The Movement Hasn’t Passed You By
The movement of Jesus Christ hasn’t passed you by. You may not be a superstar – who cares? There’s only supposed to be One! This is the movement of Jesus Christ. How dare we pastors or worship leaders or authors hijack His glory. How dare anybody think that we’re going…
The Best Leaders Are The Closest Followers
Everyone – male or female, pastor, children’s worker, youth pastor, executive pastor – whatever leadership role you have, I just wanted to remind you that every Christian leader is first and foremost a Christian follower. Every one of us is called primarily to be WITH Jesus, to follow Jesus, to…
Kick The Dog
Let’s face it, as much as some of us love the holidays, they are not always easy. As the year winds down and the holiday season winds up, depression and anxiety tend to rise in our society. Things such as the loss of a loved one, financial stress, and other…
3 Things That Kill Vision In A Church
Has your church plateaued? A new person trickling in once in a while doesn’t count as growth. Has your church been in decline? Decline isn’t measured in seasonal or short term attendance drop off. Instead, decline means a sustained decrease in more than one area of your church. Are leaders leaving and…
Five Gifts to Give Visitors This Christmas
You may think of dinner around the table, Mom’s cookies, a football game, and off-key carols when you think of your best Christmas memories; but admit it, you like the gifts too. We all enjoy the mystery behind the bow, the thoughtfulness of the gift, and the love that offered…
4 Ways To Reach The Next Generation Right Now
Despair has a permeant address deep in his gut. Everything he reads paints the picture that it’s his fault and the damage has been done. He knows something must change, but in the church that seems less likely than addressing the issue itself. If he were honest, he doesn’t want to read,…
Post It! The question I get asked the most about social media.
We leverage a simple social media strategy at Grace Free Church and it has led to exponential growth in our numbers. More importantly, it has expanded the reach and influence of the Gospel to the 118 thousand people in our county. While having a strategy and following through on that strategy…
5 of The Best Leadership Podcasts for Youth Pastors
I enjoy reading. I go against the grain as a millennial because I like holding a physical book in one hand and a pen in the other. But with the demands of life (ministry, young kids, and the never-ending supply of leaves falling on my freshly-raked lawn), there’s just not…
When your values get pressure tested.
On the continuum of risk averse to risk seeker, I’m a risk taker when it comes to my phone. For years I’ve been carrying around a case-free phone enjoying the smooth, slim design that easily fits in my hand and slides into my pocket. Then, I dropped it in some…
The Church and Social Media
At its best, social media is all about establishing connections and building community. At its worst, social media is all about gaining followers and wasting time. Whatever way you spin it, social media is still the most popular and pervasive mode of communication. That leaves churches with a dilemma –…
5 Things Your Number Two Needs From You.
At 33 years-old, I have now spent about half of my life devoted to student ministries. I started serving as a small group leader as a junior in high school, and for the past 16 years, I’ve continued to serve in various capacities within this realm. Not long after I…
The Dandelion Effect
I have a nemesis. And it’s a dandelion that refuses to give up. This particular dandelion has made its home between the driveway and our house. Seriously, how does that even happen? There is no dirt of any kind to support a root system. I FAITHFULLY pull that weed out, but because…
