All in Church
The Loneliest Number
Ministry, whether it be as a profession or as the call that comes to each follower of Jesus, can be a lonely business. We don’t like being alone—or more specifically, we don’t like being singled out.
Dancing with Suffering
“We live stitch by stitch, when we’re lucky. If you fixate on the big picture, the whole shebang, the overview, you miss the stitching” (13-14).
God, Glory, Giving, and a Natural Disaster
Pray fervently. Prayer is not something to do when you can do nothing else. It is the thing to do before and during everything else.
The Grape Juice Isn’t Purple???
We silently wondered what Bible passages we were violating, but also recalled that the person who usually prepared the Lord’s Supper was home sick today.
The Things that Make for Peace: De-Triangulation
The only way to get those negative emotions out of the relationship, and re-establish the conditions for peace, is for someone to take personal responsibility for their relationship.
Elders and Ministers: Working and Praying Together
Numerous factors suggest how critical it is for ministers and elders to work together collaboratively and to spend a great deal of time in prayer.
Leaving the Museum: Daring to Preach in Present Tense
I think, reflect, study, and even preach quite a bit about who God has been, sometimes without ever venturing to say what God is doing now.
Missionary Legacy: Joe Cannon
“Don’t cry for me at my funeral, pal, because I’ll be crying for you poor schmoes,” Joe said. Like Paul, this was a man who knew it was “better by far” to go on and be with Christ.
Sacred Places: In Search of Ebenezers
There are two ways of discovering the places that are sacred in our life. One is a church, and the other is to have places designated as sacred for us because of the way God makes himself known there.
What I Learned about Church Leadership from a Crazy Ostrich
I was reminded by a crazy ostrich that I am never really in charge, that people are messy, and that this world is not my reality.
'Tis Merely a Soul Wound
The danger for a pastor or minister is that their cancers can be buried under a veneer of piety and forced pleasantness, lingering for years, festering in the shadows.
The Bible Is about God
We decided we cannot reduce the Bible down to a catch phrase, thinking it’s only one kind of book. In fact, it’s a book of books with one huge story to tell that invites us into it if we are willing.
A New Kind of Bus Ministry
what if churches sent people into the neighborhood to walk alongside the children and families surrounding them, to become the presence of Jesus in the midst of the neighborhood.
Renewal in Your Church
Renewal begins with God’s work. And in many cases, God is simply waiting for a church and her leaders to get serious about seeking a new and vibrant day.
Beautiful Churches Built on Sacred Ground
The beauty of small churches in West Texas inspires me to remember that the Sunday assembly is not about me.
A Different Style of Prophetic Preaching
I have noticed a trend toward equating "prophetic preaching" with a confrontational, rough and tough style of delivery.
Church from a Child’s Eyes
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.
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.