I want to be a 32:7 girl. I bet you will too. Let’s dive deep into Psalm 32:7 over the next several weeks and discover what it means to be a 32:7 girl. “You are my hiding place. You will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance” (Psalm 32:7). Recently…

Dealing with division in the church continues to be a major work of elders. Squabbles have always existed in the church. A casual perusal of Paul’s letters proves the point. But I have never seen the kind of division that so many congregations face today.

“The pursuit of happiness is a dangerous destination for any leader.”

One of the things that sets us apart as leaders is that we make decisions. When decisions are made, very seldom is everyone happy. We all want our opinion to matter. However, in our postmodern, post-Christian culture our opinion becomes more than an opinion – it becomes our truth. Consequently, people take to social media to voice their disagreement with a decision or idea. In a church setting it goes something like this…

When church leaders start talking about the metaphor of the pastor-shepherd oft used in Scripture to illustrate the elder role, most of us immediately envision the stereotypical shepherd image, staff in hand, leading his sheep. Lately, however, I’m more convinced our role as elder is far better illustrated by the sheepdog who works with the Good Shepherd to protect and lead the sheep.

So, what kind of (canine) shepherd are you?

I love living out in the country: fresh air, hardwood trees, green meadows, fish in the pond, and a plethora animal fare to dine on in an apocalypse, if necessary. But there are times when living in the country has a downside.

Our German short-haired pointer, Wilson ...

A major responsibility of a good leader is to inspire: to motivate people to release their creative juices and give their best in service to the Master. I am a better servant of the Lord because of the inspiration of certain preachers and teachers, a few of …

I have the utmost respect for those men who volunteer their time, energy and hearts shepherding God’s flock. And through the years, I’ve served with some great ones! You are undoubtedly familiar with education’s 3 Rs – reading, ‘riting, and ‘rithmatic. How about I offer the 3 Ls of shepherding?

The global pandemic has not seen a drop in new scandals from widely known Christian leaders. It is tempting to think their fame and effectiveness is to blame. I believe that apparent connection is illusory.

If you were to go back and explore the history of the congregation I serve, it would be hard to find a year that went better than 2019. For us, it was a year defined by the completion of a new building, generous giving, and a record number of baptisms. As the calendar turned from 2019 to 2020, our team was convinced that we were entering into a season in which we would impact our community at a higher level than ever before. But …

In a 2020 survey conducted by Ligonier Ministries, 3,000 demographically balanced American adults, including 582 who identified as evangelicals, were asked to respond to the statement “Jesus was a great teacher, but he was not God.” Fully 30% of evangelicals agreed with that statement. In response to …

As a leader you have probably all heard these oft quoted risk numbers:

• Do NOT ride in automobiles: they cause 20% of all fatal accidents.

• Do NOT stay home: 17% of all accidents occur in the home.

• Do NOT walk on the streets or sidewalks: 14% of all accidents happen to pedestrians.

• Do NOT travel by air …

A youth minister was golfing with a member of the congregation who owned an insurance company. As they golfed, the insurance agent asked if the youth minister had life insurance coverage being that he was married and had a child. The youth minister confessed that he did not. They continued …

Christmas is past. By now many of us have removed the lights, disposed of the Christmas cards, packed away all the ornaments and even the tree, and we have also returned the nativity set to the attic. We love Christmas. We love the image of Jesus as …