Peace in the Difficult Times

I was recently speaking wth a friend about some stressful situations I had encountered through my work over the past years. It was refreshing to speak of the stress in the past tense, rather than present. Looking back, I’m greatful for the stressful experiences. However, at the time, it felt like more than I could …

More Than Forgiveness

I love the way John Stott describes the great exchange we have in Christ. “When we are united to Christ a mysterious exchange takes place: he took our curse, so that we may receive his blessing; he became sin with our sin, so that we may become righteous with his righteousness.” (Stott: The Cross of …

Practice Public Prayer

Growing up in Church, I remember questioning the need for public prayer. After all, didn’t Jesus tell us to go into our closets to pray? And what about His critique of the Pharisees who loved to stand and pray loudly for show? It turns out, however, that Jesus is not against public prayers –He’s simply …

11 Signs of a Monster Pastor

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 …

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 …

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 …