No one should ever have to stand alone in their suffering or their shame. Instead, we need to become a safe harbor for those who are floundering; this is our sacred calling.
All in Church
Event Spotlight: Ministry Amidst Grief and Hope
We recently sat down for virtual conversations with our keynote speaker (Don McLaughlin) and our breakout session leaders (Cheryl Bacon, Eddie Sharp, Dennis Conner, Omar Palafox, and Carson Reed).
The Story of Summit
This fall, we will seek to discover what it means to abide with God not only amidst the challenges of life but also through the joys and hopefulness that emanate out of that relationship.
Simple and Holy
Even in the shallowest of conversational waters, people are hesitant to talk to each other. The big and small conversational fears are seriously paralyzing us.
Flying Like an Eagle
Have you sometimes been humbled by a pastoral situation, entering or exiting in a clumsy or awkward way, or struggling to get a sermon or initiative off the ground?
Book Review: Don Hebbard's Healing Hurting Churches
Dr. Hebbard explores the common wounds that arise from church leaders and the need for others to understand their causes, signs, and what churches can do to move toward healing.
It's Not Your Ministry!
Ministers often falsely believe that it depends on our skills, our energy, and our sacrifice to bring about God’s agenda in the world. It is time to name this narrative for what it is: a lie!
Reflecting on the 2022 Salary Survey
I think its value—and what keeps us doing this survey each year—is in the feedback we receive from church leaders. Any time a minister or church is facing a transition, the salary survey provides helpful guidance.
IRL @ Church - Conversation Required
Do your people know how to sincerely welcome guests? Even if they used to, the pandemic has altered how we interact with others, and they may have forgotten how.
Most Church Leaders Aren’t Made for This Moment, but Help Is Nearby
If church leadership is centralized within a small cadre of people who may think alike, they may find it difficult to operate in shifting domains.
Learn to Match Your Stride
When we do the things expected in Eph. 4:2—practicing humility, gentleness, patience, and bearing with one another in love—we will be well on our way toward keeping the unity of the Spirit.
Ministers in Short Supply
I believe that resilient congregations, pursuing God’s purposes in the world, will find healthy and constructive ways to prepare, support, nurture and partner with ministers in the days to come.
It’s Complex!
The reality for most of us in congregational or ministerial contexts is that things are not just complicated – they are complex.
Moral Injury and the Power of Reconciliation
Peter has not lived up to the person he claimed to be, and because of this incongruity, he has experienced a moral injury.
Young People, Big Impact
Imagine being that boy who offered up his five loaves of bread and two fish. His willingness and generosity to give up his meal instigated the miracle.
Fewer Church Splits, More Church Plants
Many churches are wrestling with new ways to interpret Scripture. Here are a few realities that will happen when leadership decides to go in a new direction.
Humbler Church, Bigger God
If there were one lesson most churches ought to learn right now, it would be this: we should become humbler so that God might seem bigger.
Walking While Grieving
My challenge that day was complicated: keep walking uphill while fighting the wind and trying to find the next trail marker amidst the fog.
Moral Injury and the Power of Forgiveness
I want to delve into moral and spiritual injury, looking at ways that we as Christians, ministers, pastors, counselors, and chaplains can respond when we encounter it.
Thoughts on Elders as Shepherds
Many elders are frustrated because all they do is act as a board of directors. Instead of being in the lives of their flock, they’re spending time in meeting after meeting.