Last week saw the beginning of Lent, and with it, Mardi Gras. "Fat Tuesday." All around the world there are festivals and parties with one main goal: Overindulge in whatever you can. Traditionally Mardi Gras grew into a huge feast because it was the night before Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, which is marked…
My Left Foot Has Been To Nepal (And Other Ministry Lessons)
The following is an excerpt from an upcoming book by Kurt Bubna - Uncommon Hope: The Path to an Epic Life. A year or so after my first trip to Nepal, I took a second, and this time with a small team from my church. We felt led to go to the rural communities outside…
4 Reasons to Preach through Colossians
“The struggle is real.” You may have heard that phrase. It’s used to convey the difficulty of an unseen burden. It’s also used ironically at times to highlight “first-world problems.” When it comes to our job as preachers the struggle is real. We say with Paul, “I want you to know how great a struggle I…
Reprimand, or Teachable Moment?
If you lead people in any way: in a church, a business, or a team, those you lead will screw up, fail, and often disappoint you. When that happens, and that volunteer or team member needs correction, when is the best time to correct? It could be a reprimand or a teachable moment. In the…
One Pastor’s Daily Prayer
Let me recommend a pastor's daily prayer: “Grant me joy and peace as I humbly trust You with the outcome of my life and ministry.” I’ve been praying that over myself for what must be something like 6 years now. Maybe more. That’s well over 2,000 times at least. Like any prayer, there is a…
10 Signs of a Pastor Controlled Church
I recently wrote a post titled, “11 Signs of a Family-Run Church.” Apparently, that post hit a nerve for many readers who’ve seen that kind of church. Some readers also asked about another kind of church they’ve seen: the pastor controlled church. So, here are characteristics I’ve seen in this church: The pastor is not…
