Article by Jeremiah Riner 1 Peter 5:2 "Shepherd the flock of God which is among you..." It doesn't take long in ministry before we're tempted to look sideways. We compare attendance, budgets, buildings, influence, and opportunities. Without even realizing it, our focus can shift from faithfully shepherding people to measuring ourselves against others. But in 1 Peter chapter 5, Peter gives pastors a much different assignment. He doesn't say, "Keep an eye on the flocks around you." He says,...

Article by Jeremiah Riner In Genesis 1, there’s a rhythm to creation. God speaks, everything comes into existence, and then Scripture says, “And God saw that it was good.” over and over again. But then, after the work was finished, “God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). That’s not just a throwaway detail. God doesn’t do “good enough.” He does very good. Complete. Excellent. Always having purpose. And if we bear His image (and we do), shouldn’t that...

Article by Jeremiah Riner I've went to and officiated a fair share of funerals in my time. They seem to become more frequent and more...