Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
Christian Leadership B.S.—Online degree completion program Preparing Leaders for over 100 yrs… The above was the auto-generated Google ad on the sidebar of a friend’s blog. It wasn’t the academic degree that caught my eye—for a brief moment I actually thought “Christian Leadership B.S.” might be the title of a […]
Read More...A couple of weeks ago I was at a conference listening to Andy Stanley speak about leading in times of uncertainty. What he said was compelling: leadership is not needed unless there is uncertainty. Managers are always necessary to keep an organizational machine running, but leaders exist to ensure an […]
Read More...It’s been going on for years now…the night before Easter I can’t sleep at all. I want it to be the next morning so badly that you would think I was a kid on the night before a big trip to Disneyland or waiting for Christmas day to show up. […]
Read More...Muse: To be absorbed in one’s thoughts. The writer of Psalm 77 (Asaph) is in distress. He feels like God has deserted him, and he doesn’t know why. During sleepless nights, his brain and his heart are working overtime. Questioning. Wrestling. Seeking. The NIV translates this activity as musing. Eventually […]
Read More...Continued from part 2… As a leader who loves to lead and a preacher who loves to preach, I must recognize that I am not preaching to or leading just a congregation, but also unique people who make up that congregation. How, then, should I be thinking about these individuals […]
Read More...…Continued from Part 1 So, I’ve admitted: I’m not the world’s most natural pastor. I love the Lord, I love to study and teach the Bible, I love to cast vision and create culture, and I love to lead and develop leaders. But a pastor (noun) still has to pastor […]
Read More...Once I was sitting with a group of local pastors at a ministry association Christmas lunch. The President of a nearby seminary asked all of us a question: “what is your favorite part about being a pastor?” One by one the men and women in attendance answered with stories of […]
Read More...This last weekend I experienced a fantastic conference called “The Idea Camp” that was conceived and led by my friend and colleague Charles Lee. This was a phenomenal event. I could go on and on about why I think it was great. For instance: participatory dialogue; no “talking heads” on […]
Read More...Last night I attended a dinner that Life Pacific College hosts for the local pastors of churches where our students serve while at school. It was a great celebration, a time of community, and a big thank-you to leaders who are doing the work of modeling what a real pastoral […]
Read More...This week reminded me that Southern California is not built for rain. It’s been a stormy week. Most places in the country would be anticipating this kind of weather at the beginning of February; but not here. You’d think we were buried in 5 feet of snow the way the […]
Read More...On its hem you shall make pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet yarns, around its hem, with bells of gold between them, a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, around the hem of the robe. And it shall be on Aaron when he ministers, […]
Read More...“Six days do your work, but on the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest and the slave born in your household, and the alien as well, may be refreshed.” (Exodus 23:12) All of my life I’ve struggled with the practice of Sabbath. […]
Read More...My wife, Deborah, writes the weekly email to the church we serve. This week’s note was so profound I wanted to share it with you all….. My kids are back in school and we are getting back into our daily routine. The tree is down, the lights are off, the […]
Read More...New Years Eve was my birthday: I turned 40. Leading up to the big day, I had been feeling pensive about this jump into middle age. Now I’m thrilled about the next season ahead. My wife threw an incredible surprise party for me. Most of my closest friends and family […]
Read More...This tune, by Relient K, is one of my favorite modern Christmas songs. I can’t listen to it without a deep emotional response, and incredible gratitude to Jesus for the reality of Christmas—the cradle that led to a cross. Someone on youtube put the song to video from the movie […]
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