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Audio readings of Sent Ones blog posts: Principles & Stories written by Sent Ones, for Sent Ones. https://www.sentones.com/blog
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Something extraordinary happened when “the Spirit of the Lord came upon” someone in the Old Testament. Every single time, it meant one thing: battle.But here’s what might surprise you: Nothing has changed. The Spirit of God still comes to empower His people for war. The battlefield has simply shifted.https://www.sentones.com/calling/when-gods-spirit-comes-to-fight/
In the early days of the Christian church, a figure named Apollos emerged, not as a convert of the apostles, but as a man already ablaze with passion for the Lord.https://www.sentones.com/developing-leaders/the-apollos-strategy-search-empower/
Many of us have learned simple, reproducible Gospel tools, such as drawing an illustration, a sticker on our phone, or a memorable outline. These tools are valuable. Yet often, believers in the West struggle to connect meaningfully with people from different cultures or religions.https://www.sentones.com/engaging-the-lost/ten-everyday-conversation-starters/
Jesus didn’t only go to His oikos. He had His eyes set on every town in Galilee (Mark 1:38-39) to reach “the lost sheep of Israel” (Matthew 15:24) for the sake of every people and place (Matthew 24:14). So how did He start in these new places with new people that didn’t already have some relational connection with Him?https://www.sentones.com/engaging-the-lost/from-oikos-to-everywhere/
Today, many might suggest strategies like effective marketing, dynamic programs, or “best practice” methods. While these have their place, a deeper look at Scripture reveals a more foundational answer. In Acts 9:31, we find a powerful insight.https://www.sentones.com/church-formation/what-makes-a-church-thrive-and-grow/
But let’s be honest—“extraordinary” can sound overwhelming. Some imagine all-night prayer meetings or a 24-hour a day prayer campaign. And over time, yes, it looks like that. But where do disciples of Jesus start? Maybe it’s simpler than we think.https://www.sentones.com/calling/extraordinary-prayer/
Jesus ascends a mountain, calls a group of His followers from out of the crowd, and proceeds to select 12 to be His apostles. The scene fascinates me, not just for who was chosen, but for those who weren't. More than 12 were there, yet only a handful were set apart. What did the others feel?https://www.sentones.com/developing-leaders/pondering-matthias/
I recently read an old business book called “The Goal.” It’s a fictional story about a man who is the top executive at a manufacturing plant. Early in the story, his mentor asks him the question:What is the goal? Why does your manufacturing plant exist?Hilariously (almost), the main character can’t actually answer the question. https://www.sentones.com/gods-mission/what-is-the-goal/
The core question is this: What is a nation? This question matters because, for decades, we’ve been aiming people and dollars toward reaching the unreached people groups.https://www.sentones.com/gods-mission/are-nations-really-people-groups/
Picture this: You’re at a missionary gathering, and someone mentions “KPIs” or “reporting requirements.” You can practically feel the tension in the room. Eyes roll, shoulders tense, and conversations shift uncomfortably. Sound familiar?If you’ve engaged in missions for any length of time, you’ve likely witnessed—or experienced—this exact scenario. The world of mission metrics is fraught with frustration, mistrust, and genuine challenges that can’t be ignored.But what if tracking could actually serve field workers instead of burdening them? What if measurement could build trust rather than breed suspicion?https://www.sentones.com/gods-mission/beyond-numbers/
“Apostolic Band” might not be a term you have heard before, but the definition is more important than the phrase. We can look at the Biblical pattern for how Paul and his coworkers accomplished the mission of Jesus by reading Acts and the epistles. When we do that, we see both evidence of teaming (or banding) emerge, as well as patterns for how the team (or band) interacted together.https://www.sentones.com/developing-leaders/apostolic-bands/
I was talking with two friends recently, and one of them was wrestling with something I’ve heard many times before: “I want to make disciples in my home … but I’m not sure if I have permission.”This kind of confusion is more common than we’d like to admit. In many churches, faithful believers are left wondering what they’re allowed to do.Can I start a Bible study?Can I baptize someone?Can I teach others without being “released” to do so?https://www.sentones.com/developing-leaders/stop-releasing-people-to-do-ministry/
A few years later, we welcomed our first child into the world. Our calling hadn’t changed—but the way we carried it certainly did. Now we faced the weighty responsibility of not only obeying God’s call but also protecting and providing for a young family. At first, the concern was mostly physical—clean water, food, and safety from illness or unrest. We battled through sicknesses, endured the stress of a political uprising, and weathered the isolating lockdowns of COVID-19. But the burden that grew heavier over time wasn’t physical—it was emotional.https://www.sentones.com/calling/does-your-life-make-sense-in-light-of-eternity/
That’s why I was surprised—and intrigued—to come across a recent article suggesting that the decline might be leveling off. You can read it for yourself, but the gist is this: After 15 years of consistent decline, the percentage of Americans who identify as Christian has held steady at around 61–63% for the past few years.For any believer, that’s a hopeful sign. But for someone like me—whose vision is to see a disciple-making movement rise up in America to reverse our nation’s spiritual decay—it feels especially relevant.https://www.sentones.com/gods-mission/why-christianity-in-america-is-in-worse-shape-than-you-think/
At the edge of these movements, leaders described stagnation and complacency, especially in later generations. It wasn’t because they had stopped doing ministry, but because the why behind it—the vision—had not been passed down. Where clear biblical vision waned, so did passion, risk-taking, and fruitful labor.https://www.sentones.com/gods-mission/the-importance-of-vision-in-mission/
Global migration is a transformative force. In recent decades, cities have evolved into melting pots, home to people groups from every corner of the world, many of whom were once considered unreachable by traditional missions. These days, you don’t need to trek into the Himalayas or cross borders to meet someone who has never heard the Gospel. You may only need to cross the street.But what happens to people’s identity when they move from rural villages to global cities? And what does that mean for mission strategy?https://www.sentones.com/gods-mission/how-urban-life-is-changing-the-way-we-do-missions/
As you read the Gospels, the start of Jesus’s ministry can look abrupt and random, even accidental. It’s as if He waited for 30 years to get going and then, – BOOM! – He just started telling everyone the Gospel. But I’m not sure that’s the reality. If we look deeper, we see that these first disciples were part of a connected community woven together by relationships, shared experiences, and even family ties. Understanding how Jesus started not only sheds light on His methods but also offers a model for how God’s Kingdom still grows through relationships and intentionality.https://www.sentones.com/engaging-the-lost/how-jesus-started/
Analyzing North American immigration reveals two groups relevant to missionary work: the harvest field and the harvest force.
Lately, that’s what life and ministry have felt like—like I’m forerunning. I’ve taken a big step of faith into something new. The path is real, but the race hasn’t started in any official sense. There’s no clear scoreboard or crowd, and few measurable outcomes. And that’s actually OK with me. I’m not chasing results.https://www.sentones.com/calling/forerunning-not-competing/
Given these complexities, many prefer terms like "missionary" or "church planter" to describe those sent to advance the Gospel amongst new peoples and places. However, I believe there is a case to be made for the continued use of the word "apostle" primarily on the basis that it is a biblical term used to describe those in the Bible who were sent out to establish churches and advocate their continual maturing process.https://www.sentones.com/developing-leaders/apostles-in-the-modern-church/
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