A reflective meditation on aging, surrender, and the lifelong process of “dying to self” as a follower of Christ. Through personal stories, the journey of the disciples, and the hope of Easter, this piece explores how faith is formed through small acts of surrender that teach believers to trust that true life is found on the other side of death.

A thought-provoking reflection on faith, courage, and embracing difficult assignments through the story of Caleb in Joshua 14. This piece challenges believers to stop searching for the easiest path and instead become people God can trust in hard moments, difficult callings, and Kingdom work that requires courage, discipline, and perseverance.

A thought-provoking reflection on faith, courage, and embracing difficult assignments through the story of Caleb in Joshua 14. This piece challenges believers to stop searching for the easiest path and instead become people God can trust in hard moments, difficult callings, and Kingdom work that requires courage, discipline, and perseverance.

A compelling reflection on teamwork, purpose, and the role every believer plays in the church. Using lessons from sports and team dynamics, this piece explores how churches thrive when people show up, understand their role, support one another, and work together toward a shared mission as “Team Jesus.”

Mike Glenn argues that many pastors focus inward—learning church systems but neglecting the actual community around them. Instead of trying to reach “everyone,” churches should think like missionaries by identifying a specific people group and engaging their local neighborhood intentionally. Real impact starts by knowing exactly who you’re called to reach and serving them well.

Mike Glenn explains that church leadership isn’t about control, but service—Jesus is the true leader, and pastors are meant to equip others, not do everything themselves. When pastors carry all the work, they burn out and prevent the congregation from growing in their own faith. The solution is simpler than we make it: focus on discipleship, empower people to use their gifts, and keep the church centered on worship, mission, and multiplying leaders.

Mike Glenn emphasizes that every church is unique, with its own history, identity, and purpose—so a one-size-fits-all growth strategy doesn’t work. Instead, pastors should help their church discover its specific “yes” and focus on what it’s called to do well, while letting go of everything else. When churches embrace their distinct role, they can better serve their communities without competing with others.

Mike Glenn reflects on how the idea of “sanctuary” has shifted—from a physical safe place to something much harder to find in today’s hyper-connected, mistrust-filled world. With privacy eroding and authenticity fading, people are longing for somewhere they can truly be known and safe. His challenge is simple but powerful: Christians themselves are meant to be that sanctuary—creating spaces where others are protected, heard, and loved with honesty and grace.

Mike Glenn reflects on how the idea of “sanctuary” has shifted—from a physical safe place to something much harder to find in today’s hyper-connected, mistrust-filled world. With privacy eroding and authenticity fading, people are longing for somewhere they can truly be known and safe. His challenge is simple but powerful: Christians themselves are meant to be that sanctuary—creating spaces where others are protected, heard, and loved with honesty and grace.

After more than three decades leading Brentwood Baptist Church, Mike Glenn explains his decision to step down not as burnout, but as clarity—he knows it’s time to make space for what’s next. He believes the church is entering a new era where megachurch models fade and smaller, community-centered expressions take their place, with ministry happening daily in neighborhoods rather than primarily on Sundays. Leadership will shift from doing the work to multiplying leaders, and trust—especially with younger generations—must be earned through visible, meaningful impact. At the same time, people are carrying deeper personal wounds than ever, making the need for the gospel more urgent and more powerful. Glenn’s message is both a warning and a charge: the structure of church may be changing, but its mission is not—and in a world hungry for hope, the church must rise to meet it with clarity, courage, and renewed purpose.

After a cardiologist tells Mike Glenn to lose weight, he realizes the problem isn’t lack of knowledge—he already knew what to do, just like most people do. What finally moves him to change isn’t more information, but a compelling reason: the desire to be present at his granddaughter’s future wedding. That vision reshapes his choices in the present. From there, Glenn draws a larger point about faith and leadership—people aren’t transformed by facts alone, no matter how true or well-presented, but by stories that pull them into a different future. Just as his wife gave him a reason to change, the gospel offers the ultimate story—one that invites people into renewal, purpose, and belonging. In a world overflowing with information, what people truly need is a story worth living into.

Mike Glenn compares church leadership to generals stuck fighting the last war—relying on outdated strategies while the world rapidly changes around them. He argues that many churches, especially those chasing megachurch models, are building based on what worked years ago, even as culture shifts toward smaller, more personal, and community-driven experiences. Younger generations aren’t drawn to large institutions or polished productions—they’re searching for authenticity, belonging, and real relationships. As a result, the future of the church won’t be found in bigger stages or better strategies, but in smaller, relational communities where faith is lived out daily. Glenn’s vision is clear: pastors must shift from leading crowds to developing people, as the church returns to its roots—gathering in homes, forming deep connections, and living as missionaries in their own communities.

Mike Glenn reflects on the story of the wedding at Cana to illustrate a deeper, more personal lesson about faith—one shaped by his mother’s fierce, unfiltered trust in God. Like Mary, his mom believed that when you bring a need to Jesus, you expect Him to act. She lived with a simple but demanding philosophy: do your part, trust God with the rest, and don’t waste time blaming others. Her prayers weren’t polished or passive—they were bold, honest, and deeply relational, the kind that sounded more like a conversation than a ritual. Even in moments of fear, like when his father’s life was at risk, she didn’t hesitate to ask God directly for what she wanted, trusting Him completely with the outcome. Through her life, Glenn learned that real faith isn’t quiet or distant—it’s active, persistent, and grounded in a trust that keeps fighting and praying at the same time.

When people ask Mike Glenn if he misses leading a church, he answers honestly: he doesn’t—at least not the grind of it—and stepping away revealed something even more sobering. The church, in many places, is struggling more than we admit: few are truly healthy, many lack clarity in mission, and growth often comes from shifting attendees rather than new believers. Yet beneath that realism is a steady hope. Glenn sees that while institutional structures may be weakening, the core of the gospel is not. Around the world—and increasingly in everyday spaces like homes, conversations, and small gatherings—faith is still spreading in simple, personal ways. His conclusion carries both warning and promise: the old forms may be fading, but Jesus is still at work, constantly renewing His church, often in quieter, humbler places where real transformation begins.

Every Christmas, Mike Glenn finds himself gently undoing the version of the story people grew up with—no drummer boy, no innkeeper, no tidy manger scene with everyone arriving at once. The reality is quieter, less polished, and far more powerful. The wise men came later, the setting was likely humbler than imagined, and many of the details we cherish were added over time. But instead of diminishing the story, stripping it down reveals its true weight: God stepping into the world not with spectacle, but in vulnerability, through ordinary people in an overlooked place. Glenn’s point isn’t to take away wonder, but to redirect it—the story doesn’t need embellishment to be meaningful. It’s already the greatest story ever told, just as it is, and it still has the power to change lives if we simply tell it and believe it again.

In Nashville, where talent fills every stage, Mike Glenn finds his value not as a performer but as an attentive, humble audience member—and that lens shapes how he sees the modern church. As he visits congregations, he notices a shift: worship and preaching increasingly feel designed for spectators rather than participants. Songs are performed more than led, sermons crafted into bite-sized clips instead of meaningful journeys, and leaders subtly chase attention over transformation. What once centered on guiding a congregation into genuine encounter now risks becoming a performance aimed at approval. His conviction is clear: the church was never meant to create an audience, but to form a people actively engaged in worship, growth, and testimony.