Doesn’t a forced pause always seem to happen at the most inopportune times? Not now, Lord, we tend to whisper loudly. I have noticed though, as I get older, that maybe I would do better to not resist these unchosen times of slowing down (and, often, solitude). Because...
Quieten the Room: Finding Peace in Hard Decisions
"We've done everything possible to save this leg, all that's left is amputation. When you're ready, we'll have that conversation." Those words came from my wife's surgeon, following numerous operations to save her right leg - crushed and disfigured in her 1983 car...
Embracing Insufficiency: Leading with Weakness
A Call to Insufficiency How often have you thought, I’m the wrong guy for this? Right. And wrong. At the same time. Deep pastoral wellness begins with reckoning—a reality check of sorts. Without complaining, we need an objective view of ministry realities. Gospel...
Ignoring God’s Limits: Embracing Rest
Fourteen years ago, I suffered heat stroke in sight of the finish line of a community race I’d been training to win. It was 80 degrees, with high humidity, and I’d trained for months in unusually cool-for-summer 70-degree mornings. I had my time goals for each mile —...
Discover Your Unique Prayer Style
When I stepped down from the platform, a lady approached me. I knew what she was going to say. I had just finished an enthusiastic and biblical rationale for prayerwalking as an intercessory practice for our communities. I greeted her, and then she said it. “Janet, I...
Three Ways to Make Collaborative Leadership Effective in Your Ministry, Community, or Business
Collaborative leadership is a subject embraced by many but practiced by few. For some leaders, the subject finds them heading for the door! Collaboration can mean endless discussions with little direction. For others, collaboration is the flavor of the month, and they...
Dealing with Anxiety and Control Issues in Life
Maybe you deal with anxiety by going into control mode. If I asked you to tell me specifically what causes you anxiety, what isn’t working in your life, what would you say? Chances are many of you wouldn’t point to circumstances or mention a situation; rather, you’d...
Discovering Your Inherent Worth
As I’ve wrestled with understanding my own worth, I’ve heard a lot of self-positivity messages reminding me no matter my body type, job, parenting style, or social status, I’m valuable and “worth it.” In many ways, it’s refreshing. We see posts on social media or even...
Music is Spiritual
In 1 Chr. 25:1, the Chronicler recorded that, “David and the chiefs of the service also set apart for the service the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who prophesied with lyres, with harps, and with cymbals.” And again, in verse 3, the Chronicle mentioned...
Business or Body: What is the Church?
Many are predicting that possibly in a decade or so, Christianity will no longer be the prominent religion in America! So, how do we get church folks to hang around and remain part of the local body of believers? Do we hire marketing specialists or church consultants...
Embracing Forced Pauses
Doesn’t a forced pause always seem to happen at the most inopportune times? Not now, Lord, we tend to whisper loudly. I have noticed though, as I get older, that maybe I would do better to not resist these unchosen times of slowing down (and, often, solitude). Because...
Quieten the Room: Finding Peace in Hard Decisions
"We've done everything possible to save this leg, all that's left is amputation. When you're ready, we'll have that conversation." Those words came from my wife's surgeon, following numerous operations to save her right leg - crushed and disfigured in her 1983 car...
Embracing Insufficiency: Leading with Weakness
A Call to Insufficiency How often have you thought, I’m the wrong guy for this? Right. And wrong. At the same time. Deep pastoral wellness begins with reckoning—a reality check of sorts. Without complaining, we need an objective view of ministry realities. Gospel...
Ignoring God’s Limits: Embracing Rest
Fourteen years ago, I suffered heat stroke in sight of the finish line of a community race I’d been training to win. It was 80 degrees, with high humidity, and I’d trained for months in unusually cool-for-summer 70-degree mornings. I had my time goals for each mile —...
Discover Your Unique Prayer Style
When I stepped down from the platform, a lady approached me. I knew what she was going to say. I had just finished an enthusiastic and biblical rationale for prayerwalking as an intercessory practice for our communities. I greeted her, and then she said it. “Janet, I...
Three Ways to Make Collaborative Leadership Effective in Your Ministry, Community, or Business
Collaborative leadership is a subject embraced by many but practiced by few. For some leaders, the subject finds them heading for the door! Collaboration can mean endless discussions with little direction. For others, collaboration is the flavor of the month, and they...
Dealing with Anxiety and Control Issues in Life
Maybe you deal with anxiety by going into control mode. If I asked you to tell me specifically what causes you anxiety, what isn’t working in your life, what would you say? Chances are many of you wouldn’t point to circumstances or mention a situation; rather, you’d...
Discovering Your Inherent Worth
As I’ve wrestled with understanding my own worth, I’ve heard a lot of self-positivity messages reminding me no matter my body type, job, parenting style, or social status, I’m valuable and “worth it.” In many ways, it’s refreshing. We see posts on social media or even...
Music is Spiritual
In 1 Chr. 25:1, the Chronicler recorded that, “David and the chiefs of the service also set apart for the service the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who prophesied with lyres, with harps, and with cymbals.” And again, in verse 3, the Chronicle mentioned...
Business or Body: What is the Church?
Many are predicting that possibly in a decade or so, Christianity will no longer be the prominent religion in America! So, how do we get church folks to hang around and remain part of the local body of believers? Do we hire marketing specialists or church consultants...
Helping Your Small Group Thrive
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