Articles
A Passion For God
I was fifteen years old. At this time in my life, I lived on a remote and sparsely populated island in the middle of Puget Sound, Washington. In the summers of my life activities were hard to come by that would entertain and adequately distract me from the boredom and...
Tell Stories Like Jesus (And Hollywood)
In what way does a Hollywood script writer take lessons from Jesus that far too many pastors do not? They understand the power of a story. Preparing for your next Sunday sermon will typically have many of the same ingredients as those from other pastors, no matter...
7 Reasons Church Members Say No
I once posted the following on a social media page: “Is God calling you to serve Him? What is your answer?” It’s a relatively straightforward question. Yes or no. And yet not so simple. Ministry leaders often walk a tightrope when it comes to recruiting volunteers. We...
Counseling Members in Areas You’re Not Well-Trained In
Intro to Greek. Intro to Hebrew. Systematic Theology. Church History. New Testament. Old Testament. Advanced Greek. Advanced Hebrew. Live, Eat, and Breathe Greek. Live, Eat, and Breathe Hebrew . . . You probably took all these classes and much, much more during your...
The Surprising Secret to Lasting Transformation
The traditional paradigm that has dominated Western thought for the last four hundred years can be summed up in a simple equation: Reason + Good Choices = Transformation This paradigm grew out of the Enlightenment. When René Decartes uttered his famous phrase, “Cogito...
10 Ways to Lead Music Without a Musician
It’s funny how it can seem that coffee houses, seminary dormitories, and even urban street corners seem to never be short of musicians, but all of a sudden when the invitation is put out in front of a church to form a worship band . . . crickets. But don’t worry. It’s...
Leaders of “Competing” Churches Talk
A kingdom divided will not stand.” Sounds nice in theory, especially since it’s Biblical. But adhering to it can be a painful process including anger, frustration and even bitterness…This is the story of Pastors Tim Blevins of Life Community Church and Jeff Kapusta of...
Guarding Your Gratitude
Recently, our family celebrated the 7th birthday of our twin girls, Adleigh and Liana. Amid the festivities marked with Barbies and princess dresses, what made this day extra special for us was remembering the words spoken by doctors days after they were born 3 months...
Steven Furtick: A Bowl for a Birthright
Scripture says we have an inheritance. It is reserved for us, and it is shielded by faith. We have a birthright, and the Devil can't take away our birthright; he has to get us to give it up. He can't take it. It's not in his power. When we study Jacob and Esau in...
Six Questions to Ask Before Adopting
Whether you are wrestling with whether to adopt a child or one of your parishioners comes to you for guidance on the topic, you know how pressure-filled the situation is. Sure, the first step is always to bring it to the lord, but what other steps can you or your...
Five questions to ask yourself when you feel frustrated
Let’s face it, leading a church can feel frustrating. You have a vision but they’re not be buying it. You have aspirations for church growth but it might not be happening. You have dreams of feeling successful but feelings of failure loom instead. During seasons of...
Why Do My Parishioners Resist Change
Whenever the grandchildren visited, my brother made a point to spend special time with each child. For then five-year old Andrea, it was a trip to a nearby McDonald’s. On a whim, he thought she might enjoy the new McDonald’s across town, complete with a...
Q&A With Retired Bible Publisher Frank Couch
Frank Couch has spent his entire adult life either teaching the Bible in ministry settings or publishing Bibles and Bible study materials. He graduated from the University of South Florida and Dallas Theological Seminary. After serving with a ministry in Berkeley,...
Google Hangouts As A Ministry Tool
Technology offers us stunning reach out into the community and world. But, it's often overwhelming because tech changes faster than a sprinter runs at the Olympics. But if we want our churches to grow and the newest generations to join us in faith community, we need...
Overcoming Fear of Financial Insecurity
I escaped from prison in mid-October, 2003. Perhaps I’d best explain myself lest rumors fly: My prison wasn’t a cell with bars. It was a state of mind and heart in which the fear of financial insecurity held me captive. My husband left his lucrative career as a civil...
Ministry to the Disabled
So your church is considering a ministry to the disabled. As the baby boomers reach their senior years, more people need specialized ministry than ever before. But how is disability defined? I could be a poster child for the term. I live in a nursing home, use...
Protecting Yourself From the Crazies
It is something we deal with as pastors, something we talk about behind the scenes, but it is rarely addressed out in the open. Yet, in the open or not, we must deal with the crazies. I'm not using that term to disparage the mentally ill. Rather, I'm talking...
Real Relationships in a Virtual World
As I sit, enjoying my mocha latte at a local coffee house, I watch the crowds of people mingle in various associations. They are engaged in numerous conversations as they sit opposite one another and fill the atmosphere with language and laughter, enjoying the respite...
Q&A With Pastor Bob Sanford
What is your job title outside of church? VP and Associate Publisher, Bible Group, HarperCollins Christian Publishers What is your title in the church? Associate Pastor, St. Ignatius Christian Orthodox Church How far in advance to you prepare for services? I begin...
Get Out of Time Debt
The day has come,” time guru said, “To talk of many things” Of days and nights and choices too Of calendars and flings And why our days are taken up With craziness that chaos brings If you feel like a hamster running on a wheel with no break or your calendar is...
