Never Say This to Your Pastor Before the Sermon
A few weeks ago I was connecting with people in our congregation before preaching Sunday morning. Things were going well and I was feeling pretty energized by engaging in good...
A Sad Sight
Yesterday, my wife and I saw a very sad sight. We walked into a LifeWay Christian bookstore three days before it closed for good. This particular store was in Florida,...
Journaling and the Journey
I can’t remember when I started journaling, but I can tell you I’m glad I did. Spiritual journaling has looked differently for me through the years, but it has always...
30 Years of Leadership
I just celebrated my 30th anniversary as the pastor of the church I helped start thirty years ago. I didn’t realize what a milestone that was until I read somewhere...
Who Cares About Membership?
There is a very disheartening trend in the church today toward people believing that church membership does not matter. I hear people make a wide range of comments indicating that...
Should I Watch Church Online?
Yes! You should definitely watch church online if you can’t be there in person. Watching a church service online is a great alternative that is possible today because of technology....
Four Questions That Will Change Your Church
Most church leaders I talk to truly want the churches they lead to be effective at fulfilling the mission of Jesus. The problem is, they don’t really know where to...
Has 30 Years Been Worth It?
The church where I have been serving for the past thirty years, Crossroads Baptist Church, just celebrated its 30th anniversary. In thirty years of ministry, there have been a lot...
Furniture Store Disciple Making
I had another "first" a few weeks ago. I was asked to lead a short Bible study in a furniture store where an elder in our church is employed. It...
Moving the Crowd to Community
I’ve met some pastors over the years that seem content with drawing a crowd. If they have a good weekend service with plenty of people present, they have hit their...