Road Trip: Three First Baptists

The best part of my job is being able to spend time one-on-one with pastors. Pastors are a gift to the church. They provide leadership, nurture, direction, teaching, counsel and care to God’s children. The Bible refers to pastors as “shepherds” (I Peter 5:2). Interestingly, this is the same terminology Scripture applies to Christ. In …

5 Things Your Pastor Would Love To Hear From You

Pastors are people. They are susceptible to the same emotional challenges everyone else faces. From time to time, they question their abilities, skills, direction and effectiveness. But unlike every other member of the church, most pastors do not have a pastor to counsel them through such challenging times. Life in the pulpit can be very …

Time for a Workout

In strength training, athletes make use of machines and free weights. Machines offer guidance. The machine guides the athlete to ensure proper form. However, it is the lack of such guidance that makes free weights more effective. Without structure, the lifter’s movement may drift and other muscles have to compensate for balance. This builds more …

The “Perfect” Singles Ministry

“I don’t belong here.” That was the first thought that entered my mind when I walked into the room labeled, “singles.” I had recently relocated and was interested in building relationships in my new church home. On that particular Sunday morning, I was greeted in the Church entrance and asked what kind of class I …

No More Cheap Dates

I started “real dating” in High School. By “real dating” I mean actually driving to the girl’s house, picking her up, paying for dinner and taking her home (usually by curfew). “Real dating” was far beyond the Jr. High “I’ll-meet-you-at-the-movie-with-all-our-friends-when-my-parents-drop-me-off” dating. I remember my first “real date.” I don’t mind telling you that I had …

Manna Manifesto

Imagine wandering the desert without any food. Now, imagine you share that plight with one or two million other people. That was the situation the children of Israel found themselves in as they fled Egypt to pursue the Promised Land. It wouldn’t take long for some mumbling to start, right? After crossing the Red Sea, …

Road Trip: Puerto Rico

The only thing more beautiful than the landscape of Puerto Rico is the people of Puerto Rico. Their unique culture is a rich blend of native Indian, African, Spanish, and French influences. As a commonwealth of the United States, they are US citizens, and at the same time, they enjoy their own identity. It was …