In a previous post, I wrote about “monster churches” in reference to congregations that chew up and spit out pastors on a regular basis. Monster churches are highly dysfunctional and rarely fruitful. The congregation, however, is not always the problem. Just as monster churches are a factory of discord, monster pastors take trouble with them …
Monthly Archives: February 2015
15 Questions to Ask Before Starting Small Groups
This conversation takes place in countless homes every week: Bill: Honey, are we going to small group again tonight? Joan: I know it feels like a waste of time some weeks, but I feel like we need to stay committed. Bill: I understand what you mean, but the lack of focus week after week drives …
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Good Vibrations
Hit any key on a piano and more than one string vibrates. For instance, if you hit middle c, all of the other c’s on the piano vibrate slightly because they are all tuned to c. The vibrations of one stir up the vibrations of all the others. David points out a similar idea in …
No Training Manual Required
The responsibilities of parenting are enormous. Children need to learn how to tie their shoes, say “please” and “thank you,” listen to others, read, write, articulate themselves, ride a bike, drive a car, respect their elders… you get the picture. When you stop to think about everything a child needs to learn, the task for …
How to Kill a Ministry Idea
Few things are as difficult for churches as laying a ministry to rest. Just take a look at the weekly calendar for most churches. Nobody wants to admit defeat. Sometimes a ministry has been fruitful for decades and has simply run its course. What an opportunity to rejoice (at a ministry funeral). Other ministries may …
Where Does Your Stone Lie?
Looking back, I have felt sorry for the trouble we caused James Holliman. He was our Jr. Boys Sunday school teacher. My friends and I were typical rowdy kids who couldn’t sit still. We were loud, obnoxious, disobedient, and disruptive every Sunday. Yet, Mr. Holliman never lost his cool with us. He would calmly stop …
Out of the Recliner
In Psalm 51:11, David prays, “Cast me not away from your presence…” Does that strike you as odd? After all, didn’t David also write in Psalm 139:7-10, “Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed …
She Still Sings to Me
My wife had a beautiful alto voice with a slight rasp and warm Texas accent. One of my favorite memories of marriage is her singing to me. February 5, 2015 would have marked fifteen years of marriage for Jill and me. I struggle to express my heart on this wedding anniversary, so I have decided to …
Never Ride Alone
It was the perfect day for a bike ride. I picked up my five-year-old son after work and drove straight home. As soon as I changed clothes, Bryce and I mounted up on our bicycles. Thanks to a lot of help from my parents, Bryce could now ride without training wheels (that’s a big deal …
Sowing and Growing
I never liked to eat corn until one year at Thanksgiving, I tried my grandmother’s cream-style corn. Wow! One bite and I was hooked. In fact, I probably ate three helpings that day. The next time my mother made corn at home, I put an extra large helping on my plate. After one bite, I …