Jesus touches people and heals them. He defends them against their accusers. He embraces the unembraceable.
All in Church
Marriage and the Church
Our marriages demonstrate the uniting work God is doing in the world. Our faithfulness to those marriages proves that Jesus will be faithful to those God unites.
Equipping for Ministry: Coming Soon to a Texas City Near You
We invite you to set aside the busyness of life and enjoy good food, link arms with co-laborers in ministry, and let someone else pour into you.
For Shepherds Who Are Facilitating Gender Inclusion, Remember to Talk About Jesus
No matter what complex question was thrown at him, Jesus remained laser-focused on love and redemption.
One of the Family: Becoming a New Minister in a Small Church
Becoming a minister of a small church means, for better or worse, you have married into a family.
Faithfully Distressed
How do we handle spiritual distress as ministers and faith communities? We start by assuring people that distress and crisis are normal.
Leadership Structures for Local Congregations
In far too many places, the structure of leadership—the way in which decisions and deliberations are handled—creates obstacles for the congregation’s mission.
We Needed a Trusted Advisor
Knowledge provides opportunity to choose areas in which we desire greater health, where growth is possible and ministries can become more robust.
For Elders Who Are Facilitating Gender Inclusion, Get Ready for This Conversation
Authority was a pervasive concern as I talked with those who were upset about gender inclusion. “The man has to be the leader,” I kept hearing.
The Ties That Bind
Each church might be able to share some of the natural and even unlikely places where ties are created, but here are some that I have seen strengthen a church.
Renewal Begins: Another Congregation’s Journey
Church revitalization is quite possible when a congregation acknowledges that, without the work of the Spirit, there is no future for us.
From the Trenches to the Balcony
We need to spend time in both the trenches and the balcony, but how do we hold these competing realities in check?
Faith among Emerging Adults
What are emerging adults like, and what are their biggest concerns, questions, and the issues they care about most?
Elders in the Fish Tank
I’ve been working on an elder selection process at our church, and I’m struck by a startling truth: appointing elders is just like setting up a fish tank.
For Elders Who Are Worried about the Conflict That Gender Inclusion Will Cause, Read This
From my experience, resistance to gender inclusion was far more about fear, conflict, and change than anything else.
What Is Most Important?
These reasons for growth transcend simply being at the right place at the right time.
Dying to Live
To be a good minister—a good shepherd faithfully following the Good Shepherd—sometimes you have to order the “death” of something you love.
Not My Circus
What do we leaders do when it IS our circus—all three rings of it?
When the Right Church and the Right Minister Find Each Other, Everybody Wins
You might say that we run a dating service for ministers and churches; we highlight for a church someone they may wish to call.
It Is What It Is. Maybe.
The topic of faith and aging is always present, so why is it a gap in my faith community experiences?