Third grade started out very badly. I hated my new teacher, and to make matters worse, I was sure that she hated me. Some of the blame goes to my second grade teacher. She was nice - so nice. In fact her name was Miss Nice - really. Miss Nice had a soft way, a nice...
Vocational Pain: It will take you out!
You’re a pastor. You have been faithful in the Christian disciplines you preach and teach. You have seen God’s hand move in miraculous ways in your life and the lives of others. You may have attained some level of “success” or become a sought-after speaker in...
A man of faithfulness
In 1 Chronicles 11:41, we see Uriah listed as one of David’s “mighty warriors”—the men who “gave his kingship strong support to extend it over the whole land, as the Lord had promised” (verse 10). Uriah was clearly consumed with the purposes of his king, David....
Shots Fired
It was shortly after 3 am as I was rudely jolted from sleep by my ringing cell phone. Good news for pastors rarely travels at 3 am so I bolted from my comfy bed expecting an emergency. The call, from one of our Sheriff’s Deputies, informed me, as their...
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...
Longing for Revival
It’s important to long for revival for a few reasons: First, it has some biblical basis. The Psalmist prays, “Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?” It’s right there: a prayer for the revival of the Jewish people and their...
Passion to Cynicism in 4 to 6 Years Flat!
Do you remember what it was like when you first became a pastor? Do you remember the zeal you had? Do you remember how you thought you couldn’t love people any more then you did then? It’s kind of like having your first child. It is so incredibly...
Prayer is Not Just for the Spiritually Elite
For many, a life of prayer and spiritual depth is not for them. It’s not that they do not desire it; it’s that they believe it is out of reach. There’ve been too many false starts in their spiritual life. A lot of well-intentioned declarations of...
Is pastoring really that hard?
According to recent statistics, from LifeWay Research, the average tenure for a senior pastor in the U.S. is only about 4-6 years. Translated that means that there are a lot of pastors out there with four to six years of experience many times...
The Most Important Thing I Learned in the Third Grade
Third grade started out very badly. I hated my new teacher, and to make matters worse, I was sure that she hated me. Some of the blame goes to my second grade teacher. She was nice - so nice. In fact her name was Miss Nice - really. Miss Nice had a soft way, a nice...
Vocational Pain: It will take you out!
You’re a pastor. You have been faithful in the Christian disciplines you preach and teach. You have seen God’s hand move in miraculous ways in your life and the lives of others. You may have attained some level of “success” or become a sought-after speaker in...
A man of faithfulness
In 1 Chronicles 11:41, we see Uriah listed as one of David’s “mighty warriors”—the men who “gave his kingship strong support to extend it over the whole land, as the Lord had promised” (verse 10). Uriah was clearly consumed with the purposes of his king, David....
Shots Fired
It was shortly after 3 am as I was rudely jolted from sleep by my ringing cell phone. Good news for pastors rarely travels at 3 am so I bolted from my comfy bed expecting an emergency. The call, from one of our Sheriff’s Deputies, informed me, as their...
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...
Longing for Revival
It’s important to long for revival for a few reasons: First, it has some biblical basis. The Psalmist prays, “Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?” It’s right there: a prayer for the revival of the Jewish people and their...
Passion to Cynicism in 4 to 6 Years Flat!
Do you remember what it was like when you first became a pastor? Do you remember the zeal you had? Do you remember how you thought you couldn’t love people any more then you did then? It’s kind of like having your first child. It is so incredibly...
Prayer is Not Just for the Spiritually Elite
For many, a life of prayer and spiritual depth is not for them. It’s not that they do not desire it; it’s that they believe it is out of reach. There’ve been too many false starts in their spiritual life. A lot of well-intentioned declarations of...
Is pastoring really that hard?
According to recent statistics, from LifeWay Research, the average tenure for a senior pastor in the U.S. is only about 4-6 years. Translated that means that there are a lot of pastors out there with four to six years of experience many times...
Helping Your Small Group Thrive
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