For many years one of my December practices was to consider a theme verse for the upcoming year. More times than not it proved to be my “north star,” guiding me through the uncharted months ahead.
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Most pastors I know are inveterate bibliophiles. They know that great books can provide information, inspiration, and illustrations.
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I remember visiting many churches and seeing a wooden plaque in the foyer that was updated every week. It was titled “Attendance and Offering,” and it gave the stats from the previous week and one year ago, enabling people to compare.
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The term “Celtic Church” is used to describe one of the earliest forms of Christianity in the British Isles. Dating from around the year 400 A.D., the Celtic Church established itself as the most successful evangelistic movement ever seen in the countries of England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland.
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In the course of my ministry life, I have met many people who claim never to have received a prompting or sense a whisper from God. Not even once. Yet, when I probe a bit deeper, I discover that the reason why is that they have not positioned themselves to be able to hear from God.
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In my two previous posts, I tried to make the point that our relationship with the Lord is more than theoretical – it’s real. And any loving relationship has at its heart communication.
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If there is such a thing as a biblical understatement, “God spoke to our ancestors…at many times and in various ways” (Hebrews 1:1) qualifies. Consider the following Old Testament examples.
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I’m sometimes asked by those I coach, “What’s the best advice you could give me about being a good leader?” My answer often surprises them. “It’s being a good follower.”
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I have a bad habit. Okay…who am I kidding? I have a bunch of bad habits. But one of my worst is my tendency to interrupt others. They begin to share something and then I butt in.
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One of the most interesting New Testament characters, to my way of thinking, is Timothy. This young man, the son of a Jewish mother who had become a believer and a Greek father (who apparently had not) met Paul…
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According to a Barna report that came out a few years back, the aspect of ministry that pastors love most - by far - is preaching/teaching. To their way of thinking, nothing beats addressing the crowd.
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Nolan Bushnell, the father of electronic gaming, creator of the Atari video game system, and founder of Chuck E. Cheese once stated, “Everyone who’s ever taken a shower has had an idea.”
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I was quite surprised to read that, according to a recent Gallop poll, 87% of Americans say they believe in God. This is not to say that they are religious, much less churchgoers. They probably aren’t.
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I came across a quote from a pastor named J.D. Greear recently that powerfully gripped me: “Those who care about the future of the Great Commission will devote themselves to multiplying and sending, not gathering and counting.”
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I came across a quote from a pastor named J.D. Greear recently that powerfully gripped me: “Those who care about the future of the Great Commission will devote themselves to multiplying and sending, not gathering and counting.”
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Most of us are familiar with the four notes, though we might be hard-pressed to name the symphonic work. Here they are: Da-Da-Da-Dah. Recognize them?
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Screen-writing sage Robert McKee is considered one of the masters of storytelling. In his “Story Seminar,” McKee offers this overarching observation regarding creating a compelling narrative: No conflict. No story.
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Pastor and author Mark Batterson got my attention in a big way when he wrote, “Half of learning is learning. The other half of learning is unlearning. Unfortunately, unlearning is twice as hard as learning.”
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Every week a pastor faces the challenge of taking the timeless gospel message and communicating it in a timely way that is both stirring and sticky. That is to say, it grabs people’s attention and stays with them.
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One of the most popular business books in recent decades was Good to Great by Jim Collins. For a season, it was a must-read for leaders and their teams.
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