Articles
Embracing the End of Your Rope
Our family’s favorite dog was named Moose. He was a chocolate labrador weighing in at 115 lbs. and he was everything you’d hope for in a dog. He was a gentle giant who loved our kids and who always greeted me heartily when I came home. On most days, Moose ran freely...
Selling to Churches in Summer? Here’s What Works (and What Doesn’t)
Summer is often seen as a slow season for churches—but that doesn't mean ministry stops. In fact, while Sunday attendance might dip and the calendar loosens up, churches remain active behind the scenes. For businesses trying to reach pastors and church leaders,...
Max Lucado: The One Thing I Know After 45 Years in Ministry
Understanding God’s Destiny for You Amid Life’s Struggles Do you believe in God’s destiny for you? I’m nearing half a century as a pastor. Fifty years is plenty of time to hear how many people struggle in life. I’ve learned the question to ask. If you and I were...
Here Comes Trouble, Failing Daily Tests? Here’s the Secret to A+ Living
Recognizing God’s Tests Today in Everyday Life Every day God tests us through people, pain, or problems. Stop and consider your circumstances. Can you identify the tests of today? Snarling traffic? Threatening weather? Aching joints? If you see your troubles as...
Hitting Rock Bottom
We pass much of life— if not most of life—at mid-altitude. Occasionally we summit a peak: our wedding, a promotion, the birth of a child. But most of life is lived at midlevel. Monday-ish obligations of carpools, expense reports, and recipes. But on occasion the world...
Seeing the Supernatural: Investigating the Mysteries of the Unseen World
Seeing the Supernatural Through Biblical and Investigative Lenses Do We Have a Guardian Angel? A Look at the Evidence Beliefs about angels are typically an amalgam of what people pick up from popular culture, what they remember from childhood cartoons, and what they...
Finding True Joy in Jesus: The Source of Lasting Happiness
We were made for joy. We were made for happiness that isn’t tied to our next vacation, glass of wine, or new gadget. It’s not even about God making all our dreams come true. Our joy is connected to one singular source. The kind of joy we’re talking about here isn’t...
Creating a Lasting Pastoral Impact That Transcends Generations
As pastors, you are uniquely positioned to influence both the spiritual and the social fabric of your communities. The legacy you leave can transcend generations, but it requires intentional actions and heartfelt commitment. How can you ensure that your impact is both...
Understanding Stress Through a Biblical and Brain-Based Lens
Understanding Stress: Acute vs. Chronic We need not view stress as a big bad wolf, because not all stress is bad. God designed our bodies and brains to experience it. Healthy stress increases focus. It can help us become more social as we connect with others. It can...
Advertising to Churches in the Digital Age: Churches Are Looking—But Are They Finding You?
Church leaders are searching online for tools and resources. Make sure your business is visible where pastors are already looking.
Understanding Preteen Brain Changes: What Parents and Pastors Need to Know
Wonder Why Preteens Do What They’re Doing? How Preteen Brain Changes Impact Behavior We’ve heard about the hormonal rushes and changes taking place inside our children during their preteen years and the havoc that wreaks on them—and us! But it’s not just the hormones...
Faith and Trauma: Creating Safe Spaces in the Church
Presently, the church stands at a turning point where the narrative of pain and alienation can be transformed into a story of healing and redemption. The path forward involves rediscovering a more honest understanding of who makes up the church—believers who wound and...
The Power of Sabbath Practice
My sister is a busy woman. She and her husband have four kids, ages ten to seventeen. They live outside of town in a house with some property, along with a dog and several chickens. My brother-in-law works full-time outside the home, and she works part-time from...
Understanding Church Decline Trends
The changes in the church have been so rapid that the latest reports are obsolete almost as soon as they have been published, but the overall trends are clear and striking. Church Decline Trends and the Rise of the “Nones” In 1945, 75 percent of American adults were...
Overcoming Decision-Making Cripplers
CSS Hunley was a submarine used in the 1800s. (Yes, you read that correctly!) It was named after its inventor, Horace Lawson Hunley (ironically, he died in the test dives). The submarine became famous not only for being the first submarine in history to attack a...
The Art of Conversation
As Southerners, being sociable is in our DNA. As a southern girl, I was taught the art of conversation from an early age. As a southern grandmother, I’m serious about passing along what I’ve learned to our grandchildren. Why the Art of Conversation Matters A yearly...
All Occasions Invite His Mercies
Years ago, a friend of mine led a conversational ESL class for immigrant women in her town. She covered all the things you need to know to get established in a foreign culture. Registering kids for school, medical care, routes. How to grocery shop and cook with...
Walking With Jesus Through the Wilderness and Into Grace
Forty years ago on an early afternoon in October while driving on a North Carolina interstate, I turned to Jesus as my Savior and Lord. This past October, almost to the day 40 years later, I found myself driving that same NC highway. And in a very clear touch from...
Faith-Based Fit: What Every Business Should Know Before Targeting Churches
Marketing to churches can be a smart and rewarding move—but only if your product truly belongs in the faith-based space. The church market isn’t just another vertical to target with the same message you’ve used elsewhere. It’s a unique community built on trust,...
Becoming Pillars in the Church Through Suffering and Support
Will You Be a Pillar? A week after I preached my Platforms to Pillars sermon in London, I was leaving a speaking event, feeling exhausted after a brutal season of conflict, betrayal, and discouragement. On this trip, I had the privilege of catching up with other...
