Love and Fear
Love is what we are born with. Fear is what we learn. The spiritual journey is the unlearning of fear and prejudices and the acceptance of love back in our hearts. Love is the essential reality and our purpose on earth. To be consciously aware of it, to experience love…
More Failure, Please
“I’m just tired of hearing all these success stories. For once I just want to hear somebody get up and say it’s not working.” A pastor friend of mine said that to me when we were talking on the phone one day. I believe we live in the greatest country…
Identity Matters
One of the most basic questions that we all ask is, “Who am I?” This question is usually followed by another question that goes something like this, “Do I matter?” Everyone wants and needs to feel valued and accepted. We have an innate desire to know that who we are and…
Darkness Versus The Light
A personal reflection from Associate Superintendent Peter Johnson. Being in darkness is never good when you know that you should be in the light. A month ago, I was mowing the grass and gathering up the leaves one last time before the winter season. The last thing I remember was…
The Greatest of All Hinge Moments
Near the end of our recent All Peoples East Gathering in Charlotte, a man got up and made a presentation about hinge moments. Do you know what a hinge moment is? Using a case study from a church in Birmingham, Alabama this man taught us about hinge moments. Though not…
Ultimate Accountability: Living In Light of the Painful Fall of Media Giants
Americans have recently witnessed the fall of some media giants. Wow, these stories have been disheartening to say the least. Amidst my sadness over these stories, however, I’m actually glad about a couple of things: I’m glad that some of the wounded women have found their voices and mustered up…
Building A Leadership Pipeline For The Next Generation
The chair was oversized, soft and the perfect place for a late afternoon nap. With kids running around the living room and dinner preparations clanging in the kitchen, he slipped into blissful slumber. We watched in amazement as he slept through all the commotion. Nothing could wake him. Without warning the incredibly annoying…
BEWARE THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM
Have you heard this joke? A person bought an elephant for a friend’s room. The friend thanked him to which the person said, “Don’t mention it.” Think about it, you will get it. Hint: What is true of the elephant in the room? Does your church have the proverbial elephant in the room? That uncomfortable…
7 Reasons To Bring Back The Invitation
I believe an invitation for people to respond to the preacher’s message should be given every time the Word is preached in a corporate gathering. From personal observation and from what I’m reading lately, it seems to me that a growing number of pastors disagree with me. Here’s a recent blog…
5 Preaching Sins
For those who have a high view of scripture and take seriously the call to preach and teach the Word, we are standing on a sure foundation. However, there are still some of what I call “preacher sins” that are way too common and MUST be avoided: 1. LAZINESS “Those…
WHAT GOD CAN DO
A friend and mentor of mine is Pastor Jim Cymbala of the Brooklyn Tabernacle. Though he has been in high demand for conferences and events around the world for decades, he routinely hosts small gatherings of 25-50 pastors and leaders at their location on Smith Street. On a couple of occasions he invited me and…
Great Leadership
My good friend planted a church 12 years ago that now has four locations and averages more than 5000 people weekly. They have baptized more than 300 people per year for the last several years. They write, produce and record worship albums that I love. And now they have launched…
