Are you ever overwhelmed by circumstances beyond your control? Do you, like me, tend to default to manufacturing your own solutions? When things go badly, my immediate instinct is to solve, avoid, escape, or forge my own solutions to my situation.
What story will be told ten years from today? Early this morning I read a long document from seven years ago journaling the turmoil of God’s disruptive will in my life. At the time, I was recovering from cancer…
To stay in the ministry any length of time, a pastor needs to learn to fight some predictable “demons.” For instance, Monday mornings for pastors and spiritual leaders are unique.
A pastor-friend recently asked me this question, “What are the most essential changes made at Emmanuel over the last six years?” He urged me to shape my answer into a blog post, which I nervously submit to you at this time.
Every Christian leader should read—often, diversely, and discerningly. I live in a region of America where we are often witnessing to atheists, Catholics, denominational Christians, post-moderns, skeptics, secularists, wiccans, sexually confused, and academically accomplished people.
On average, probably more than twice a week, I hear from another pastor who, in a moment of painful transparency reaches out to me saying, “I’m struggling.” It’s so common, I believe pervasive is a more appropriate word. I hear the same from church family and Christian friends. They reach out because they know I struggle too
Five years ago yesterday, we officially began our journey of renewal and gospel ministry with the Emmanuel Baptist Church family. The months prior had been laced with many late-night wrestlings…