Articles
Effective Pastoral Care
"Precision Pastoring: Nourishing the Caregiver's Soul" "Are we serving you well?" The unexpected question from two pastors caught me off guard, prompting a moment of reflection. As pastors of a large Nashville church, their humility in asking about their ministry's...
Miraculous Bible Stories
I love the Bible, even the weird parts—maybe especially its unusual stories—and read it aloud every morning before dawn (followed by a sometimes off-key hymn greeting the new day) with my wife, Cindy, who continues to recover from a stroke that affects her speech....
Eternal Love with God
This life we live now is significant and important. But even it is ultimately a temporary expression of an ensuing, enduring reality that is best described as us, united to God in Christ, living a married life with Him forever. Indeed, this life will one day be seen...
YouTube and Kids: Is It Safe?
Sometimes, our brains store utterly unimportant childhood moments in our long-term memory, causing us to wonder, Why do I even remember that? Well, one of mine involves the first time I heard about YouTube. It was 2008, and I was in third grade. As my classmates and I...
Church Plant Survival
Avoiding a Core Meltdown Church Planting Lessons for Church Plant Survival Church planting can be the “toughest job you will ever love”. It can be highly rewarding, yet equally devastating. On the average, only 68% of church plants survive into their fourth year....
Benefits of Humor
Understanding the Benefits of Humor What is humor? Humor is defined as the capacity to express or perceive what is funny. This capacity begins to develop at an early age. Infants form a sense of humor by watching how others respond to their different behaviors. We are...
Our Salvation in Christ
Just like the Old Testament, the New Testament teaches that this wonderful salvation is extended to us as a kindness. Paul opens his letter to the Ephesians by talking about God’s gracious work of salvation toward His people. In saving His people, God “chose us in Him...
Cultural Sanctification
There is no question that our culture is changing, and many have noticed the similarities between our modern world and the ancient pagan one. In my new book: Cultural Sanctification: Engaging the world like the early church, I consider these connections and explore...
Only Jesus Can Save
The garden was God’s original plan played out on earth. Authority and power were the birthrights of His beloved children as they walked by His side in love. And yet, Adam and Eve chose to believe a cunning creature over their Creator God. They chose to believe in...
Church Programs vs. Community
My wife is quick to point out my errors, particularly when I commit the linguistic sin of hyperbole. Hyperbole occurs whenever we exaggerate or inflate our position in the hope that our twist-of-truth will bolster our argument. I was reminded of hyperbole when I...
Right Person, Right Role
5 Steps to Getting the Right Person in the Right Role Have you ever had a nagging feeling that you forgot something? Many ministry leaders have this nagging feeling as they are preparing for their ministry programming for Fall Kick-Off. They may question: “Do I have...
God’s Call to Speak
Encouragement for Writers and Speakers: Insights from Cynthia Heald This excerpt is from a conversation that Joyce Koo Dalrymple, author of Women in the New Testament and Jesus’ Passion Week (LifeChange Bible Studies) had with renowned Bible study writer, Cynthia...
Continuing Education for Pastors
The Importance of Continuing Education for Pastors In today's rapidly evolving world, the role of pastors extends far beyond traditional pastoral duties. As spiritual leaders, they’re called to navigate complex challenges, address contemporary issues, and guide...
Build Ministry Teams
How To Build Entrepreneurial Ministry Teams How to Build Entrepreneurial Ministry Teams. Church staff regularly request our recommendations regarding which personality profiles and leadership style profiles are best suited for the various leadership roles within their...
Power of Prayerwalking
Walk This Way: Exploring the Power of Prayerwalking Recently the simple act of walking has gained renewed appreciation. But what if we combined this mindful movement with the power of prayer? This is where prayerwalking emerges, offering a unique blend of physical...
Submission in Marriage
Why Submission in Marriage Isn’t Blind Obedience “I need help submitting to my husband,” my client said. I noted her sad countenance. “Tell me about your relationship with him.” The woman, I’ll call Alice, cooked, cleaned, and financially supported her family. Her...
Disciple-Making Grade
A Modern Parable: Does Your Disciple-Making Make the Grade? Imagine with me that your family moved into a new community and was exploring schools for your children to attend. You and your spouse schedule an interview with the head principal of a prospective school....
Make Disciples Effectively
Making Disciples of All People For years I led my church in what is sometimes called street evangelism. We would walk up to people we didn’t know and start conversations about God. As it happens, my church was also in the hood where there were a lot of Jehovah’s...
Understanding Trauma: A Savior’s Perspective
A Savior's Understanding of Trauma Because God saw the pain and suffering I walked through, he provided the help, support, healing, and deliverance I needed. And he will provide complete healing when Christ returns. I can always rely on a Savior who identifies...
The Power of Flower: Cultivating Faith
The Flower Power Strategy Years ago, when I was a young pastor in my twenties, the Lord used me to start a new outreach church within a community devoid of healthy churches. Most of the people who came to our outreach ministry had little or no church background. What...
