The question has been asked, “Won’t small groups create cliques that will divide our Church?” Great question. In Mark 3:13-19, Jesus is followed by a large crowd of people all vying for his attention. The Bible says that He healed many, before eventually pushing away from the crowd. (That’s right, even Jesus got away to …
Category Archives: Church
Consider a Coach for Your Church
For two years my son played tee-ball. This year, he graduated to pitching machine league. The transition was not easy. To help Bryce make the adjustment, I took him to the batting cages where he could practice with a pitching machine. I bought some tokens to place in the machine, and Bryce stepped into the …
Why Evaluating Your Church is Biblical
As a pastor, I hated the idea of evaluation. It sounded too much like a way to open myself up to needless criticism. After all, who really wants to invite an outsider to tell them what they are doing wrong, add more “to do’s” to their list, or make them feel guilty for what they …
Push Through The Preaching Curve
Preachers –have you ever noticed that some of your most well received messages are the ones for which you have studied the least? Don’t worry –I’m not advocating a lack of study. However, I think it is important to understand why this phenomenon occurs. When an idea first enters your mind, it is simple to …
5 Character Traits of Growing Churches (Excerpt)
Here is an excerpt from my new free e-booklet, Five Character Traits of Growing Churches: “He sure is growing up.” That’s a common phrase around my household. I swell up with a sense of pride as neighbors, friends and family notice my son’s growth. Bryce is six now and it is hard to keep up with …
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Be Encouraged in Your Role
Ministers, are you ever discouraged by the feeling that you’ll never see your goals achieved? Welcome to the club. 19th century Irish missionary, Robert Bruce spent ten years among Muslims in India before beginning his life’s work in Iran. The labor was difficult and filled with frustration. Yet, Bruce’s attitude was filled with a long-view …
God’s Global End-Game
Revelation 7:9-10 reveals a future scene in heaven. After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a …
Multiple Hats: 5 Advantages of Bi-Vocational Pastors
Jeff wears multiple hats. He pastors a church and works full-time in the medical field. After a long night shift, Jeff and I met at a local coffee shop. Although I knew he must have been exhausted, the topic of local church ministry brought about an energy and passion to his voice. In the midst of …
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6 Vital Questions Before Preaching Your Next Sermon
Will this sermon help my hearers understand this passage better? This assumes you preached a passage, which I would argue, is a prerequisite for biblical preaching. Explaining a passage means more than reading verses and their meaning. The passage must be explained within its context. This helps avoid misinterpretation and misrepresentation of Scripture. Taking a …
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5 Ideas For Blessing Your Pastor
Hebrews 13:17 declares, “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.“ In other words, don’t take your church leaders for …