This essay challenges the way churches measure success. Mike Glenn argues that attendance has become the default metric, even though Jesus never defined success by crowd size. COVID exposed this weakness by revealing that many churches had become better at gathering crowds than making disciples. He reflects on advice from an older pastor who ignored attendance numbers and instead came to church each Sunday looking for "the one" person Jesus was seeking. Glenn concludes that the church's mission is not to fill seats but to faithfully love, disciple, and reach individuals. Real success is found when even one person encounters the persistent love and mercy of Christ.

This essay argues that if Christians truly believe every life is sacred, then being "pro-life" must extend far beyond birth. Mike Glenn points to Tennessee's foster care crisis as a wake-up call, asking why the church ever stepped back from caring for vulnerable children in the first place. He calls local churches to actively support adoption, foster care, public schools, tutoring, youth programs, and any ministry that invests in children and families. His central message is that every child bears the image of God, every child belongs to the Father, and the church should be known for showing up with practical, sacrificial love that reflects the hope of resurrection.

Mike Glenn reflects on how announcing his retirement transformed the way he viewed time, especially Sundays. What once seemed like an endless rhythm of sermons and worship suddenly became a finite number of remaining opportunities to preach, celebrate holidays, and shepherd his congregation. That realization led him to cherish each Sunday more deeply and prompted a broader truth: all of us are living with a limited number of Sundays, even if we don't know how many remain. His central message is that life's moments are precious because they are finite, so we should stop taking time for granted, invest in what truly matters, love people well, and worship God wholeheartedly, knowing that every Sunday could be our last.

Mike Glenn reflects on the aftermath of the 2023 school shooting in Nashville, admitting that, despite spending his life preaching and writing, he found himself without words. As a pastor, father, and grandfather, he wrestles with the heartbreak of innocent lives lost and the deep human desire to understand why such tragedies happen, ultimately concluding that no explanation could lessen the pain. Rather than rushing to political arguments or easy answers, he emphasizes the value of silence, shared grief, and prayer, recognizing that some suffering can only be met with tears. Drawing a parallel to the silence of Good Friday, he reminds readers that God's silence should not be mistaken for defeat. His central message is that even when evil seems overwhelming and answers are absent, Christians hold onto the hope that God is still at work, and like the disciples before the resurrection, we wait in faith for His redeeming work to be completed.

Mike Glenn reflects on the way constant exposure to violence and tragedy has left many people emotionally numb and spiritually discouraged, slowly convincing them that neither society nor even God can truly change the brokenness of the world. He compares this despair to the disciples' experience after the crucifixion, when they believed the story was over and hope had died with Jesus. Drawing on the journey from Maundy Thursday to Good Friday and ultimately Easter, he argues that the resurrection confronts the sin of despair by reminding us that God's silence is not His absence and that death itself could not stop His redeeming work. His central message is that while laws and human efforts have their place, only the risen Christ can heal the deepest wounds of humanity, and Easter calls believers to reject hopelessness because God is still making all things new.

Mike Glenn reflects on growing up in the early television era and how the fear of missing out kept him glued to shows and cultural moments that seemed important at the time but ultimately had little lasting value. Looking back on his ministry and life, he regrets not missing more television in order to spend more time pursuing what truly mattered: reading Scripture, praying, cultivating deep friendships, and growing in holiness. Inspired by faithful believers who lived without constant entertainment, he concludes that the greatest danger of FOMO is not missing cultural trends but missing a deeper relationship with Jesus. His central message is that the only lasting pursuit is becoming a saint, because in the end, a life shaped by Christ matters far more than staying current with the world.

Mike Glenn compares pastoral ministry to riding a roller coaster: exhilarating, terrifying, exhausting, and deeply rewarding all at once. Looking back on more than three decades as senior pastor of Brentwood Baptist Church, he reflects on the emotional highs and lows of ministry, from criticism and conflict to witnessing lives transformed by Christ, marriages restored, addicts redeemed, and impactful ministries launched. While acknowledging that the pandemic intensified the pressures of ministry and contributed to a growing shortage of pastors, he remains convinced that the local church is God's primary instrument of redemption in the world. His central message is that despite its challenges, pastoral ministry is one of the greatest adventures a person can undertake, and he encourages those sensing God's call to embrace it wholeheartedly because the privilege of seeing God at work far outweighs the hardships.

Mike Glenn argues that true discipleship is learned through practice, not just information. Using the example of changing a tire, he explains that reading about something is very different from actually doing it. He applies this to the Christian life, noting that many churches equate discipleship with Bible classes and theological knowledge, while Jesus trained His followers by teaching them, sending them into ministry, reviewing what they experienced, and then sending them again. Mike believes churches should follow this same pattern by equipping believers to actively serve rather than simply consume teaching. His central message is that faith becomes real only when it is lived, and many of God's truths can only be fully understood through obedient action rather than classroom learning alone.

Mike Glenn compares the life of a pastor, and really every Christian, to sailors navigating an unpredictable sea with limited control over the journey. Using the story of Captain Bligh's remarkable voyage after the Mutiny on the Bounty, he reminds readers that life is filled with circumstances beyond our control, from illness and loss to changing plans and unexpected hardships. Rather than chasing the illusion of control, believers should focus on what they can choose: aligning their lives with God's truth, grace, and love, and most importantly, trusting Christ as their Captain. His central message is that while we cannot control the storms of life, we can entrust ourselves to the One who commands the wind and waves and knows the way safely home.

Mike Glenn challenges the common assumption that the church is an organization responsible for carrying out ministry while members simply attend. He argues that whenever people say, "The church should do something," they are really saying, "We should do something," because the church is its people, not its building or staff. Rather than waiting for pastors to launch every ministry, believers should pursue the burdens and opportunities God places on their own hearts. Mike broadens the definition of church beyond Sunday services, showing that church happens whenever Christians gather to serve, disciple, encourage, and share Christ throughout the week. His central message is that the church is at its healthiest when every believer sees themselves as an active participant in God's mission, bringing stories of God's work back into worship each Sunday.

