The recently deceased monk Thomas Keating said that to be human is to carry three lifelong needs—the need for approval, the need for security, and the need for control. These needs are not bad; in fact, they are hardwired into our souls by God himself—so that he...
8 Ways Members Can Support a Church Plant
If you’re considering planting a new church or prayer group, gaining and maintaining the support of a core group of like-minded people will be very important. My wife and I participated in a church plant some years ago that began in our own home with five...
Humor in the Church
Believe it or not, this subject has sparked some controversy and theological debate among many pastors and theologians in the past. Some have taken the approach that Christianity is supposed to be a serious endeavor and, therefore, should not include...
Angry at Your Spouse? Six ways to handle this emotion productively.
“I don’t ever remember losing my temper until I got married.” All married couples experience anger. The tragedy is that thousands of couples never learn how to process anger productively. Marriage becomes a battlefield, each spouse accusing the other of...
Everything Old Is New Again
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. —John 15:12-13 God has given me wonderful women to link arms with every step of the way. But I’ve also run the gamut of...
The Power of Forgiveness
When we’ve been hurt, when we’ve been battered, sometimes anger and bitterness give us a sense of control. But the truth is, our bitterness and anger often control us. They keep our perpetrators close at hand, keep the wrongs they’ve done to us in the...
Hero to Zero – I’m Just Trying to Help!
“Papa is a hero!” Don’t you just love grandkids? You can almost do no wrong. My wife, Diane and I recently took 4 of our grandkids, ages 6-8 to a local fast-food establishment which had a small indoor play space. After ordering their food, they threw off...
Grit Don’t Quit
I have learned, in my forty-plus years of serving God and living in His kingdom, that there are recurring pressures and voices that try to convince me to wave the white flag. That is to be expected, because the values of God’s kingdom are not the values of...
Christmas Away From Home
There are many reasons and places to experience a first Christmas away from home. If you have, you understand. Have you thought of the first time anyone spent Christmas away from home - the very first time? Have you thought of Mary and Joseph in this...
Jesus, the Grandest Story of All
An old man stoops and grabs a weathered hardback off the shelf. He handles the volume gently, careful not to disturb the fragile binding while returning to his favorite chair, glasses perched on his nose. As he slowly turns the yellowed pages, his eyes...
5 Unhealthy Habits for Leaders to Avoid
The recently deceased monk Thomas Keating said that to be human is to carry three lifelong needs—the need for approval, the need for security, and the need for control. These needs are not bad; in fact, they are hardwired into our souls by God himself—so that he...
8 Ways Members Can Support a Church Plant
If you’re considering planting a new church or prayer group, gaining and maintaining the support of a core group of like-minded people will be very important. My wife and I participated in a church plant some years ago that began in our own home with five...
Humor in the Church
Believe it or not, this subject has sparked some controversy and theological debate among many pastors and theologians in the past. Some have taken the approach that Christianity is supposed to be a serious endeavor and, therefore, should not include...
Angry at Your Spouse? Six ways to handle this emotion productively.
“I don’t ever remember losing my temper until I got married.” All married couples experience anger. The tragedy is that thousands of couples never learn how to process anger productively. Marriage becomes a battlefield, each spouse accusing the other of...
Everything Old Is New Again
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. —John 15:12-13 God has given me wonderful women to link arms with every step of the way. But I’ve also run the gamut of...
The Power of Forgiveness
When we’ve been hurt, when we’ve been battered, sometimes anger and bitterness give us a sense of control. But the truth is, our bitterness and anger often control us. They keep our perpetrators close at hand, keep the wrongs they’ve done to us in the...
Hero to Zero – I’m Just Trying to Help!
“Papa is a hero!” Don’t you just love grandkids? You can almost do no wrong. My wife, Diane and I recently took 4 of our grandkids, ages 6-8 to a local fast-food establishment which had a small indoor play space. After ordering their food, they threw off...
Grit Don’t Quit
I have learned, in my forty-plus years of serving God and living in His kingdom, that there are recurring pressures and voices that try to convince me to wave the white flag. That is to be expected, because the values of God’s kingdom are not the values of...
Christmas Away From Home
There are many reasons and places to experience a first Christmas away from home. If you have, you understand. Have you thought of the first time anyone spent Christmas away from home - the very first time? Have you thought of Mary and Joseph in this...
Jesus, the Grandest Story of All
An old man stoops and grabs a weathered hardback off the shelf. He handles the volume gently, careful not to disturb the fragile binding while returning to his favorite chair, glasses perched on his nose. As he slowly turns the yellowed pages, his eyes...
Helping Your Small Group Thrive
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