I just finished a summer series called “Traction”, and in it I explored six reasons some Christians are stuck in a rut spiritually, spinning their wheels yet not moving anywhere. While this list isn’t exhaustive, it is biblical, as well as all too common. Because some have … Read More
Monday Morning Musings for August 20, 2018
I’ve been dealing with death a lot over the past two weeks. And on two different ends—with a person nearing 60 and a newborn just hours old. Though it comes with the territory of pastoring, seeing it before your eyes with people you’ve come to … Read More
It’s Staturday: Are You Stressed?
It’s no surprise that social media can be a producer of social stress. But did you know… …According to the UK’s Royal Society for Public Health (as reported by TIME), Instagram is the most stress-inducing social media platform? They surveyed 1,500 young people and found … Read More
Guess Who’s Praying For You?
There’s more than few right answers to that question. But the answer that is most encouraging? The Holy Spirit! Why does he pray for us? In short, because we are weak, and because we are often without words. After reading Romans 8 recently, I was … Read More
When It Rains, He Pours
Inconveniences are actually opportunities in disguise. Such was the case this past Saturday night into most of the day Sunday. Ankeny, the city where I live, received 10 inches of rain in just 3 hours on Saturday evening. Talk about a deluge. In fact, a … Read More
The Real Issue
When it comes to personal change, as well as change in others, much of the frustration we experience stems from the fact that too often we’re trying to change actions on the outside, when God wants to change hearts on the inside. This is why … Read More
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Joshuas
A great leader and strategist of his day, Joshua was truly a man used by God to impact a whole nation. Chosen by the Lord to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land, Joshua refused to shrink back from challenge after challenge, ultimately entering, conquering, … Read More
The Motive That Matters Most
Motives matter. And the highest motive—love—matters most. This isn’t news to most of us, but it is sometimes unintentionally forgotten in the world of busy ministry, constant comparison, self-promotion, and celebrity-focused church life. If you’ve ever wondered, specifically regarding ministry, what’s love got to do … Read More
Consumeristic Followers vs. Catalytic Leaders: Six Differences
With so much at stake in ministry of the new millennium, it is not enough to create a mass following of onlookers who stare. We must develop a committed core of radical leaders who serve. Our goal must be the training of people to be … Read More
Birthday Theology
When it comes to being born, I had nothing to do with it. It was all a work of my parents. Simply put, by their own willful actions and desires, I was born. Funny how birthdays, though, rarely celebrate the people truly responsible for the … Read More