The Danger of Being Comfortable “Doing Church”
I don’t remember when I first joined social media, but I did so because several of my college friends had joined and it was a great way to connect with them. We initially reminisced about mission trips, funny times at different churches we ministered at and all of our blooper moments…
How to combat the logic of anger.
We’ve all had a run in with anger. We carry the scars from each infraction, often responding to the personal injustice with harsh words at a high volume, slander, annoyance or avoidance of the person and the problem. The struggle is real. But so is the doctrine of grace. The…
7 ideas for leading with a towel.
What would you say is one of the single most impactful moments in leadership history? Is it one of George Washington’s great conquests? What about one of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s amazing messages or demonstrations? Could it be Moses leading God’s people out of Egypt and to the rim…
Stretch the Sheep
In middle and high school, there are typically teachers whom students avoid like the plague – teachers whose names are synonymous with high expectations and low grades. For me, that teacher was Mrs. Slaughter. No…I’m not making that up; her name really was Slaughter. And, as you can imagine, it…
Singles and Self-Sacrifice
Most churches are married-people-centric. Whether intentionally or not, churches tend to create polished and fine sounding arguments for why marriage is a prerequisite for leadership opportunities. After all, married people are more stable, right? Because marriage is a sanctifying commitment, they are more mature. Because marriage gives a beautiful God-ordained opportunity…
I don’t do ministry because I’m married to a minister.
I don’t do ministry because I’m married to a minister. I participate in ministry because I feel so passionately about expanding the kingdom of God and doing work for His kingdom. He’s done such a work in me and I’m so grateful to be redeemed. I’m so grateful to be called…
A two-sentence, life-changing prayer.
I don’t know how old I was when I first learned the Lord’s Prayer, but I do know I was young, probably four or five. I dutifully repeated the prayer when it was a part of the worship service, but I can’t say that I said it with passion or even…
Changing Lives Through Crisis Response
On August 25, 2017, Hurricane Harvey hit the coast of Texas and caused $125 billion in damage, tying with Hurricane Katrina for the costliest storm on record. Almost every EFCA church in the Houston region (15 total) saw their communities flooded. One year later, there is still a lot of…
The Slow and Steady of Revitalizing your Church
A few months ago I wrote about St. John’s Syndrome. St John’s syndrome is described as “the tendency of churches to become less effective the longer they are in existence.” The two keys to overcoming St. John’s Syndrome are to rediscover the original values of the church (“do the things…
5 Ways to Find and Trust The Help You Need
“So, if You are going to deal thus with me, please kill me at once – if I have found favor in Your sight…” Numbers 11:15 How does kill me at once and finding favor in the sight of God go together in the same sentence, or better yet, in…
The Critical Difference Between Solitude and Isolation
“A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise judgment. A fool has no delight in understanding, but in expressing his own heart. “ Proverbs 18:1-2 NKJV I recently read an excellent article by a church planter in NYC. But something very important struck me that…
Have we outsmarted Jesus?
Have you ever considered how some of the ways today’s respected leaders suggest we shouldn’t do ministry are precisely the ways Jesus did ministry? In some ways, it seems we’ve outsmarted Jesus. Take a look at the conferences and literature that are intended to guide the American Church. Our American…
