4 Ways A majority culture Church Can Be More Sensitive Towards Its Non-majority culture Members
A diverse church is a beautiful picture of the gospel. But most diverse churches have a majority and a minority culture. In this post, I lay out 4 ways the majority culture of a church can be more sensitive towards its minority members and leaders:
The One Thing Pastors In Their 20’s Should Consider Focusing On (After Character)
Character is king. Nothing matters more than character. But after character, what should pastors in their 20s focus on? In this blog, I make the case that developing one’s skillsets and competencies through rigorous and strenuous work is the next best investment.
20 Things That Became More Clear in 2020
Exactly a year ago, some were saying 2020 would be “the year of 2020 vision.” With the end of 2020 almost here, it’s clear we got much more than what we bargained for. In this final post of 2020, I share 20 things that became more clear this year.
The Elusiveness of the Asian American Faith Expression
Black Christians have the gospel choir and a responsive preaching experience, but what are the distinctive markers for Asian Americans? Is there Asian American worship? Asian American preaching? Is there an Asian American faith expression? And why is it so difficult to answer these questions?
What Does It Mean for a Church to Love Its Neighbor Right Now (During a pandemic)?
I’ve come across comments from certain church leaders saying things along the lines of, “The church should do [fill in the blank] as an act of love for neighbor.” While I appreciate the prophetic posture of these comments, I can’t help but feel that it’s reducing the complexity of our current context and the church’s response to see through an unhelpful tunnel vision. This post seeks to broaden the conversation so that we see it more holistically,
Learnings from Church Planting in a Pandemic
I’m currently a witness to two things happening simultaneously: The development of a baby boy and the development of a baby church on the other. 2020 has been a crazy year so it only makes sense for these two births and subsequent development to happen in the same year. In Part 1 of 2, I share some of the learnings I’ve gleaned from church planting.
The Courage and Wisdom of Pastoral Silence
Have you wondered why some pastors have been so silent on the many issues we’ve faced this year? Are they cowards? Are they trying to protect their job? Or are they actually courageous and really wise? In this post, I make a case for the latter. I hope this helps pastors to feel free from the pressure of saying things just for the sake of it.
“Jesus Is On the Throne” To Say or Not To Say?
If you go on Twitter and type in the phrase “Jesus is on the throne” you will see a surprising divide in how that phrase should be used in this present moment. Should Christians be using this phrase during these tense times? Or should Christians hold off? In this post, I unpack the rationale some give as to why we shouldn’t use this phrase right now, followed by a few counterpoints before some closing thoughts.
Jesus Was A Refreshing Presence In A Politically Charged Culture
We’re living in a politically charged cultural moment. While this presents obstacles, this is also an opportunity for the church to be the refreshing presence Jesus was for the politically charged culture of his day.
Pastors, Let’s Not Make These Social Media Mistakes During Divisive Days
It’s challenging enough for pastors to lead their churches under great circumstances. The last thing pastors need is the loss of credibility due to unwise engagement with social media, especially during divisive times. In this blog post, I share a few social media mistakes pastors can make during divisive times and conclude with a few practical exhortations.
10 Lessons for Young Pastors From the Life of Charles Spurgeon
Charles Spurgeon was a famous 19th century London pastor of an influential church, The Metropolitan Tabernacle. Many recognize him today as “The Prince of Preachers” and the author of treasured works such as “Lectures to My Students” and “The Treasury of David.” I also believe there is much to glean from his life, especially for young pastors. Upon reading Arnold Dallimore’s biography of Charles Spurgeon, I saw 10 things that I believe are a helpful challenge and encouragement to young pastors today.
10 Learnings From My First Year
A year ago, I transitioned into a multi-ethnic megachurch after spending the majority of my life at ethnic-based churches. It was one of the most challenging and rewarding years of my life. It’s safe to say I learned a lot. In this post, I highlight some of my biggest learnings.
Soul Guardrails for State Guidelines - Scriptures for the Church in Divisive Days
A few days ago, California gave guidelines for churches and other houses of worship in California on how they can safely re-gather amid the ongoing pandemic. This is exciting but opens the door for divisive times for the church. In this post, I share 4 passages of Scripture which serve as soul guardrails for how we understand and hope for our church to implement state guidelines.
Buildings and Babylon - Hope for the Church Facing an Uncertain Future in Search of a New Normal
Many leaders are tired and anxious and rightfully so. But I also believe we have good reason for hope in the future of the church. Based on the Babylonian Exile of Israel as a case study, we have good reason to believe God has a track record for how he will lead God’s people moving forwards.
4 Thoughts for Strategic Re-Opening for College & Young Adult Ministry Leaders
God has always leveraged crisis moments. In this post, I share 4 thoughts for consideration for college and young adult leaders preparing for re-opening.
The Spiritual Influence of Mothers
While Charles Spurgeon would go on to have an influential ministry career, publicly hailed as “The Prince of Preachers” he would go on to say the following regarding his mother: "I cannot tell you how much I owe to the solemn word of my good mother." This post is about the incredible influence mothers wield.
3 Opportunities for Parents With Young Children
My wife has been teaching me a lot about parenting these days. In this post, I share a few learnings from her that I believe are opportunities for parents with young children during this unqieu season.
“Tiger King” - A Case Study of Dominion and Depravity
Humanity is a frustrated species who feel the opposing pull of Genesis 1 (creation) and Genesis 3 (fall). We feel the gravitational pull of both royalty and rebellion. We want to build and to break, decorate and destroy. This post makes a a theological observation on the Netflix show “Tiger King'“
How Should I Think About Tithing During Covid-19?
Tithing (or giving) is a sensitive subject right now. With the economy down and churches not gathering, some are wondering if this should affect their giving patterns. So how should we think about giving as it relates to the church during this season?