A Bloody Bible?
In some ways, the book we call the Bible is a legal document. According to the Church’s view, God has made two primary contracts with...
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elementals: quick reads to sharpen your leadership edge.
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- Jun 27
- 3 min
Scaredy-Cat Leadership
About three-thousand years ago, Israel was once again in a bad place. They had this pathological spiritual pattern: after having some big...
- Jun 13
- 3 min
Jesus, Miracles, & Serving
Servanthood is central to the work of the church simply because it was central to the work of Jesus. Jesus’ ministry included two types...
- May 30
- 3 min
What Churches Will Survive?
Let me lay my cards on the table by stating a central belief I have about the local church: it must be outward-focused if it is to...
- May 16
- 2 min
Asking For Help
Yesterday I had a little hiccup. About seven months ago, my wife and I felt prompted—I think now by the Holy Spirit—to have a CT scan to...
- May 9
- 3 min
Hypocrisy Voyeurism
Have you heard the news about _______? Just insert the name of a politician, athlete, leader, celebrity, influencer, whatever…and then...
- May 2
- 3 min
The Experience Laboratory
Not even an extremely gifted communicator can rival experience as a teacher. Truth must be experienced to take root. Academia has begun...
- Apr 11
- 3 min
How Do We Learn?
When I was pastoring, getting sick was disastrous…especially when it happened at the last minute and you’re speaking the next day in four...
- Mar 28
- 3 min
When a Leader Steps Down
When a church goes through our Pathway or Inventory program for revitalization, it often includes a site visit from one of our team...
- Mar 21
- 3 min
Smart Leaders Ask Questions
I once had dinner with a well-known leader of a powerfully influential church after I spoke at his church. I had so many questions to ask...
- Mar 7
- 3 min
Leadership and Self-Awareness
Leadership by its nature makes one prone to take hits. Imagine how hard it is to be the U.S. president in these hyper-polarized...
- Jan 17
- 2 min
The Evolution of Language
The other day I happened to notice a poster about a Big New Blockbuster Movie coming out. The top line on the poster read: “Only in...
- Nov 28, 2022
- 3 min
Dogpaddling with Dolphins
I’ve been on both sides of a lead pastor transition. Years before serving in the lead pastor role at our church, everyone on...
- Nov 22, 2022
- 2 min
What's Your Attitude Indicator?
So here’s an idea as we move into the Thanksgiving holiday… Paul’s short letter to the Philippian church underscored his belief that...
- Oct 12, 2022
- 3 min
What Really Counts for Worship?
In the tribe that I pastored in, creating space for worship was very important. It typically meant the musical part of the service, where...
- Sep 27, 2022
- 3 min
Are Apologetics Dead?
Don’t get me wrong: apologetics are important. From the launch of the Church in Acts 2, Christians have proclaimed the uniqueness of...
- Sep 6, 2022
- 3 min
VBS…an Emergent Problem?
The Integrity value is one of four key elements we’ve identified as being absolutely essential for the health and effectiveness of any...
- Jul 19, 2022
- 2 min
Changing the “Routine Paradigm”
At one time I had my Christian life neatly prioritized. It was: first, God. Second, family. And third, work…specifically, my work as a...
- Jul 5, 2022
- 2 min
Leadership Is Crucial, But...
Leadership is crucial, but not all leaders are the same. Over the last few decades there has been an emphasis on church leadership, with...
- Jun 14, 2022
- 2 min
How Big Is The Church?
Play along with me for a minute and let’s use our imagination. If a twenty-something artist named Michelangelo could create something as...
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