August 29, 2025

This edition is sponsored by ChurchSalary

Dear Pastor,

This week, we have two new reflections for you—one for the pulpit and one for the missions team.

In the first article, J.T. English invites us to see Scripture not just as a source of truth, but as the living story we still inhabit. It argues that discipleship requires Bible literacy—not for better answers, but for faithful lives—and calls pastors to lead their people into the story, not just speak about it.

The other piece, from ICM’s Janice Rosser Allen, reminds us that faithful leadership doesn’t always come from faraway places. In communities around the world, local believers—often unseen by the global church—are discipling their neighbors, planting churches, and bringing the gospel where others cannot go.

Both point to the same truth: God is at work, sometimes in subtle ways. Through his Word. Through his people. May we be faithful with both.

Read the articles here:

Grateful for you,

Chris Poblete
Editorial director for CT Pastors

Elsewhere at CT:

In a recent interview, President Trump quipped that he hopes to get into heaven for his efforts to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. CT Editor-in-Chief Russell Moore responds with an open letter, pointing to the only way into heaven: the true news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Bible colleges are closing down due to declining enrollment, shifting priorities, and financial pressures. Their legacy lives on in alumni who carry on the mission.
Lindsay Holifield shares how her journey from rigid fundamentalism through deconstruction and eventual deconversion ended in an unexpected encounter: God’s steady, non-anxious love that gently restored hope and drew her back

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More pastoral resources

The Bible Is More Than a Book to Know

It’s a story to inhabit. And pastors must lead the way.

Let the Locals Lead

Native church planters are preaching, evangelizing, and discipling in places foreign missionaries are struggling to reach.

Three Surprising Advantages Small Churches Have with Gen Z

New research shows that when it comes to reaching young people, size isn’t a limitation—it’s an asset.

The Weight of Trust

In a cynical age, pastors must carry their calling with tenderness and grit.

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Preaching Today: Fresh sermon illustrations and updates on new sermons, preaching articles and much more!

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