I find the biggest challenge as a pastor is being a listener. My dad would always say this: He who talks less wins. As a pastor I feel like I have to have something to say, but I have learned to ask questions and just listen. ...
Pastor, a little word of advice for you: Next time you’re seeking God for direction for your church, just take a moment Sunday morning and survey the crowd. Look out and recognize the community He’s put you in. This will serve as a hint to your purpose and as a sign of the power of your members coming together in...
We shared that our calling keeps enthusiasm alive, so it’s important that we write down our objectives, those goals that we believe God has placed on our hearts. Then we develop an action plan so that we don’t overextend ourselves or get involved in too many things that are “off-topic” for our calling....
It doesn’t take long to realize that there are a lot of seasons in life. We’ve been in ministry 32 years, and they go fast. You know how they say, “Time flies when you’re having fun?” I was swinging our grandson in our backyard the other day, and I realized it wasn’t that long ago that I was swinging his...
We know that our lives will be judged on our example, and our example determines our character. And our character will become our lasting legacy. So let’s talk about how we can create the kind of legacy we want to leave behind. This world is shady, dishonest and deceptive. We’re living in an era of deception. There are more lies being...
When building a team or developing a leader, one of the essential aspects of leadership that must be tackled is character. Character is not the same as reputation. Reputation is who other people think you are, but character is who you are when no one is looking. Character is the mental and moral qualities you possess. At every level of...
Over the last 25 years, we have operated in an Attractional Model of church, in which God was moving among His people to go out and reach the lost. Now, I would say that over those 25 years, I swung the pendulum too far this way and that way, as others did, but no one’s perfect. We held weekend services...
At a Significant Church leaders meeting a few years ago, we were gathered together in worship to a song called “New Wine” by Hillsong. And the Holy Spirit began to speak to me during the song, saying, “I’m going to bring new wine out of you,” and I was a bit perplexed. Just prior to this event, God began to...
I don’t know about you, but the last year has been challenging. Some of the people in my church and those I know in ministry have become aimless; they’re without purpose and just trying to endure at this point. But I believe, as we lean into the Lord and decipher where we are right now, He will reveal what’s going...
It all started in April 2020 when COVID-19 shut down the nation. Then there were riots. The election. People in my church were consumed. Then I noticed it spread even farther than my church and at a higher level among Evangelicals across the nation. What I noticed was people weren’t putting the Kingdom of God first any more. They were focused...