Will Langford

I was 24 years old when I became the pastor of a small church in a growing northern suburb of Cincinnati. For the first few months we averaged between 20–25 people in worship on an average Sunday, and honestly, the church didn’t look much like the community around us. New neighborhoods were going up. Young professionals and families were moving in. The community was changing and growing fast. Our church was growing too. Just not fast. New people were coming, and many encouraging things...

Without a doubt change is inevitable. It is one of those things pastors simply cannot avoid if they want to remain faithful to the Great Commission. Every church will go through seasons of change. Neighborhoods change. Generations change. Churches that were once successful begin to experience decline. New opportunities and challenges arise. And often the church must change just to stay true to the mission. I can say with absolute certainly that leading through change is hard. I...

I will never forget the moment Archie walked into my office at FBC Cleves and said, “Boy you are over your head, you are picking a fight you don’t want to pick, and you are not going to last long!” I’m pretty sure I heard a voice say, “welcome to the ministry!!” I was the 21-year-old pastor of FBC Cleves, getting blasted by the chairman of the deacons because I didn’t want him and another gentleman smoking cigarettes in the church’s basement on Sunday mornings. I remember quoting R.G. Lee...