Deepen Your Congregation’s Spirituality Quotient

Back in the mid-1980s, while I was an undergraduate at Florida Baptist College, my professor, Dr. LeRoy Benefield, shared insights that have stayed with me to this day. He recounted a statement from Billy Graham, who estimated that only about 10% of active church members were faithful, practicing disciples of Jesus Christ. This revelation […]

Remember

I’m posting this blog on September 11th, the day Americans, if not most of the world, are remembering the lives lost because of the airplanes that were hijacked by Islamic terrorists and intentionally crashed into the world trade center, the pentagon, and the one that was ditched into a field in Pennsylvania.

I am also […]

Let’s hear it for thoughts and prayers

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 […]

Attracting Men To Your Church

Some years ago, after reading David Murrow’s book, “Why Men Hate Going to Church”, I realized that most people assume that men are just less religious than women, but this is untrue. Other religions have little trouble attracting males and Jesus was a magnet to men. But today, few men are living for Christ, […]

Fear Not

A growing church is a byproduct of courageous leadership that prays boldly for a vision from God and then takes bold action that honors the vision God has given. But too many churches have traded in vision for the status quo. They have opted for comfort in doing what we’ve always done before rather than […]

Be a Thanksgiver

Roy Lessin, Co-founder, DaySpring Cards in his devotional book Meet Me in the Meadow, shares this encounter he had when he was paying his utility bill.

“One day, while paying my electric bill, I decided to thank the company for the service they were providing me. “Thanks for my electricity,” I said, “It’s really quite […]

Do Sweat the Small Stuff

I’m sure you have all heard the phrase, don’t sweat the small stuff. That expression was highlighted in Richard Carlson’s book, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff…and It’s All Small Stuff. In it he tells you how to keep from letting the little things in life drive you crazy. Carlson reveals ways to calm down […]

Developing Relational Maturity (Part 4)

John Donne, in his Devotions (1624) is famous for saying, “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.”

I have always taken that to mean that as humans, we were created to be in relationship with one another. We were made to […]

Developing Spiritual Maturity (Part 3)

Luke 2:52 tells us that during his time growing up, Jesus developed in four ways.

He developed in wisdom – intellectual development.

He developed in stature – physical development.

He developed in favor with God – spiritual development.

He developed in favor with man – interpersonal development.

A full human life is well balanced. Thus, it was important to […]