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A Very Different Take How You Can Reach Millennials

Carey Nieuwhof offers his insights into what Millienials are looking for. Read More

Why I Am Not Liberal

In an age when so many consider religious beliefs as subjective and irrational, I am convinced that any conviction worth holding must stand up to scrutiny. So how did I come by my faith? Why am I confident in my most deeply held beliefs? These are the questions I’m attempting to answer and I am doing it by looking at some of the beliefs I have weighed but found wanting. Read More

Principles for Pastoring Animals

A pastor cares for his or her flock by tender concern, prayer, and insight into his parishioners. But one may be pastoral without being called to be a pastor of a church. Read More

"Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel" Proverbs 12:10 ESV. Jesus was alluding to this passage of the Bible when he pointed to the Pharisees' attention that if it was acceptable to rescue a donkey from a well on the Sabbath, it was also acceptable to heal a man on the Sabbath. Righteousness and mercifulness go hand in hand.

Catholic or Protestant: The Story of Contarini and the Reformation

What is the fundamental difference between Roman Catholic and evangelical Protestant faith? The story of Cardinal Gasparo Contarini at Regensburg illustrates the answer. Read More

Legalism vs. Gospel Religion

The word religion has fallen on hard times in recent years. Many have tried to pit religion against faith, saying that Christianity isn’t a religion but a relationship. That sounds nice, but that isn’t quite the case. Faith and religion are not mutually exclusive, they are complementary. Christianity is a religion founded on a relationship with Jesus Christ. In fact, Christianity is the only true religion in the world because it is the religion established by the one and only true God. Read More

7 Ways the Leader Sets the Bar

If you are a leader of an organization then you have the awesome responsibility of establishing the parameters by which your organization will be successful. Read More

The art of choosing: 5 keys to making better decisions

Leadership has been defined as the art of making great decisions. Indeed it could be argued that the measure of a well-lived life is the quality of the decisions we make. We are not talking about the outcomes of our decisions, over which we actually have little control. Character is demonstrated more clearly by how we make our decisions, rather than by their results. With this in mind let me offer you five ways to start making better decisions. Read More

3 Shortcuts Leaders Should Never Take

There are some shortcuts leaders should never take. And we must be careful that our obsession with efficiency does not steer us away from effectiveness. Much of effective leadership takes time and offers no shortcuts. Here are three areas in which leaders should never take shortcuts. Read More

10 Phrases Every Leader Should Use More Often

Here are 10 phrases that pastors should add to their vocabularies. When church leaders make these words a regular part of their daily conversations, they can make an incredible difference in the lives of people in the pews. I pray they encourage and challenge you. Read More

1 Triangle, 3 Corners, 4 T's

Every word of the Bible was written at a certain time and in a certain context. Even the most recent of those times and the nearest of those contexts is at a great distance from us in time and space. Thus, when we read the Bible, we have to determine how those words apply to us today in our very different times and very different contexts. It is not always a simple task. Read More

Youth Ministry: 3 Keys For Dealing With the Busyness of Students

Our role is to engage our students’ busyness and strategically minister to and serve them where they are. Read More

5 Reasons to Read Missionary Biographies to Your Children

Reading a missionary biography, like that of Nate Saint, might not be your first choice since such stories are often filled with heartache and hardship. But I encourage you to consider reading them to your kids for five reasons. Read More

Most Common Mistakes Pastors and Church Leaders Make on Social Media

Earlier this year I wrote about social media mistakes that churches make. Those were quite general and involved church communications. And while there is some overlap with personal social media accounts, there are some distinct mistakes made by church leaders that are typically not made by church accounts. Read More