For the past twenty years, I’ve served as an elder at Allen Bible Church. Our congregation consists of a few hundred people led by a handful of pastoral staff and a small team of volunteer elders. Our lead pastor, Buddy, wears many hats. We don’t have the resources that churches of 500, 1,000, or 5,000 do.
For many churches like ours, the reality is clear: we have limited resources, yet significant responsibilities and a mission that never stops.
Over the years leading RightNow Media, I’ve had countless conversations with pastors across the globe. I hear stories of leaders who are burned out or struggling to grow their congregations. Some are unsure how to raise up the next generation of ministry leaders. Others are fighting to keep their marriages healthy while carrying the weight of ministry. These aren’t isolated stories—they’re the lived experience of hundreds of pastors I’ve talked to.
In 2026, ministry feels more challenging and complicated than ever. Cultural shifts, the 24/7 news cycle, social media, and the relentless pace of modern life create pressures unlike any other time in history. Even seasoned leaders feel overwhelmed. And while many churches subscribe to RightNow Media, pastors often see it as a resource for their congregations, but not for themselves.
That reality led our team at RightNow Media to ask a hard question: If we truly want to help churches make disciples, how do we serve pastors and not just their congregations? Because the truth is, pastors need more than just resources. They need encouragement, practical tools, and a way to keep growing as leaders in a rapidly changing world.
Barna’s research revealed that one third of pastors have considered quitting full-time ministry in the past year, and many wonder if their discipleship efforts are truly effective. While recent data shows some improvement compared to previous years, the challenges of the pastorate remain significant.
Maybe you’ve felt that tension. Maybe you’ve wondered if the early mornings, late nights, and sacrifices are worth it. Maybe you’ve even questioned whether God could really use someone like you.
Here’s the good news: God is still ruling and reigning, using his people to bring his kingdom to earth. His purpose hasn’t changed. His plans are still good. He’s not finished with your church.
God calls us to be faithful stewards of the moment we’re in. As you plan for the year ahead, take intentional steps to strengthen your leadership and renew your vision:
1. Pray with Purpose
Start by asking God for wisdom, perseverance, and strength—not just for yourself, but for other church leaders you know. Anchor your prayers in Scripture:
2. Invest in Your Team
Even though your schedule is busy and the next urgent thing always seems to be screaming for your attention, don’t neglect investing in your team. I am thankful that our pastor Buddy initiates this practice with our elder team by carving out time to pray for each other and learn how to sharpen our eldering skills. We’ve done this as part of our regular weekly elder meetings, and we’ve also set aside time for an overnight retreat.
3. Clarify Your “Why”
Take time to reflect on your calling and how God has sustained you along the way. Write down your “why” and keep it visible—on your desk, in your journal, or even as a reminder on your phone. When challenges arise, go back to your “why” statement for encouragement.
Healthy churches start with healthy leaders. When pastors thrive, churches flourish. Check out our free resources for church leaders at RightNowPastors.org.
At RightNow Media, we want to do whatever we can to keep church leaders moving forward in the ministry God has called them to. I pray you are encouraged by 1 Thessalonians 5:23–24: “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it” (NIV).
He who calls you is faithful. Take a moment to pray for your team, your church, and your own heart. You were built for this. The One who called you will sustain you.
For many Christians, sharing our faith with others intimidates, if not frightens, us and can spark questions and insecurities.
“What if I offend someone?” “What if they think I’m ignorant or naïve?” “What if they ask me a question I can’t answer?”
Regardless of where we are—whether at home, at school, or at our local coffee shop—telling others about the hope we have in Jesus and the difference he makes in our lives can be challenging. And there may be no place more challenging to share Jesus than at work.
Yet as uncomfortable as sharing our faith at work can be, our workplaces offer unparalleled opportunities for telling others the good news about Jesus. And the holiday season is a unique time when our coworkers may be open to what we have to say about our faith—and it doesn’t have to be awkward or uncomfortable. As you think about bringing your faith to the workplace this holiday season, consider these three ways to share the love of God with your team members.
We spend more waking hours with our coworkers than almost anyone else. For many of us, some of our closest friendships are with the people we spend those forty hours (or more) with every week. If we’re not invested in the people around us at work, we’re forfeiting a prime opportunity to establish deep, meaningful relationships and to share the love of God with Christians and non-Christians alike.
