Articles
Why Our Physical Health Matters in Ministry
Three years ago I lost my mobility for three months due to leg injuries. For the sake of great storytelling, I could blame something dramatic like a ski accident. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. The truth is, I’d neglected my physical health for several years...
How Planning Kills Motivation
It is often said that everyone wants to be a writer, but no one wants to write. Although this may be true for some, I believe many people want to write, they just have no idea how to get themselves to do it. As a writer and editor, the question I get most often is,...
Mediating Clashes Between Young and Old As Times Change
Many smaller churches, especially those that have been around for a long time, have quite a few senior citizens. There may be a good reason for that: sometimes they have been in that particular church for many years, maybe since they were young. Having a good senior...
Pastor Derwin Gray Wrestles with Modern Evangelicalism
Why is the church the most segregated place on earth? Why are there celebrity pastors? How do you reconcile the business principles that often overshadow the Gospel of the church? How do you deal with doubt, disillusionment, and disappointment as a pastor of the...
Do You Have An Ego Problem?
You never struggle with an ego problem, do you? No, of course not. Ego problems are for athletes and celebrities. CEOs and politicians. Maybe from time to time you find a head deacon or a retired pastor in your church who thinks their way is the best way, but that’s...
What if You’re NOT Insanely Busy?
There are many stereotypes people have concerning pastors: They do not make much money (unless they pastor a megachurch, in which they then make too much money). Most of their week is spent studying and memorizing the next sermon. They are definitely Type B...
Inspire Giving Without Preaching On It
How many times have you mentioned Malachi 3:10 in a sermon meant to inspire giving? “‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse. . . . Test me in this,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing...
A Response To Violence In Charlotte
Every night recently, pictures of violence fill the evening news as the riots in Charlotte filled rage on. After I went to bed, I lay thinking about the images and how the violence and disunity must break the heart of God. I wondered how we – the people of God -...
Responding to Terror in New York, New Jersey, and Missouri
We are at war. The world is a crazy, scary place. Children are being sold into slavery, terrorists are attacking innocent victims and no one knows where Isis will strike next. This newest bombing in New York and New Jersey confirms that the U.S. is not immune from...
When People Try to Undermine the Pastor’s Authority
This subject is difficult for me because the very thought of it makes me ill. If you have experienced, or are now experiencing, a situation where a congregant or a group of congregants try to undermine your authority as a pastor, you are not alone. I would imagine it...
Managing Volunteers at Church
In the business world, there are managers and employees. Managers normally have the authority to hire and fire at will, and everyone is working for an hourly wage or salary. If an employee doesn’t do the job as instructed, he or she may be replaced. But in the church,...
Pastor Kevin Harney on Neglecting Family for Ministry
Kevin Harney, Pastor of Shoreline Community Church in Monterey, CA, shares how a broken promise to himself to live a truly balanced life led to redemption through "dad home nights" and an admission that sometimes family must come first.
The Art of Parenting Little Girls
The National Study of Youth and Religion[1] indicates that 82% of children raised by parents who talked about faith at home attach great importance to their beliefs and were active in church as adults. Similar studies and surveys show that intentional parenting...
Dr. Mike Garrett, Staying Faithful to God’s Calling in the Face of Rejection
Dr. Mike Garrett, Senior Pastor of Meridian Baptist Church, suffered depression and rejection while leading his church through a major community outreach project. While knowing it was the right decision, it was fraught with challenges and for the first few years,...
5 Financial Documents Every Church Needs
When most pastors think of ministry, they are energized by helping people. They aren’t usually nearly as excited about the financial aspects. I’ve recently started Fully Funded, an organization to help church leaders lead well in the area of financial stewardship,...
The Missing Heart of our Gospel: Union with Christ
We all want to see lives changed for Christ. But what message does the church most need to hear for that to happen? I’d like to suggest there are two dominant “songs” being sung in the church today. One you could call the song of Extravagant Grace. It says God loves...
Beating “Preacher’s Block” With Old Ideas
Most pastors would probably say that preparing for and delivering Sunday’s sermon, something that a large majority of people would claim to be terrified or possibly even completely incapable of doing, is actually usually the easiest part of their job. Pastors do what...
Hilary or Donald? Participate Without Losing Your Soul.
Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have become household names over the past few months as the bid for the white house draws near. This election is one of the most important in our history, yet it’s bringing out the worst in people. Well-meaning Christians are hurling...
Ten Non-Ministry Leadership Books Every Pastor Should Read
Running a church is a lot like running a business, and therefore pastors can learn a lot from the business world. While not everything is applicable, and the focus of a business is a lot different than a church, the two share a common denominator–people. The following...
Pastor Chris Surratt Reveals How Crippling Anxiety Led to a Nervous Breakdown
Chris Surratt, Small Group and Discipleship Specialist at Lifeway Christian Resources, shares his story of overcoming the crippling anxiety and stress that came with launching a new church.
