My father died in a car accident when I was 16 years old and it was one of the most significant moments of my life. I was fortunate to have had my father around during my formative years. In the years that followed, I sought out lots of substitutes to fill the hole that […]
At the time of this writing, I have just watched on television the beginning of four days of celebrations honoring Queen Elizabeth ll’s Platinum Jubilee, commemorating her 70 years on the throne. The 96-year-old queen is Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and the first to reach the milestone of seven decades of Royal service.
It got me […]
During national tragedies like natural disasters and mass shootings, the phrase “in our thoughts and prayers” is often used by officials and other public figures to express concern in difficult times.
The phrase has recently received criticism for its repeated usage in the context of gun violence and has been labeled by a word […]
When I talk to pastors a common phrase I hear is ‘getting back to normal’. That is never going to happen. Because of the very nature of change, things are never going back to whatever you think normal was. I also hear pastors mention ‘a new normal’. Forget about it. Churches should never conform […]
This morning, I had the opportunity to reach out to a colleague who was struggling to grow his church. He was averaging about twenty-five, but on Easter there were over 100 who showed up. Since then, though, his congregation has been mostly unwilling to step up to do the work of transformation. He was […]
There are two sides of the communication coin. Asking good questions is on one side of the coin, on the other is being a good listener. Effective listening will earn the trust of those you engage and will convey your respect for the other who is speaking. Everyone wants to be heard, and we […]
Throughout the 30+ years I served in pastoral ministry I have witnessed too many church pastors in America lose their positions of church leadership because of financial or sexual indiscretions coming to the light of day. This long list of ministry tragedies might have been avoided had there been accountability relationships in place.
Accountability can […]
I saw a post on Facebook this week that reminded me of a very practical church growth principle. The image said, ’The best gift you can give your Mother for Mother’s Day is to sit with her in church.”
Behind only Christmas and Easter, Mother’s Day is the third highest church attendance day each year. […]
The time between Easter and the beginning of Summer is a critical time in the life of your church.
Whether Easter is early or late in the calendar, the time between what will probably be your best attended Sunday and the beginning of a time when church service attendance traditionally slumps is short. This year […]
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