According to a Barna report that came out a few years back, the aspect of ministry that pastors love most - by far - is preaching/teaching. To their way of thinking, nothing beats addressing the crowd.
Read More
I came across a quote from a pastor named J.D. Greear recently that powerfully gripped me: “Those who care about the future of the Great Commission will devote themselves to multiplying and sending, not gathering and counting.”
Read More
Pastor and author Mark Batterson got my attention in a big way when he wrote, “Half of learning is learning. The other half of learning is unlearning. Unfortunately, unlearning is twice as hard as learning.”
Read More
Once again Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has won the MVP for the National Football League. It’s the third time he’s been given this high honor.
Read More
When we think of the Apostle Paul, typically we consider him as a church planter and a letter writer. Yet it’s important to understand that he was also a disciple-maker.
Read More
In last week’s post, I talked about how the recent shutdown during the early weeks of the coronavirus pandemic actually presented the 21st-century church with a wonderful opportunity. Almost overnight we went from being the church gathered to being the church scattered.
Read More
As often happens when we go through hard times, somehow, someway, something good comes out of it. I think that’s true for the western church in this current crisis. The shut-downs brought on by COVID-19 have forced churches all over the world to rethink the ways we “do church.”
Read More
As a young leader, I was 100 percent convinced that competency was the key to effectiveness in leadership. I no longer believe that’s true.
Read More
Jesus was the greatest leader who ever lived. He inspired multitudes with His teaching. He performed miracles before thousands. Yet, for all of His interaction with large numbers of people, His primary investment was with a small group of individuals.
Read More
I’m asked quite often, “What is the discipleship method that you have found to be the most effective?” When I hear that, I know what the individual is looking for. They’re hoping to find a neatly packaged program that they can implement in their church to dramatic results.
Read More
Ask any pastor about the importance of discipleship and you’ll get a vigorous nod accompanied by passionate words: “Absolutely what we’re to be about”… ”The bottom line by which to measure success”… ”Jesus’ marching orders couldn’t be clearer.” That being the case, why do we see discipleship languishing in the vast majority of churches?
Read More
In my previous blog post, “Living in Three Dimensions,” we noted that Jesus oriented His life around 3 relational dimensions. Luke 6:12-19 records them:
First of all, JESUS LOOKED UP. This speaks to His relationship with His Father. The key to Jesus’ fruitfulness was His commitment to this vertical dimension.
Read More
Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. I John 2:6
This verse is relatively easy to read; but it’s painfully difficult to apply, isn’t it? How does one actually walk in the way of Jesus? What does that look like practically speaking?
Read More