This holiday season, what could it look like for you to view your workplace not just as a place where you clock in and out, but a place to invest in deep relationships? How could you approach your job site with the goal of sharing God’s love with people who don’t know him, and doing it through the act of friendship? Here are a few ideas:
Friendship is one of God’s sweetest graces to us in this life. Make it your ambition to be a great friend at work and extend God’s kindness to those you work with.
The holiday season is a time when giving takes center stage, whether we’re giving thanks or giving gifts. As Christians, generosity should be a regular feature of our lives, and this time of year gives us even more reason to give above and beyond to our coworkers in thoughtful, meaningful, and surprising ways.
And generosity isn’t only about giving money. Sure, we can help a coworker financially, but we can also lend them our time, talent, or even a kind word. Here are some questions to ask as you consider how to be generous with those you work with:
Generosity is one of many ways to display our faith to our coworkers. How could you imitate God’s generosity by being generous to the people you work with?
Prayer is one of the non-negotiables of the Christian life. It colors everything we do, from exercising wisdom to renouncing sin to sharing our faith with our coworkers. In all these things (and more), we need God’s help. And prayer is where we ask God for the help we need.
Are you eager to impact your workplace with the gospel? Pray. Do you long to see a particular coworker soften to the good news? Pray. Are you curious how to make inroads with a team member you tend to butt heads with? Pray. Begin each morning in prayer—maybe right upon waking, on your drive to work, or when you first set foot into your office—asking God to help you be a light in your place of business. Not sure how to pray? Consider these ideas:
God is a prayer-hearing God. And an amazing thing happens when we pray: God hears us, and he answers. So, pray. And pray expectantly.
Our workplaces are ripe for the gospel. Jesus himself, in Matthew 9:37–38, tells us “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (NIV). When we clock in at work each day, we aren’t merely putting in our time to create a product, perform a service, or make a buck; we are workers being sent into the harvest.
That doesn’t mean we should see our coworkers as a project or that all our work relationships should be contingent upon them receiving the gospel. But it does mean we have an opportunity to do a kind of work that supersedes the work our companies hired us to do. Namely, we work to cultivate genuine relationships with our coworkers, serving them and sacrificing for them; we do all we can to be generous to them with our time, talent, and finances; and we bow in prayer before the Father on their behalf, asking him to help them, bless them, and soften their hearts to the gospel.
Wherever you work, God has sent you there as a worker in his harvest. This holiday season, consider how you can take up that work by sharing your faith with your coworkers.
Leadership can sometimes feel isolating and lonely. Even though you’re surrounded by the people you serve, who can you turn to for encouragement and friendship? We asked some of our previous conference speakers for wisdom on how pastors and church leaders can build close connections within ministry.
[Church leaders can find community] by practicing some intentional vulnerability in friendships and relationships. To me, this is different than what you would share in a sermon, or in a message, standing on a stage. It’s with certain people and in certain relationships—making sure they get to see a part of you that not everyone else gets to see. Vulnerability leads to community.
Ministry is one of the loneliest (if I may say) industries that there are. It’s a perplexing enigma wrapped in a riddle. And I think that if you can get two or three real friends over the duration of your ministry, that’s a serious gift. And to that end, the Scriptures say that he or she who would have friends must first show themselves to be friendly. I have practiced, and am practicing, watching God bring interesting people into my life and then embracing them as the persons he wants in my world. I would urge you to look around at the people God has already given you, and then from there, maybe you can pray for more.
Let me say this. I wholeheartedly reject the idea that you can’t be friends with people on your staff. Now I do know that it requires a certain level of care and maneuvering. But my closest friends are the guys and gals I am working every day with—with this same goal of making disciples at The Village Church. Then, I have pastor friends on the outside of The Village who I am creating space for in my calendar. Some of us, we go hunt. Others of us, we like to hike. Others, we like to just sit around the fire and hang out. I think having a group inside that is tight and vulnerable and there’s a lot of trust is super important, but also kind of popping out and having those places with other pastors to share concerns, to learn from one another, and to encourage one another are both really important.
I think one of the most difficult parts of being in church leadership is the sense of isolation, right? You’re in a context where people are able to be vulnerable with you. They look to you as their shepherd, as their spiritual safe place. But you can’t reciprocate that, no matter how deep your struggles may be in private, you can’t reciprocate that because they are your sheep.
What I would encourage is as a church leader, we have to be intentional about facilitating relationships with other church leaders who understand where we are. And I get it. My husband and I pastor a local church together. I know it can feel incredibly risky to share the parts of us that we wouldn’t want anyone else to find out about, but we’re in this together. So, I would encourage you to prayerfully consider: Who are other church leaders that God has placed in your life as “rams in the bush” to walk alongside you and to help you grow in a sense of safety? Pray about it and move forward.
