Reclaiming your true self is something you can only do by drawing close to God. Counseling, support, and medicine alone won’t do it. It is only by drawing near to God that you will find yourself again.
Dimensions of Leadership
Mission, context and purpose are significant for congregational leaders, yet each of these things can quickly and easily be lost in the rapidly changing world we inhabit.
Where's the Water?
I have come to realize that the moments when I felt the most overwhelmed were the times I was neglecting my time with God.
Electing to Follow Jesus: Prophets of Justice and Mercy
We’ll take a look at the gap between perception and reality, the difference between the state’s job and the church’s, and how justice and mercy shape Christians’ prophetic stance.
Confessions of an Exhausted Volunteer
Ultimately, I am praising God for inviting all of us to partner together to fulfill God’s purposes; we were never called to shoulder the work on our own.
Approaching Depression
I know single people whose lives are full of vibrant community. I know married people who feel empty. There are lonely people in every situation in life: single, married, rich, poor, old, young, etc.
The Key to Unlocking Fear
Jesus' departure from the sanctuary and peace of oneness with the Father must have been like our trial of leaving the zone of safety.
Ministers and Money
He walked away from a life of guaranteed comfort, and walked into the mountains in solitude, before walking back into the church, and behind its pulpit.
Electing to Follow Jesus: Strangers in a Strange Land
One of the fundamental stances we take during an election year (and any year) is that of being strangers in the world. We are strangers in this nation, this culture.
Renewed
This experience had me reflecting on the nature of self-care and what is truly renewing to one’s spirit. I allowed myself to be porous. I removed the protective gear and let God, through creation, restore me.
Rethinking Depression
Depression is one of the most pervasive mental illnesses of our time. Whether you are struggling with depression yourself or know someone who is, depression has likely impacted your life in some form.
What “Field of Dreams” Taught Me about Church
Wouldn’t it be great if we were so locked in to the guidance of the Spirit that nothing could persuade us to cease in our effort to follow where it leads?
What If God Does Not Want Your Candidate to Win?
My King rules today, he will rule after the election, and his will is going to be done no matter who wins. I do want people to know Jesus. And I trust God to do whatever necessary to make that possible.
Electing to Follow Jesus: How to Be a Loser
One of the prevailing sins of American churches is that we claim God can give security in this life, though we have no right to offer such security.
Declaring My Incompetence
I do not deceive myself into thinking that I have ever met that standard for even a minute out of my best ministerial hour, but I am not willing to lower my standard.
Reclaiming Imagination
We must remove our imaginations from the shelves of our childhood. We must imagine a world driven by kingdom living so that we can work together to let that imagination form tomorrow’s reality.
Healthy Responses for Church Leaders: Preserving (not Creating) Unity and the Bond of Peace
Churches of Christ haven’t had a hard time wanting Christian unity, but we have had a difficult time keeping it.
Electing to Follow Jesus: The Gospel of Peter vs. the Gospel of Jesus
You may assume you believe and live the Gospel of Jesus. It would be a bad assumption to make, because we are all so likely to misunderstand and mishandle the gospel that Christ is putting into us.
Is There Anything We Can Do?
Christian community exists when believers connect with each other in authentic and loving ways that encourage growth in Christ.
Not All Problems Are Alike!
Congregational leadership is often comprised of various problems that call for attention—everything from sorting out a new insurance policy to discerning the next step for pursuing God’s mission.