Articles
Church – care for abused and neglected children
A responsibility of the local church to care for abused and neglected children In honor of Child Abuse Prevention Month, CityServe, along with churches around the nation will be observing a National Day of Prayer. Referred to as Blue Sunday, this April 25th. This day...
The Stamp Collector
Mark and Jeff and I are sponsors of our sons’ soccer teams this year. After a bruising Saturday morning chasing the kids through an activity that was something like soccer, we loaded the rowdy bunch of 9-year-olds into the van and headed towards the local pizza...
Life Lessons and Love Languages: How My Writing Career Started
While I never thought of myself as an author, writing has become a major part of my ministry over the last three decades. Almost all of my books have grown out of my counseling ministry. Earlier in my career, I discovered the five love languages and how they greatly...
A Dangerous Inconsistency
Ministry preparation is as old as the church itself. The apostle Paul had received formal Jewish instruction at the feet of Gamaliel before receiving personal instruction from Christ Himself. Bringing this concept full circle, Paul exhorted Timothy to “be diligent to...
3 Reasons Pastors Need Rest
As pastors, we’re on the move! We’re movers and shakers of influence by nature. That’s how we became leaders. We have big dreams and dynamic plans. Yet, following Jesus requires that we rest. After an intense season of ministry, Jesus offered this invitation to His...
Ministry to the Vulnerable
I remember when I first heard the word “vulnerable” a couple of years ago. My wife, Julie, and I had been invited to be the CityServe National Directors for the Vulnerable Initiative. But to be honest, I wasn’t sure I knew who “the vulnerable” were. I soon learned...
Building Endurance In Ministry & Life
The coffee bean is a tiny thing that drives many people through the day. Maybe we don’t “need” it to survive, per se. But, for some, it plays a critical role in our ability to function effectively. And apparently helps us live longer. Prayer similarly has this...
Loving God and Loving Our Neighbors in the Digital Age
In response to the lawyer’s question, “Who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:29), Jesus tells the parable of the good Samaritan. The lawyer’s motivation in asking this question, the Bible tells us, was to evade moral responsibility. But Jesus patiently unpacked the question...
Discipline or Desperation? The Key to Living Free in Christ.
One evening, after decades of a Christianity driven by rules and performance, I came impulsively close to ending my life. Until that moment, my relationship with God had been primarily about Bible content and the discipline to obey. But that night, everything changed....
Demonstrating Gentleness
Demonstrating gentleness toward others, especially when they’re against us, means we’re walking in the humility needed to handle others with care. In the ways we speak and the ways we act. Gentleness is a determination to encourage and bless others as we interact with...
Five Biggest Tax Mistakes Made by Pastors
…and What You Can Do to Avoid Them It’s tax season again, and pastors across the U.S. are gathering the financial documents necessary to carry out their civic duty. With inherent complications of ministerial tax treatment, albeit with some benefits. How can ministers...
Hope When Your Heart is Breaking
Truck drivers see it all the time. I’ve seen it a few times when we’ve needed to drive through the night. It comes about the time you’ve opened the window on a frigid night. And you’ve turned to the most annoying radio station you can find. Because the night is...
The Healing Power of God
When Curt was diagnosed with brain cancer, all of us were heartbroken. All except Curt, who stood tall and resolute. He told us God was in control. On the eve of the day the doctors would operate, our group of seven held a healing service in Curt’s home. I had never...
Leadership Success in 10 Minutes a Day
Why do leaders sometimes struggle with decision-making? There are at least five major reasons. The first is fear of the unknown. The leader may not have knowledge or experience concerning the choice at hand. He or she may be looking for some sort of assurance or even...
Six Benefits of Studying God’s Word with Others
We all know that studying the Bible on your own is foundational to the Christian life. But how important is it to do it together? If leading or attending a small group Bible study sounds like an unnecessary commitment to you or members of your congregation, here are...
Becoming What We Sing
Following American Idol’s season 7 “Idol Gives Back” episode on FOX, viewers raced online to react to pop-star competition. Contestants performing Darlene Zschech’s contemporary worship staple. “Shout to the Lord.” Some regarded this performance, which was on the...
Everyone in Your Wake
"Everyone in your leadership wake benefits when you do the personal work to shrink your integrity gap." Whether one or millions follow you, how you live and lead matters. You and everyone you influence benefits when you wake up to the importance of shrinking your...
Jerusalem – Cardo
Revival that spreads rapidly often–if not exclusively–is a result of persecution and/or efforts at the very least suppressing God’s people. The Carto, a bustling street in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem is a perfect example of this reality. The Romans...
Cruciformity and Knowing Your Limits
We can make several points about cruciformity that will help us to see that this is the most hopeful reality possible for pastors and ministry leaders. First, being a person claimed by the cross means that God is pouring out resurrection life on me to renew the image...
MEGIDDO
As excavators brought Megiddo back to life, they saw a stronghold. This place was the intersection between Assyria and Egypt – the main trade route between the east and the west. In Revelation 16:16, Har Megiddo is even referred to as Armageddon. When we think of...