Choosing vulnerability, openness, and intentionality all result in fruitful relationships in leadership. What practices do you have in place to build community in your leadership spaces? For more spiritual encouragement and practical resources, watch sessions from RightNow Conference 2024, Together. Click here to watch.
The heart of our mission is to serve the global church. Recognizing the growing need for biblical content to serve people in the Middle East, we launched RightNow Media MENA (Middle East and North Africa) in 2024 and it currently serves around ninety churches. Mona El Serafy is the regional director.
We have over a dozen originally produced series in the native languages of the region, with even more content on the way. Thanks to our strategic alliance with NextGen Global leaders, we’re able to reach the Middle East and North Africa with RightNow Media resources.
The library of content for the MENA audience continues to grow, covering a range of topics designed to deepen the spiritual walk of those in the region. Check out some of the recent MENA studies below:
Living with Suffering
Wassim Sabry
Difficulties in Prayer
Maher Samuel
Teach Us to Pray
Hossam Qamsieh
The impact of RightNow Media in the Middle East and North Africa is encouraging. Middle East and North Africa is our newest global region, and despite different challenges to sharing the good news in this area, the RightNow Media platform continues to make a difference.
“Among the beautiful things I found in this platform is the series on how to read the Bible. It gives you a deep and encouraging insight that helps you to really dive deep into Bible learning. RightNow Media also has a lot of very interesting topics. Honestly, I have never seen a Christian platform like RightNow Media.” — Monica A., Cairo, Egypt
RightNow Media’s mission is to work with the global church to inspire people to love others before self and Christ above all. Our strategic alliance with NextGen Global leaders in MENA and beyond has allowed us to expand our ministry to over one hundred countries in thirteen languages.
To see more original content with churches outside of the US, check out the Around the World library on RightNow Media. Additionally, you can learn more about RightNow Media’s global reach on the Global Reach page.
At the end of a long day, after eight or ten or twelve hours of hard work, do you ever lay in bed and wonder, Did I do anything today that really matters? If so, you’re not alone. As women of faith who work, we can sometimes wonder if what we’re doing matters in the kingdom of God. We can be tempted to think that certain work is holier—like starting a ministry or working at a church. Or maybe we love what we do but struggle to see how God is moving in our workplaces because our line of work doesn’t feel spiritual.
There’s good news for every woman: God works through you and in you no matter where you spend your nine-to-five. And beyond that, he fills your work with a purpose that stretches beyond your lifetime. Need proof? Just ask the women in the Bible.
The story of God and his family includes women who worked. We can learn through their stories how God empowers women and gives all our work meaning.
Deborah, a prophetess and the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. She would sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went up to her to settle disputes. Judges 4:4–5 CSB
Deborah served as a judge during one of the most tumultuous times in Israel’s history. Israel had just secured the Promised Land, but instead of remaining faithful to God, they worshipped other gods, so God allowed their enemies to oppress them. When they cried out to him, he’d raise up a judge to save them.
Judges in those days operated as mediators of disputes (as we read in these verses), led armies into battle (which Deborah did—see Judges 4:9–10), and pointed people to God (see Judges 5). They operated as agents of God’s salvation, bringing about justice and flourishing for Israel. Deborah shows us how our work can promote God’s justice and kingdom values in the world. And her appointment as judge reveals how God places us in certain positions to accomplish his purposes.
Learn more about Deborah in Warrior Women: Deborah.
So Ruth gathered grain in the field until evening. She beat out what she had gathered, and it was about twenty-six quarts of barley. She picked up the grain and went into the town, where her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. She brought out what she had left over from her meal and gave it to her. Ruth 2:17–18 CSB
In Ruth, we find a woman who did everything she could to provide for her family. As a foreigner, she stood out, and as a widow, she had few options. So, she worked in a field, gleaning leftover grain as others harvested. With humility, bravery, and dependence on God, she gathered food to care for her mother-in-law.
Ruth teaches us that even difficult, seemingly menial jobs carry purpose and serve as a means for us to exercise faith. Ruth’s faith-filled actions in her work led to short-term provision for her family and long-term provision for Israel—King David and Jesus came from her family line—all of which wouldn’t have been possible if she hadn’t exercised her faith through work. Her faithfulness impacted generations—and the impact of our faithfulness does the same in ways we may never see this side of eternity.
