It’s happened to even the most conscientious among us: A simple drive to the grocery store or something gets interrupted by the flicker of blue and red lights in your rear view mirror. Followed by a flush of nervous adrenaline and embarrassment. Your mind swimming with questions: “What on earth did I do? Did I…
Articles
Three Types of People in Every Church – Who Should You Embrace?
In Judson Edward’s book, The Leadership Labyrinth, he describes 21 paradoxes in ministry. He defines the ‘relationship paradox’ in this way: the people who like you the most will be the ones you try least to please. He then writes that these three kinds of people fill every church. His insights are quite helpful. The energizers: their very…
Jesus Might Fail A Homiletics Course – How About You?
I have a huge interest in homiletics, the art of preparing and delivering sermons. I’ve read dozens of books on the subject, written a lot on it, and trained a lot of preachers in the past decade, not to mention having taken a number of courses in my undergrad and graduate studies. I love to sit and geek out…
Leading Volunteers – Less Blame, More Credit
It’s one thing when people have to follow you because you sign their paycheck or you’re the “boss.” It’s another thing when people want to follow you. But leading volunteers, becoming the kind of leader that people want to follow is the kind of stuff you should be paying attention to and spending your time…
Loaves and Fishes – And Planting Churches
Maybe we never graduate beyond having little to offer the God of the universe; the longer I do ministry, the more I suspect that it’s all just loaves and fishes.
Implementing Ideation: Think Big, Start Small, Keep Moving
Ideation is the act of forming ideas. Its main purpose is to move ideas from conception to implementation. It seeks to create clarity and a pathway for actualization. It also cares enough to invest time and resources necessary to implement well. Ideation may embrace lean, but it doesn’t compromise mission. Ideation is the act of forming…