In the face of systemic human suffering and need, children’s first instinct is to rely on their church family to increase their effectiveness in responding to said need.
All in Church
Sharks, Life, and Jesus
Hard things happen to those you lead, so help them be ready. Pray for your flock, speak truth into their lives, keep them connected to you and to others in their community of faith.
The Fragility of Ministry
The best things in life are the risky things, the impractical things, but maybe especially, the things that can’t break.
Preaching through Pain: A Contemporary Christian Conversation
What happens when the preacher struggles with their own faith? Mike Cope speaks of finding ways to minister to others from an authentic place even when your heart is broken.
Why I Pray The Daily Offices
I had been praying in our worship services and at night with my children, but my daily time in prayer had somehow gone the way of my schedule.
I Saw a Captain in Action
The purpose of vision is to lead us on a journey of lessons more than it is about reaching a destination. May we as leaders see a vision for ourselves first.
An Update and Reflections on the Church Health Assessment
When church leaders seek a meaningful place to assess the health of their congregation, where do they turn?
Fixer Upper, Shiplap, and the Importance of Greeting
Greeting others when we gather for worship may seem unimportant, but it participates in the substance of who we are as God’s family.
Did I Hear What I Think I Read?
Do we look at the text, recognize and comprehend the writing, then proceed to vocally proclaim it, modernizing the practice of differentiating how we read the text from how we vocalize it?
Church Growth Is Less Predictable Than You Think
Reports of our demise are greatly exaggerated, to say the least. By contrast though, predicting success in any church venture is impossible. There simply is no surefire recipe for growth.
An Old Dog and a New Trick (YouToo?)
I admit that I am about three or four decades behind; though my children would beg to differ.
No Room for Snobbery
When we meet together with an attitude of humility, we can come together over our similarities and remember that we ultimately all desire the same things, whether we are rural, urban, or a mixture of both.
Adopt-a-Street for Jesus
What if every church viewed the neighborhood right around her as their neighbors—the sphere God has placed them as an outpost for the kingdom of God?
Education Matters
The truth is that the gospel is both simple and complex, like a stained glass window with many different different colors. Each is beautiful itself, and when you stand back the whole is even more beautiful.
Reclaiming Imagination: An Update
These crosses make an imaginative declaration of faith: through the cross we have given up our sins, entrusted our struggles to God, and submitted our identity markers to our identity in Christ.
Our Spiritual Worship
The good news is that the process of “renewing our minds” and “preparing our minds for action” is not solely left up to you and me. This is not a self-help process. It is the work of the Spirit of God.
Negotiating with Michael Scott
Church leaders would do well to heed Scott’s efforts and courage, not his methods. Many HAVE learned how to fabricate a smile, and have dark alleys in their churches they have chosen not to walk down.
That’s What You Do in a Small Church
I love the church and will invest my life in it. I will laugh when they laugh and cry when they cry, because that’s what you do when you’re the minister of a small church.
So That You Will Be a Blessing
When a stranger meets us on an airplane or in a grocery store, may they see in us love, joy, and peace. May they hear in our voices patience, kindness, and goodness.
Who Decides Who Decides? Developing an Action Plan
Clear decision-making processes are vital for healthy leadership, but the conversations that help to set guidelines can often become complex!