The challenge Jesus gives us today in the face of slander, criticism, and negativity is the same challenge He gave His oppressed followers that day listening to His Sermon on the Mount. There are times when casting vision with greater passion won’t change the mind of your critic. There are situations where defending your leadership or your church’s methodology won’t convince those who left to return.

It doesn’t matter how nice your car is if you’ve run out of fuel. You’re not driving it anywhere. The same can be said for our souls. In seasons of life where we are emptying ourselves into our ministries and relationships, it’s imperative to find ways for our souls to be filled. An empty leader […]

Burnout is not something unique to church leaders. From doctors, to lawyers, to small business owners, to college students, to stay-at-home moms, we all are susceptible of burning out. If more is caught than taught, then maybe we shouldn’t be surprised with the rise of mental illness and burnout that we are not only seeing […]

When it comes to angels and demons, I have more questions than answers. Have you ever wondered why angels always had to say, “Do not be afraid,” even though they’re on our side? Why did cartoonists illustrate the devil with a pitchfork? Why is it that most of our modern day stories of intense interaction […]

There is something ironic about how we use social media. We tend to follow people who affirm our beliefs and opinions. I’d wager the same goes for most of our followers, yet we can tweet and update as if we are looking for a fight. We are too easily caught in a riptide where our […]

What would it look like if more churches started reflecting the culture of their neighborhood and stopped reflecting the culture of the churches they admire on social media? Let’s be real, there are definitely churches and pastors out there who set trends in church world. That’s not a bad thing. If God is doing things […]

If you are employed by a church to lead a church ministry, I want to change your job description. No matter the ministry you were hired to lead, your job isn’t what you think it is. Your volunteers are your job. Their job is your ministry. You’re not called to build ministries. You’re called to […]

How Do You Respond to Change? Someone once said, “There is nothing permanent except change.” You either love it or hate it. I’m not sure either of these dispositions are healthy. People who love change tend to move too quickly. People who hate it tend to move too slowly. Being able to lead through transition […]

If you’re tired of chasing what’s cool, feeling inadequate in your creativity, and you really desire to simply be effective, then you’re exactly who I hoped would read this post.  This article is NOT advice, but a set of questions that every ministry team can ask themselves as they plan anything from worship services to […]