On the Net: "Ten Reasons Why Many Churches Aren't Evangelistic [Update]" and More

Ten Reasons Why Many Churches Aren't Evangelistic [Update]

Thom Rainer shares ten key reasons why churches aren't evangelistic. Read More

The Unwritten Rules

The unwritten rules – are the real rules.... If you are a new leader or a veteran, understanding this principle will increase your effectiveness. Read More

Recovering Prayer And Discernment In Our Agendas And Strategies

Oftentimes, the spiritual practices of discernment and listening to the Holy Spirit—which inherently carry risks of subjectivity—get evicted from the Christian planning process. Read More

What Everybody Ought to Know About Control Freaks in Leadership

Control freaks love it when they’re in control. But others hate working for them. Read More

Pastoral Visitation a “Sign of Sickness” and a “Step Towards Death”?

I was stunned and shocked when I read Thom Rainer’s recent blog post Fifteen Reasons Why Your Pastor Should Not Visit Much. It wasn’t just what was written but who wrote it—Thom Rainer! I’ve never met Thom, but I feel like I know him because of how much I’ve learned from his books and blogs on all things related to leading churches. I’ve linked to his blog often and will continue to do so. Read More

David Murray offers an alternative view to Thom Rainer's on the subject of pastoral visitation. What does not get mentioned in the two articles is that a pastor's role changes as a church grows in size. The pastor becomes a rancher instead of a shepherd. His changing role requires that he train others as pastoral visitors and turn over most of his pastoral visitation responsibility to them. The expectation that the pastor visit every church member can keep a church from growing.

Spiritual Disciplines and the Sinkhole Syndrome

I don’t want to minimize the role of the church in preventing spiritual shipwreck in the life of the believer. In this piece, however, I am writing to warn those who will increasingly be tempted to think that frequently meeting God with others can compensate for seldom meeting with Him alone. Read More

Kindness Changes Everything

True kindness is Spirit-produced (Galatians 5:22). It’s a supernaturally generous orientation of our hearts toward other people, even when they don’t deserve it and don’t love us in return. God himself is kind in this way. His kindness is meant to lead people to repentance (Romans 2:4), which implies they haven’t yet turned to him, and are still his enemies. Read More

10 Things You Should Know about Female Submission

In an earlier post we looked at 10 things all should know about male headship as it is found in Scripture. Today we look at female submission. Read More

6 Things Business Teaches Us About Evangelism

One of the things I am passionate about is applying principles learned from the marketplace and applying them to the work of kingdom. At times, I grieve that the marketplace shows a little more creativity, innovation and tenacity than we do in the church. It doesn’t have to be this way. Read More

ISIS Is Killing Us Because We Are Not Muslim

The Islamic State (ISIS) regularly publishes a glossy, professionally produced magazine called Dabiq. Until their August 4th issue, they have always aimed it at recruiting Western Muslims into their ranks. This month, for the first time, ISIS directed their magazine towards Western non-Muslims, particularly Christians and secularists. One article in particular they titled with unavoidable clarity: “Why We Hate You and Why We Fight You.” Read More

It might be more accurate to say that ISIS is killing people because they are not ISIS' kind of Muslims since ISIS' victims includes other Muslims. The members of ISIS view themselves and those who share their beliefs as the only true Muslims. From a Christian perspective to kill others for the sake of one's religion is a work of the flesh, of human sinful nature in rebellion against God, and of the devil, of the forces of spiritual evil aligned against God. For jihadists to portray themselves as God's warriors is a form of cognitive dissonance--a way of rationalizing evil as good. The One against whom they commit their violent deeds is ultimately God--God who gave as one of his commandments, "Thou shalt not murder," and who through his Holy One, Jesus of Nazareth, taught that we should love even our enemies--those who despise and hate us.