Articles
Understanding Calling Burnout: The Devastating Effects on Purpose and Identity
While burnout in general is definitely concerning—leading to depression, anxiety, increased sick days, relational conflict, a kind of psychological paralysis, and an overriding sense of shame—burnout from a calling is more than that; it can be devastating to the core....
The Resurrection’s Power to Transform and Empower
On Holy Saturday in 2019, The New York Times published columnist Nicholas Kristof’s interview with Serene Jones, the president of New York’s famed Union Theological Seminary. In the interview Kristof, Nicodemus-like, tiptoes toward Christian faith with hesitation but...
How to Let Go of Control and Trust God’s Guidance
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:34, NIV) Recently, I had the opportunity to visit the command center aboard an extremely large ship. Toward the end of the tour, the...
Reverse Engineering Your Life with God’s Wisdom
We built a log home twenty-five years ago. Sadly, it burned to the ground, and we needed to rebuild it. Log homes are built in a parking lot somewhere, where all the logs are cut, notched, carefully fit together, and then numbered. Then they disassemble the structure...
God’s Heart for the Vulnerable and How We Can Reflect It
God’s Compassion for the Vulnerable Through Scripture God’s heart for vulnerable groups is threaded throughout the Bible. Verse after verse, chapter after chapter in the Old and New Testaments reveal God’s compassion, mercy, grace, and love for those who are...
Finding God’s Glory in the Uncertainty of Life
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33, NIV) Trusting God When the Path Seems Unclear I feel the most unsettled when I’m uncertain about the future....
Faith and Humanity: Bridging the Gap Between Belief and Experience
The Gap Between Faith and Humanity Just think about your own gap for a moment, the distance between what you think you should believe about God—how to know and relate to him—and your actual life experience. Most likely, you’ve had to wrestle with toxic and shame-based...
How to Read the Bible: Intent, Methodology, and Influences
How do you read the Bible? Exploring Intent: Why Do You Read the Bible? One way we may begin to answer this question centers on intent. You read the Bible for the purpose of devotion, or prayer, or study. If you’re a preacher like me, you may read the Bible because...
Resilience in Brokenness: Finding Faith and Strength
“Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.” Psalm 116:7, CSB Recognizing Brokenness and Choosing Resilience It was just a broken ice maker. It wasn’t a catastrophic event. I was safe. I was in a good place. And I was looking forward to spending...
Prioritize Worship Before Work: Insights for Ministry Leaders
For ministry leaders, the new year brings fresh anticipation for where God will lead us next. As I approached the new year with my own hopes and expectations, God led me to Joshua 5:13-15. It’s the end of a 40-year trek in the wilderness. Israel has crossed the...
Combating Religious Persecution in Pakistan
The Harsh Reality of Religious Persecution in Pakistan Imagine stepping out of your car, unknowingly treading on a few pieces of paper on the pavement, only to be arrested and charged with offenses that could lead to a life sentence. In Pakistan, this nightmare is a...
A Practical Guide to Parenting Adult Children
Understanding Your Relationship with Adult Children How would you describe your relationship with your adult child? Your answer to this question will reveal where you need to start or pick up if you desire a growing relationship. Because human relationships are...
Developing a Church Mental Health Strategy
Why Church Mental Health Outreach Matters Churches are often the first point of contact when a family member has an acute mental health need. Individuals and families are more likely to connect with their church in a mental health crisis than they are with a licensed...
Understanding Faith Deconstruction
“I’m deconstructing my faith.” Perhaps someone has said this to you recently. A friend, child, spouse, parent, coworker, or congregant. You don’t really know what they mean, but it doesn’t sound good. Just from the name, you can tell they are taking something apart....
Mastering the Emotional Effects of Negative Thinking
Understanding the Emotional Effects of the Fall The emotional effects of the fall have had a persisting impact on all of humankind. Consider for a moment the following questions: Do you struggle with worry about minor matters or perhaps worry about things that might...
Ministry Transitions in Genesis 12
I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to go into something new and leave the something old behind. I am in the middle of a ministry transition. After about 9 years on staff at my current local church (a church I also grew up in for about 9 years before being on...
Pastoral Commitment to Young Adult Groups
During our five-year study, we witnessed constant negotiations be- tween young adult innovation teams and the larger congregational leadership structure. Those in senior leadership roles often struggled while learning how to engage with young adult leaders or...
Trusting God When Life Feels Uncertain
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6, NIV) Why Trusting God Is Difficult I’ve been studying the topic of trust lately. And what I’ve...
Discovering Joy in Beauty and Salvation
You know it when you feel joy. She “jumps under one’s ribs and tickles down one’s back.” But joy dodges our attempts to pin her down. She is tricky to define. Trying to catch joy with a definition is like fishing with a shoelace, like trying to describe a friend to...
The Call to Be a Good Church
In 2001, Jim Collins published a book on business management titled Good to Great, concerning the steps companies had to take to be excellent institutions. This book became a bestseller and even influenced the American church, with many churches endeavoring to become...