Explore Ruth’s faithfulness in The Book of Ruth.
So the priest Hilkiah, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to the prophetess Huldah, wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem in the Second District. They spoke with her. 2 Kings 22:14 CSB
Huldah was a prophetess, which means she spoke the words of God to the people of God. Prophets and prophetesses stood up to rulers and kingdoms, declaring the truth to an often hostile people. In Huldah’s story, the high priest and king had discovered the book of the law, and they needed answers about what they read, fearing judgment from God. Huldah spoke boldly, giving difficult but vital news to the king (2 Kings 22:15–20).
Huldah shows us we can speak the truth, even to those in authority, and we can weather difficult interpersonal dynamics with God’s wisdom. When we face conflict at work, have to deliver bad news to a coworker, or need to stand up to a boss, we can rely on the same God who empowered Huldah to speak truth to the king.
To learn more about how to navigate difficult conversations, see The Miracle Moment.
She evaluates a field and buys it;
she plants a vineyard with her earnings.
She sees that her profits are good,
and her lamp never goes out at night.
She makes and sells linen garments;
she delivers belts to the merchants.
Proverbs 31:16, 18, 24 CSB
The woman in Proverbs 31 works harder than anyone. She buys real estate, farms, balances books, makes clothing—and more. She’s a renaissance woman, an entrepreneur. Her work spans years and varies over time. She’s diligent, wise, and shrewd. She knows how to handle finances with finesse, using her faith as a guide.
As we read her description, we see how our work impacts communities, from our families to our neighbors. Our work can provide jobs for others and resources for the needy. And our faith informs how we navigate our finances, both at work and at home.
For more on involving faith in our finances, watch Faith as Currency in Our Finances.
Afterward he [Jesus] was traveling from one town and village to another, preaching and telling the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses: Mary, called Magdalene (seven demons had come out of her); Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward; Susanna; and many others who were supporting them from their possessions. Luke 8:1–3 CSB
Several women contributed to Jesus’s ability to do ministry. They invested in his kingdom work, making sure he and his disciples had what they needed as they traveled. Jesus could preach, heal, and cast out demons because they gave from what they had. Though we don’t know their specific professions, we know they earned enough to be generous with what they had.
These women found meaning in their work through giving. Similarly, we can be generous with what we earn, the resources available to us, and our professional expertise. When we tithe, attend a charity event, or hold a networking lunch, we can express our generosity.
Discover other women in Jesus’s ministry in What the Women Saw.
After this, he [Paul] left Athens and went to Corinth, where he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul came to them, and since they were of the same occupation, tentmakers by trade, he stayed with them and worked. Acts 18:1–3 CSB
Priscilla and her husband, Aquila, were Paul’s co-workers both in ministry and vocation. As fellow tentmakers, they formed a friendship with Paul on the foundation of their shared faith and occupation. We see this husband-and-wife duo mentioned throughout Paul’s letters as dear friends and partners in his ministry.
Priscilla’s camaraderie with Paul points us to the fellowship we can find with our coworkers and others in our field. God works in and through these relationships to form us, influence others, and enrich our lives.
Learn more about building friendships in Find Your People.
A God-fearing woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, was listening. The Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul was saying. After she and her household were baptized, she urged us, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us. Acts 16:14–15 CSB
Lydia sold purple cloth—a luxury in the Roman Empire. She was a businesswoman who built her trade on a beautiful product. When she heard the gospel, she shared it with her entire household. Because she was affluent, she could host Paul and many Christians in her home (Acts 16:15, 40).
Lydia’s work reveals that we, too, can create beauty in our work. We can see any success as a platform for sharing the gospel and glorifying God. The fruit of our success, big or small, can broaden our ability to serve others.
Discover the church Lydia was a part of in The Book of Philippians.
Women who work both in and out of the home are in the story of God’s family. Through their faithful lives, we see God’s power on display and find his heart for our careers. He infuses our work with purpose—from bringing justice to serving others to giving generously. These strong, courageous women point us to the God who supplies us with all the strength we need to work each day. No matter your vocation or role, your work matters—to God, to your community, and to the kingdom.
My husband jokes that the only difference between a toddler and a middle schooler is the need for potty training. With the pendulum of emotions and smells that pervade our home raising a ten-, twelve-, and fourteen-year-old, I must agree.
While keeping a toddler alive and happy is its own kind of hard, parenting preteens and teens feels next level. These pre-adults are dealing with hormones and the emotions that come along for the ride. They crave privacy and independence. They may experiment with pushing boundaries. They have the influence of friends invading a space that used to be mom and dad’s domain.
