It Takes a Village

I have two roles in my family. I am a father and a son at the very same time. At first glance, you might think that my relationships with my dad and my son are extremely linear –ie. My dad teaches me and I teach my son –period. But actually, the learning process is not so …

A Healthy Separation

After a disappointing loss, legendary football coach Bear Bryant was asked if there was separation on his team. His answer was simple: “No, but there’s gonna be.” Separation can be healthy. Driving tests separate people qualified to drive from those who are not. Prisons separate criminals from law-abiding citizens, and hospitals separate the sick from …

Quit “Trumping” Your Church

The President recently announced policy changes via Twitter. I’m not sure that’s a wise move. My concern has nothing to do with the policy change itself. Rather, the method of communication is what seems lacking. His announcement caught the Pentagon off-guard. Respected generals were left to answer reporters’ questions without the luxury of preparing a …

Clean Churches Die

During my second full week of pastoring, one of the ladies of our church made a disturbing comment. Looking back, I believe her comment probably describes the attitude of many other churches and their members. Our church was getting ready to construct a new building when I was hired. I’m sure the lady meant well, …

Recruiting Seekers: The Mission of God and the Role of the Church

Recruiting in college athletics is a 24/7, 365-day-a-year task that involves seeking out talent, assessing skills, and evaluating character. Athletic programs live or die by it. The church has been given a task similar to recruiting. We are called to evangelize, sharing the gospel with the lost in hopes they will come to Christ. Evangelism …

Recruiting Strategy: The Church’s Approach to Seekers

This is the final post regarding seekers. Previous posts have explored God’s mission in seeking sinners and the church’s role in evangelism. This final post discusses the approach a church takes toward evangelizing the lost. How we evangelize is just as important as who we evangelize and why we evangelize.    How Should the Church Perform …

Recruiting Network: The Church’s Role in God’s Mission

This is the third post in a series on “seekers.” Previous posts have established that Sinners do not seek God naturally (Romans 3:10-11) God seeks and saves sinners (Luke 19:10) The Holy Spirit draws sinners to seek Him (John 3:8) But that does not mean that sinners are automatically converted without being evangelized. That leads to the question this post …

Master Recruiter: What is God Doing in the World?

In my previous post, I suggested that church leaders need to clarify the idea of a “seeker.” Then, I proposed three questions to help define the issue. What is God doing in the world (i.e. the mission of God)? What is the church’s role in God’s mission? How should the church perform its role? This post tackles the …

Your Church’s Recruiting Strategy

Recruiting in college athletics is a 24/7, 365-day-a-year task that involves seeking out talent, assessing skills, and evaluating character. Athletic programs live or die by it. The church has been given a task similar to recruiting. We are called to evangelize, sharing the gospel with the lost in hopes they will come to Christ. Evangelism …

The “Aha Moment” of Marriage

Marriage is like a globe. The globe is real. You can touch it, spin it, study it, and learn from it. However, the globe is not the end of the conversation. Do you remember the first time someone explained to you that the globe was just a small symbol of something greater? We call it …