12 things I hope help me be a better preacher and teacher
EDITOR’S NOTE: The following article was previously featured on chucklawless.com. I don’t claim to be a great preacher, but I love to study and proclaim the Word. Below are some things—some that may be surprising—I do that I hope help me with preaching and teaching. Regularly exercise. A preacher who is not taking care of himself likely won’t have the energy he needs to preach, and his lack of physical discipline might hurt his...
Does your pastor need a support team?
While everyone wants a healthy pastor who lives and serves with integrity, some church leaders are in a better strategic position to help their pastor stay above reproach. My last church created a pastoral support team to help me lead my life, family and ministry well. Does your pastor need a support team? Consider these four important distinctions of a pastoral support team before you decide. Their stated purpose was to protect, not...
5 reasons churches have a great window of opportunity
As congregations return methodically to in-person services, something else will be taking place. It will be obvious to some churches; it will be more subtle to others. Simply stated, churches will have an incredible window of opportunity to make substantive and positive changes. We have been watching closely the responses of congregations and their leaders during the pandemic. We have surveyed thousands of them during our webinars....
First person: Gather the generations
I grew up in a small rural community just outside of Tulsa. My family attended Inola, First, and this church played an important role in the life of my family and in my own personal life. The beauty of this congregation was the generations represented each time the members gathered. Like in most small-town churches, everyone interacted with each other. The Sunday School classes were divided for specific grades or life stages, but...
3 lies we believe about our stories
EDITOR’S NOTE: The following article first appeared on lifewayvoices.com I love a good story. When I have the chance to sneak away with a new book and a cup of coffee, I’m in heaven. It doesn’t matter if it’s fiction or a personal memoir, I love a good story. And that’s because I believe that stories can change the world. As followers of Jesus, we have the unique ability to change the world through our own personal stories....
4 things our children will remember about COVID-19
Watergate television updates in 1972 were nothing more than interruptions to my cartoons. As a 7-year-old, I remember wondering how the whole White House got flooded in the first place. Children are not supposed to feel the weight of the world, much less understand it. As our children and grandchildren struggle to grasp the implications of COVID-19, there are a few concrete concepts we can help them with which will remain for the rest...