And although our kids still need us, they need us in a different way. How are we to navigate this new phase?
Here are seven practices to help you navigate the preteen and teen years of parenting:
Between school, sports, clubs, and youth events you may find yourself in the car with your teen more than any other place. Although Uber driver and social activities coordinator may not be impressive on your work resume, being present for those drive times with your teen is important.
One way to engage your teen during these car rides is to ask thoughtful questions. Not “How was your day?” but “How was that test?” Pay attention to what your teen values. You may still be met with a grunt but your teen hearing you ask about a specific part of their day that is important to them matters even if all they do is grunt back, “good.”
Toddlers are little chatterboxes. They ask questions and—before we have responded to their first question—they ask a second and third question. As children age, their questions and chatter slow. The worlds they readily welcomed us to be a part of become more exclusive. Friends become their sounding board. Their incessant outer dialogue and curiosity move inward.
That can be hard to take in, but it just means we need to listen and pay attention both to what they are saying and what they are not saying. Has your daughter stopped talking about her best friend? Did your son mention an audition coming up? Are they really excited about a playoff game? Your kids may not be as free with their words these days, but by paying attention, you’ll be ready for those moments when they open up to respond in a way that says, “I’m listening.”
In the classic movie The Princess Bride, Buttercup learns that the farm boy Westley is saying, “I love you,” every time he responds to her requests with “As you wish.” One of the loudest ways we can say to our teens and preteens that we love them is by being present. Save the phone call for later. Delay the email. Sign off social media. Be in the moment with your kids. That time with your kids—even if they are reluctant to engage in conversation—speaks, “I love you” even louder than Westley’s “As you wish.”
When our kids were little, we often put them in time out for poor choices. This five-minute punishment was our way of helping them understand the consequences of their actions. And it usually worked well. It can be tempting to think the same approach will work for our preteens and teens.
In their search for identity, our kids will make mistakes. Time-outs won’t work and neither will verbal reprimands. That doesn’t mean their actions are without consequences. They may have to pass on a meet-up with friends or go without tech until they raise their grades, but they don’t necessarily need a polished lecture.
You probably know what I’m talking about. We oftenfeel tempted to start a “When I was your age” Ted Talk when what our kids really need is quiet to process what they are feeling and maybe a well-worded question that helps them think it through.
Ironically, as our kids age, we may need to put ourselves in timeout—our words at least. There are days when I really ought to have James 1:19 tattooed to my wrist. “Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.” This means holding off on the lecture. It means realizing that just like you make mistakes being parents, your kids will make mistakes being kids. It means modeling restraint and understanding.
No parent is perfect. Let that settle in your mind and heart. You will make mistakes—and your teen needs to hear, “I was wrong. Will you forgive me?” This is an important practice at any stage but especially in a time when your teen may be terrified to be wrong or reluctant to confide in you that she messed up. If you can make mistakes and seek reconciliation, it gives her permission to make mistakes and seek forgiveness.
While kids need their parents at every stage of development, they start to lean on outside voices in their teen years. Because your teens will be listening to the voices of peers and other adults, you must also invite voices of faith into the conversation. Small group leaders. The student pastor. Parents of your teen’s friends. Our teens and preteens need to hear the values you uphold from other people. It sends a message to our kids that sounds something like: “These adults I trust are saying the same things my parents have been saying for years. Maybe there is something to this.”
When my kids were little, I found it easy to turn everyday moments into spiritual ones. “Look at the trees! Who made the trees?” I would ask my toddler crew. They would joyfully reply, “God!” “That’s right,” I’d respond. “God made the trees. Let’s pray and thank God for them.” They would fold their tiny hands and thank God for the trees.
As they’ve aged, those conversations don’t come as naturally. Of course, we can still thank God for the trees, but that suggestion is often met with an eye roll. Despite what may feel awkward, don’t give up on making faith a part of your daily interactions with your teens. Encourage your teen to look for God at work in her day. Thank God for the grace he gave your son to study for a hard test. Encourage your daughter to rely on God when best friends become bullies. We can help our kids see that the God who made the trees is present in the spaces that matter to them.
Parenting teens may not be as harrowing as the toddler years, but there’s a huge learning curve for how we interact with and react to our maturing brood. Lean into the strength that only the Lord can provide and love them well. Learn to listen more than you speak. And point them repeatedly to Christ. Even if they roll their eyes. And refuse to use deodorant.
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