Mike Glenn recounts the frightening experience of temporarily losing his voice after years of overusing it in ministry. Facing the possibility that he might never preach again, he realized he had tied his identity too closely to his ability to speak. During a sleepless night of prayer, God impressed on him a deeper truth: if he could no longer preach, he would simply find another way to praise Him. Mike distinguishes between thanksgiving for what God has done and praise for who God is, emphasizing that God's worthiness never changes regardless of our circumstances. His central message is that our purpose is not defined by our abilities or roles, but by worshiping God, who remains faithful and worthy whether we stand in a pulpit, face suffering, or lose what we value most.

Mike Glenn uses the playful imagination of his grandchildren to illustrate a deeper spiritual truth: children naturally see possibilities where adults only see limitations. He argues that education, experience, and routine often train us to accumulate knowledge while diminishing our ability to imagine what God could do. Whether in churches, ministries, or our own lives, we become fixated on obstacles instead of opportunities. Drawing on biblical examples of God transforming ordinary people and impossible situations, Mike encourages believers to recover a Spirit-led imagination that sees potential instead of decline. His central message is that renewal begins when we stop asking what is and start asking what God could do, trusting that He is still able to accomplish far more than we can imagine.

Mike Glenn argues that debates over worship music are nothing new, noting that churches have long divided over hymns versus gospel songs, drums, choruses, and now music from Hillsong and Bethel. Rather than judging a song solely by the character or theology of those who wrote it, he points to the church's historic teaching that God can work through imperfect people, just as He has throughout Scripture. His view is that the value of a worship song lies in whether it genuinely helps believers focus on Christ. Since God consistently uses flawed messengers to proclaim His truth, Christians should avoid making perfection a prerequisite for worship. If a song leads someone to worship Jesus faithfully, they can sing it with a clear conscience, remembering that the treasure of the gospel is more important than the imperfect vessels through which it comes.

Mike Glenn reflects on the profound influence of his father, whose quiet faithfulness shaped both his understanding of Scripture and his understanding of God. Though his dad worked tirelessly to provide for his family after growing up in deep poverty, he still modeled a genuine love for God's Word, teaching Sunday School for over forty years and making the Bible a living part of everyday life. Looking back, Mike realizes his father's greatest legacy was not his success or sacrifice alone, but that he made it easy for his children to believe in a loving heavenly Father. His central message is that fathers have the sacred responsibility to reflect God's love so well that they help, rather than hinder, their children's faith, and he expresses deep gratitude that his own father left exactly that kind of legacy.

Mike Glenn argues that while it is natural to grieve the decline of churches, not every congregation is meant to last forever. Some churches close because communities change or ministries become obsolete, but many decline because they lose sight of their true mission. Rather than existing to serve the comfort of their members, churches exist to make disciples, care for their communities, and fulfill the Great Commission. His central point is that a church's life is found in its mission. When it abandons that mission, it loses its reason to exist, and God will raise up other faithful churches to carry His work forward.

Mike Glenn reflects on his retirement after 32 years as senior pastor of Brentwood Baptist Church and explains that his next calling is to mentor and encourage pastors serving in an increasingly difficult ministry landscape. He points to declining trust in institutions, the lingering effects of COVID-19, and a growing shortage of pastors as major challenges facing the church. While many pastors focus on leadership strategies, budgets, and organizational management, Glenn argues they have overlooked their primary calling: to love and care for God's people. Drawing from Jesus' charge to Peter to "feed my sheep," he insists that the defining characteristic of a faithful pastor is not preaching ability or administrative skill, but a sacrificial love for the congregation they serve.

Mike Glenn argues that the traditional model for training pastors is no longer sufficient for the modern church. While affirming the value of seminary education, he believes future pastors need to be formed through apprenticeships with experienced local church leaders, much like Paul trained Timothy and Titus. As technology reshapes education and Christianity becomes more like a minority movement, he envisions seminaries providing academic instruction while churches take primary responsibility for practical ministry training. His central point is that pastoring is an art learned through mentorship and real ministry experience, not just classroom education.

Mike Glenn argues that the first step toward solving any problem is honestly admitting that it exists. Using the story of Apollo 13's famous "Houston, we have a problem" moment, he illustrates how naming a crisis mobilizes the resources needed to address it. He contrasts this with people's tendency to hide struggles behind words like "fine" or softer euphemisms that avoid reality. His central point is that growth, healing, and change begin with honest self-awareness. Once we clearly identify a problem, we can begin working toward a solution, but we cannot fix what we refuse to acknowledge.

Mike Glenn argues that despite repeated predictions of its demise, preaching remains essential because people ultimately need truth spoken by a trustworthy witness, not just information delivered by technology. While acknowledging that AI, the internet, and changing attention spans have transformed how people consume content, he insists that technology cannot replace the need for embodied community or faithful proclamation. Drawing lessons from the pandemic and the rise of online church, he contends that people still need one another, and in a world increasingly filled with misinformation, they need someone to point them to what is true. His central point is that preaching endures because it is more than communication. It is the living witness of the gospel shared within the community of Christ.

Mike Glenn argues that while the reasons people leave church are complex, the path back is often surprisingly simple: genuine friendship. Reflecting on research about the "dechurching" of America, he notes that many former churchgoers would return if someone took the time to know them, listen to their story, and personally invite them back. The challenge is not that this solution is complicated, but that it requires intentional effort, time, and patience. His central point is that rebuilding the church begins one relationship at a time, as believers make space in their lives to love people well without giving up on them.