Jesus was manly. There, I said it. At first, that statement might not sound earth shattering. But think about the image we often portray of Christ in our art: Have you ever seen a picture of Christ going hunting? Even better, have you ever seen a rendering of Christ skinning and gutting an animal? What …
Monthly Archives: July 2014
What is Obvious About Your Church?
The church is called to make disciples. I think most of us would agree on that. Further, I think we would all agree that we are called to make disciples of all nations (people groups). From this perspective, you would assume that every church would have obvious and overt practices, plans, and opportunities for all …
Underneath the Sand Castles
Ever hear a song for the millionth time and hear something new? Check out these lyrics: Waters rose as my doubts reigned My sand-castle faith, it slipped away Found myself standing on your grace It’d been there all the time The lyrics brought to mind my spiritual journey over the past four years. In so …
Four Popular But Inadequate Theories on God’s Will
The following is an excerpt from my book, “Navigate: Understanding & Pursuing God’s Will.” The Tight Rope Theory This teaching declares God’s will is like a tight rope where one wrong move will ruin your life and require you to start all over again -or worse, be eternally out of God’s will. This view assumes …
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How I Prepare Sermons
Recently, some of my preacher friends have participated in an online discussion of how to prepare sermons. I really enjoyed reading their insights and decided to jot down a few of my own thoughts. For those of you who are preachers, hopefully these words will be beneficial in your own preparation. I would certainly love …
Quit Multitasking Family
We use the term “multitasking” quite a bit. While it may be possible to do two things at once physically (walking and chewing gum at the same time), I’m not sure it is possible to do two things at once mentally (at least not voluntarily). Have you ever tried to reply to email and simultaneously …
How’s Your Service?
Customer Service. Has anybody heard of it? Apparently not the young lady at the store where I bought my groceries today. She talked to her friend the entire time she was scanning my items. Even worse, she would stop scanning items to look her friend in the eyes occasionally (her communications skills far exceed her …
Avoid Hiring a Staff Infection
In most cases, your church’s hiring practices will have major ramifications that reach beyond your awareness. It’s not just a matter of whether a candidate can do the job or not. The real impact of your hiring decision will be seen in: How they interact with your church members Whether they make the people around …
When Judging Is Good
We hear phrases like “stop judging me,” “you are so judgmental,” or “who am I to judge” often. It’s a shame that the word “judge” has gotten such a tarnished reputation. Ironically, those who think all judging is wrong have, indeed, made a judgment! Perhaps the agenda against judgment has come from a misunderstanding of …
When You Need to Keep on Going Through the Motions
The phrase, “going through the motions” has a negative connotation -and rightfully so. It refers to someone who keeps up external appearances and expectations without the proper internal motivation. We use it a lot in the church world to describe Christians who go to church, sing the songs, and give their offerings without their “heart …
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