Somewhere along the way, some churches have confused being close to power with being close to God.
All tagged power
The Hope of the Hopeless
God is the Help of the helpless. God is also the Hope of the hopeless. Oh, that we might all lose hope and embrace hopeless despair in order to discover our true Hope.
The Prayer That Will Change Your Church
I know that, in my home church, we are all-in on making disciples. Kingdom growth. I spend a lot of time talking to church leaders about reaching lost people. That is the dream that I want to be real in my life and my church.
Power
As the Siburt Institute exists to equip church leaders and help churches thrive, a conversation around power becomes a crucial topic for leaders who partner in God’s work of transformation.
Practical Preparation in the Armor of God
Before we begin pursuing any part of what God has called us to, it is crucial that we begin by preparing ourselves in the power and presence of God.
The Authority of Jesus
If my salvation were dependent on me, I would never make it. But, thanks be to God, it is dependent on my Lord and Savior who has the authority to forgive sins.
The Unfolding Story of God
God’s eternal story is unfolding in you right now, and if you can get comfortable telling it, your God story can teach me something I need to learn and glorify God.
In the Name of Jesus: A Reflection on Christian Leadership
Using two passages from the New Testament—Matthew 4:1-11 and John 21:15-19—Henri Nouwen offers us a profound reflection about the type of leadership Christ wants for his church.
Sinners in Need of a Savior
We are all sinners in need of a Savior. In our fears, failures, and frustrations, let us surrender our situations to our Savior whose power is made perfect in our weakness.
Love: It’s Time to Get to Work
Reflecting on years of teaching young students, I am reminded of exercises captioned “Listen and do.” Might this be a simple, yet awfully mature, set of ancient instructions?
What Then Should We Do?
Where does John the Baptist fit among Bing Crosby on the radio, children on a stage, and Charlie Brown memories?
Reflection Roundup: All Is Prayer
Unity with God means moving through the world in constant communion: every bit of news, each conversation, every gaze met, offered up in prayer.
Christian No More
Oh freedom, how I love thee!
For in your arms I am whole.
Reflection Roundup: A New Offering From the Siburt Institute
This week’s offering represents a concerted effort to facilitate agility in taking on others’ perspectives as the current crises continue.
For Ministers Who Would Like to Facilitate Gender Inclusion, Start Here
If you’re a male minister and have had gender inclusion on your mind for a short while or long while, you are among many ministers who are in the same boat, and the struggle is real.
Pandemic and Protest: Musings on the Lord’s Prayer
What does it mean to pray the Lord’s Prayer in these days, as the pandemic now shares the stage with visible and often violent social unrest?
A Journey of Inclusion (Part 1)
Inclusion means that the congregation embraces the inherent value in all voices and seeks to make them an active part of the whole.
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.
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.
“Snow” by Orhan Pamuk
It has much to say about the ongoing conflict of the secular world with the world of religious conviction. And it certainly might cause you to rethink how you have viewed that conflict and what its future might be. (Fiction)