Giants In The Land
Last month I found myself sitting for coffee with a pastor of a nearby church that was actually ashen-faced as he described a challenge that we both held in common. He described a scene I knew all too well: a member of his congregation of over 25 years was leaving…
4 Lessons I Learned About Praying For My Church
This summer our church spent every Sunday reflecting on the prayers of Jesus and Paul for the Church. I thought the series would draw us together as we learned to pray for one another and be an easy series to follow for those who were in and out with summer…
When Retirement Is Not What You Expect
Virtually all of us look forward to the day we will retire; simultaneously we’re not quite sure what we will actually experience! We know it will be different, and anticipate it will bring time and space for more fun, enjoyment of life, and relief from the more toilsome aspects of…
Leadership In A Post Pandemic World
Leadership in our post-pandemic world demands more from us than ever before. We need massive emotional intelligence to manage our stress and remain healthy, Spirit-led wisdom to navigate complexity, and resilience to stay the course. The pandemic has upended routines and fundamentally shifted how people live, work and engage with the…
Nothing to Lose. Nothing to Prove.
Over the past several months I have had the pleasure of meeting with a young church leader. Just a few months ago his home church tapped him to step into a full-time role for which he was not prepared. They knew him well, watched his life and considered him worthy of…
¿ALGUIEN ESTA ESCUCHANDO?
Conozco a una pareja que ama a Jesús, sirve desinteresadamente, comparten fielmente el evangelio y se hablan el uno al otro. Estas personas afectuosas, cuyos corazones están en el lugar correcto, pasan más tiempo hablando unos de otros que escuchándose unos a otros. Es bueno que se tomen en serio…
What a Crow Taught Me about My Declining Church
Approximately 2,600 years ago, Aesop gave us one of the most universally verifiable leadership principles ever penned in his fable, The Crow and the Pitcher. “A crow perishing with thirst saw a pitcher, and hoping to find water, flew to it with delight. When he reached it, he discovered to…
3 Ways To Help Break Undesirable Patterns
It’s July… and August is coming soon. What does this mean? Well for me, over the years it’s proven to reveal that I’m easily irritated. That I’m really not enjoying the company of people I love and love to lead like the previous months. That Lisa and I are destined…
Is Anybody Listening?
I know a couple who love Jesus, serve selflessly, share the gospel faithfully, and talk at each other. These caring people, whose hearts are in the right place, spend more time talking over each other than listening to each other. It’s a good thing they take their marriage covenant seriously…
Is There Any Good In Extremism?
Do extremists ever change the world for good? You could argue that being extremely passionate about something can be a good thing. For example, I’m a New York Yankees fan. Considering they’ve won 27 World Series titles, it’s understandable to be passionate. But if this passion goes to extremes, and…
Regarding Abortion
It is likely that by the last Thursday in June 2022 the Supreme Court of the United States will release its ruling regarding what is possibly the most contentious issue facing our nation today, and will potentially reverse legal precedent that has lasted nearly 50 years. SCOTUS appears to be…
How To Respond When You’re Being Attacked
Betrayal. Nothing cuts deeper, stings longer and leaves us bewildered like betrayal. If you’re in ministry for any length of time, you’ve tased the bitterness of this cup. It comes to all of those who are willing to be identified as followers of Christ and, even more, as under shepherds. …
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