On Not Being Nice for the Sake of the Gospel
The following is one of our most asked-for blog posts. It was written two decades ago, but it is still as relevant today as it was then. Throughout all my consulting ministry, I have seen a disturbing pattern: most established churches are held hostage by one or two bullies. Either one individual or a small group […]
Thoughts on the Way Forward for UMC
The United Methodist Church is on the verge of schism. No one wants to call it that, but that’s the direction we’re going. At the moment, three “ways forward” are being presented. Option One is essentially to stay the course and hold those accountable who do not follow the constitution. Option Two, rewrites the constitution, […]
Your Church’s Place in a Crazy Changing World
In my last post, I made a comment about being in a crazy world. But it’s more than just a crazy world. It’s a changing world, at the most fundamental level From the unprecedented election of Barack Obama, the first African American, to the unprecedented election of Donald Trump, the first non-politician, one can’t deny […]
It’s 2.5 Minutes to Midnight
We live in a crazy world. It seems everything has been turned upside down since the election of Donald Trump. Truthfully, I don’t know if this is good or bad. I guess we will have to wait and see. What I do know is I have come to distrust what I read or see on […]
Election Day Thoughts
Now that the election is over, it’s time for healing. The odds are 50/50 that no matter who you voted for in the election you’re not happy. In fact you may be mad as Hell. Or you may just have given up and not voted. Either way, our country has just experienced the most divisive […]
Vision Threats
Casting a vision that produces an effective culture is one of the most important things a pastor can do because culture trumps everything. An unhealthy culture results in an unhealthy church. So I want to think a moment about the threats that keep vision from creating a healthy culture. Lets start with the current reality. […]