As the self-appointed communication evangelist, my focus is usually on how we talk to each other, especially during conflict. Negative self-talk, is a type of conflict. Never in a million years would we talk to other people like we talk to ourselves. Yet we allow these thoughts to bully us every day.
I thought that, when we talked to God, we were only allowed to give thanks, to worship Him, and to ask for His blessings in various capacities. I still believe that can be true; however, one thing that I never said or did when it came to God—because I thought it was off-limits—was to complain.
Yearning for tranquility is certainly not a new concept. In the last decade, a trend popularized through books and media attention has been passed around about a pursuit of contentment and comfort called hygge. The practice began as an effort to deal with long, gloomy winters. This attempt to foster a sense of snugness and satisfaction is a way of life in Danish culture.
I thought about the wintery seasons of life. Times when things died or went dormant. Yet, those deaths often brought new life and new emotions. I still experienced pain and grief, but I eventually found hope and possibility. Sometimes what looked like a closure in my life actually created a new path.
The real reason we typically don’t acknowledge the Spirit’s presence in our congregations and in our lives is that if we really took that “potter and clay” stuff seriously, we would have to let go of our control. Our fear of letting go is often stronger than our desire for the presence of God’s Spirit in our lives.
Our modern world forces us to do things in a rush. We want faster processors in our computers and smartphones, airplanes that get us to our destinations faster, conversations that get right to the point, fast food, instant coffee, etc. As a consequence, we are increasingly impatient. Nevertheless, rushing into things does not possess any intrinsic quality or virtue. And when it comes to the kingdom of God, rushing can be fatal.
We do not see people as the world does. We do not focus our eyes on race, nationality, or status. We see the people God made. People God loves. People for whom Jesus died.
Jesus was quick to keep questions on the forefront of the disciples’ minds. He allowed questions to create space for people to discover, collaborate, discern and commit themselves more to His Spirit and Truth so that they could know more about themselves and about God.
There is a moment that’s quiet and sacred—when you realize that God is giving you back what you lost. Only this time, it’s deeper. Stronger. Wiser. This is restoration.
Jesus didn’t come to establish a political kingdom, nor did He come to destroy earthly government. He came to redeem hearts, not reform systems.
By empowering and encouraging rising generations of leaders, you have the opportunity to faithfully steward the responsibility of those whom God has entrusted to your care.
You may have a different opinion, but I believe that a lead minister would be wise to touch on tough topics, not as a preacher with a prophetic voice but as a pastor with a compassionate heart. Don’t ignore the obvious.
Yes, the anxiety of speaking up is absolutely real, but you can feel anxiety and speak up at the same time. I promise, you can learn to speak up with skill. There is no magic to being a strong communicator. Communication is a learned physical skill.
The Twelve Minor Prophets remind us that today’s hot trends sometimes become tomorrow’s embarrassing discards, while seemingly obscure or insignificant things can assume great importance in the future.
Sabbath is some of the healthiest food that I can eat. Sabbath is woven into the inner fabric of my innermost longings. Sabbath demands me, even though it should be the other way around.
The main lesson of the past is not to overvalue the past. Distinguish between right and wrong, good and evil, mercy and cruelty, hope and despair. Without that ability to see clearly the stakes and the stakeholders of the moment, we all perish. With it, we live.
So much of my ministry is about non-anxious listening without a rush to judgment, which can be incredibly difficult! And I often compare it to the ministry of pulling rocks out of soil rather than reaping the harvest, because so many come with a troubled history with Christianity and “organized religion.”
Throughout the narrative, the author pauses the plot to report on the progress and growth of the church, which becomes a proclamation of victory for the gospel of Christ. Despite the persecutions, false accusations and abuses suffered, the Christian movement was unstoppable.
Zechariah is probably not commenting on the literal immortality of one group of people or extinction of others. He means instead that the prophetic word and therefore the witness of the prophets’ lives continues to exert a powerful influence. They spoke in ways that others must reckon with.
