to reject empty opportunities much faster and consider helpful opportunities more wisely. You may not do as much, but you will do it better.

Jamie Munson is the Lead Pastor of Mars Hill Church. You can connect with him on Facebook and Twitter.

Rain City Hymnal

The first offering from Re:Sound is the Rain City Hymnal. Listen online and get the record from the Re:Sound website. Find out more.

We Belong To God’s Story

How should Christians read the news? Like non-Christians, only with a radical sense of belonging to God’s story, insofar as God himself has revealed it. In other words, there’s a huge overlap with non-Christians. We’re all created in God’s image, fallen, and sustained by God’s common grace. As Luther and Calvin said, non-Christians have a huge understanding of “things earthly,” even if they do not embrace God as he has revealed himself in his Son through the gospel. More importantly, Paul said it in Romans 1 and 2.

We have to distinguish between the Great Commandment (calling us to love God and neighbor), which is the common commission of all human beings, and the Great Commission (calling us to preach the gospel, baptize, and teach). Both are essential, but they’re really different.

Neighbors Loving Neighbors

The newspaper is a form of the law. It draws on common wisdom and data. Even its editorials reflect both the fact of God’s general revelation and its suppression in unrighteousness. Obviously, this natural law isn’t as clear as God’s revealed will in Scripture, which goes deeper in its analysis of our fallen condition. Yet when we read the newspaper, we’re neighbors loving fellow neighbors.

In this era between Christ’s two comings, God sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If he shows his common grace toward all people and a common interest in all affairs, these issues should concern us for more than merely practical reasons. We share with non-Christians in the same joys and disappointments of temporal life.

However, the gospel isn’t announced in the newspaper. For that, we need heralds who bring the most important news of all. I won’t mention names (like Pat Robertson), but people who expect the Bible to be a special code for the meaning of the daily news (or vice versa) aren’t taking either one seriously enough.

Leaders Who Last

Too many Christian leaders stumble, burn out, or veer off track. Learn how to endure from a seasoned pastor and leadership coach in Leaders Who Last.

"Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory" (1 Peter 5:2-4).

Bridesmaids Put Brides First

I did a wedding recently in pouring rain where I was moved to see the gang of bridesmaids get muddy and wet in order to keep the umbrella properly covering the bride, to keep her dress out of the mud, determined to present her to her husband looking great, smelling great, and feeling great.

But occasionally I take a wedding where one of the bridesmaids has clearly missed the plot—she is more caught up with herself than with the bride. She walks down the aisle ahead of the bride and struts her stuff, with her chest out and bum swaying, checking left and right to confirm all eyes are on her.

Who Do You Resemble?

As a church leader, which of these two types of bridesmaids do you resemble? Is it more about you than the Bride, or, God forbid, more about you than the Bridegroom? Attention all church leaders: gentlemen, we have the privilege of looking after another man's wife. Take hits for her. Get bespattered for her. Get rained-on for her. Take bullets for her.

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