Easter Isn’t Just For Faithful Christians
Every spring, approximately 2.4 billion people in the world celebrate Easter. But who exactly is welcome to this celebration? Who is Easter for? This post offers a short, non-exhaustive list of those welcome to celebrate Easter according to the historical accounts of Jesus’ resurrection.
What Should Be the Minimum Theological Threshold for a Pastor?
Imagine you’re going into surgery tomorrow for a medical procedure. What would be the absolute minimum threshold of surgical expertise needed? Applied to a church, what is an appropriate theological baseline for pastors?
Does Your Church Service Feel Like a Funeral?
Some of us like more melancholy environments. We also may feel allergic to environments that feel “fake happy.” I understand the sentiment and still believe it’s worth asking if that’s how it should be. This post unpacks the atonement theory of Christus Victor to make a case for normative celebration in our church services.
Is “Gospel-Centeredness” Still Relevant in a Post-Everything, Spiritual Formation World?
Gospel centrality, the thought that the work of Christ—His death and resurrection—as being foundational and the lens through which we understand all things discipleship used to be popular. Is this still relevant in the current life of the church? Or is this now an outdated question in light of cultural shifts?
3 Deadly Mindsets That Kill Volunteer Recruiting
Volunteer recruitment is Biblical and crucial. But it oddly goes missing sometimes in the life of a church. I believe one of the causes is a debilitating mindset that cuts the legs off of mobilizing God’s people. In this post, I unpack three of these deadly mindsets.
3 Key Questions To Ask Yourself When Hiring For Church Staff
Hiring is important in any organization and it’s just as important, if not more so, in a local church context. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about the hiring process these last few years, it’s this: It’s all about asking the right questions.
“Sin Doesn’t Care About Your Ministry Convictions, Affiliations, or Theological Tribes”
That’s what I tearfully shared with eight lead pastors on an early Tuesday afternoon. Sin is vicious. It is apathetic to our church ministry backgrounds. And it is crouching at the door.
4 ways new-ish parents win by simply making it to church (Part 2)
It’s a common experience for new parents or parents of young kids to feel like their experience of God has taken a dramatic turn. In this post, I make a case for why the simple discipline of going to church will make all the difference for you and your family.
How Shepherding Like a Barbarian Benefits the Church Flock (Church Season Part 3)
This third installment in the mini-series is about how pastors who shepherd with a posture of a barbarian can facilitate beautiful change which fuel and protect the flock of God.
The Dangerous Pull Towards Aristocratic Leadership in a Church’s Life Cycle (Part 2)
In part 2, I double-click into the aristocrat life stage and its associated leadership style and explain why this type of leadership can be so dangerous for a church and what I believe is the solution to fight against it.
“What Season Is My Church In?” Another Angle Of Your Church’s Life Stage (Part 1)
There are many ways we can comprehend the season or life stage of our churches. We can see assess it by spiritual temperature, liturgical season, or organizationally. In this post, I want to offer another take on viewing a church’s season through an organizational lens.
5 Things I Wish Were Different About My Seminary Experience - Part 2
Every organization and institutions have its limitations. There is no single entity that can holistically “do it all.” In this post, I share 5 things I wish were different about my seminary experience.
What My Seminary Professors Got Right (And What I Wish They Did Differently) - Part 1
I finished my theological training in seminary 10+ years ago. In this reflection, I share 5 things my seminary professors were spot on about. Their wisdom and discernment proved to be timeless. This is Part 1 of 2.
Here’s a Bad Take On The “Decline of Church Attendance in the West” Conversation
According to the data, church attendance is lower today than it was pre-pandemic. Those who have been paying attention know this isn’t new but part of an ongoing trend that has been documented for the past two decades. So why is this happening? This post explores the myriad of factors (spiritual, sociological, strategic) that may be at play, ultimately serving as an encouragement to stay away from simplistic, mic-drop answers.
Two Views on Church Gatherings on Christmas Day
Is your church having service on Christmas Day? In a few weeks, you may find yourself in a growing heated discussion between followers of Jesus throwing judgmental glances at one another. So who’s right? The person who attends church on Christmas Day? Or the person who doesn’t attend on Christmas Day?
What the American Church Can Learn from the Immigrant Church
Last week, our church staff held an inspiring live zoom interview with Tim Keller. Keller said, “Immigrant churches might be holding the key to the future in America.” This struck a nerve because I grew up in an immigrant church. In this post, I share 3 things.
Speeding Up By Slowing Down: A Leadership Paradox
As a pastor, I like to run fast and run some more. But while I’m inclined this way, I can’t deny the drawbacks of constant speed without ever letting up. There is a paradoxical relationship between speeding up and slowing down. Awareness of this reality will make a leader wise for greater stewardship.
Could “dragging the kids to church” be a good thing?
Who wants to go to church with kids who don’t want to be there? What kid wants a church experience where they have to go? We should just let kids be, right? Let them do their own thing? Parents can enjoy church on their own and we don’t want or kids to grow up hating the church. But while this line of thinking may appear right, there’s data that paints a different picture. Consistent church-attendance for our kids may be better for their future.
Why THAT Church Is Still More Than Its Failures
In the last few years, we’ve seen leadership implosions and scandals from churches large and small. There’s a real temptation to reduce the whole of a church down to its failure. And while I understand the kneejerk impulse, here’s an unpopular opinion: That’s only partially true. THAT church is still more than its failures.
So I Teach a Class On Race At My Church…
Teaching on race in a church context is not something I ever vied for. But the other day, I gave a 40-minute lecture on race followed by a brief question & answer section. These are a few of my reflections as I drove home after.