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 You Don’t Have Mentors (And How to Get One)
Every now and then, I have a conversation with someone who laments they have no mentors. In this post, I share why some of us don’t have mentors and a few easy steps we can take to begin a mentor-mentee relationship.
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.
Disney’s Recent Films Are Demonstrating the Inadequacies of Individualism
Personal identity is never so personal. “Encanto” and “Turning Red” are stories that highlight the need for bridging generational divides, and how family issues play such a powerful force in the lives of individuals. Our understanding of ourselves and our sense of overall well-being is always tied to our collective backgrounds and experiences in a broader community.
Why I’ve Started Meeting With a Spiritual Director
It is easy for a pastor to guide everyone else to God while walking around in circles, personally. It is easy for a pastor to smile on stage, but lose sensitivity to the ways of Jesus. These are just a few reasons why I began meeting with a spiritual director.
Pastor, Your People Will Be Frustrated At You (And That’s Okay)
I am a fan of wise, strategic planning with clear and compassionate communication. I believe in leading well! But a pastor cannot be liked by everyone all the time. A pastor cannot be perfectly understood by everyone all the time. A pastor needs to get comfortable with shepherding frustrated sheep. This is to lead like Jesus.
The Odd Reason Why Your Bible Reading Plan Fails (And What To Do About It)
Why is it so hard to stick with a reading plan? How come it seems like some people are able to find a Bible reading plan and stick it out while the rest of us struggle in reading plan mediocrity? There may be a surprising answer.
Reflections from The Mars Hill Podcast
“The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill” podcast series has come to an end. Some have loved the series. Others have wondered if we’re just soaking in the failure of others. But wherever you stand on the validity of the podcast series, we can all agree that there is much to reflect on and learn from the Mars Hill story itself. In this post, I share a few of my reflections.
And the science says? Practice gratitude to experience it
The Bible says we should be grateful. But there's some science that backs up what the Bible has been saying all along. This post lays out the good news that gratitude is not just something that happens to us, it’s something we can trigger and generate as well.
Why Your Church Needs Introverted Leaders
At least one-third to half of the people are made up of introverts. And while the church desperately needs extroverted leaders (the church is a gathering of people after all), there are a few reasons why I think every church needs introverted leaders. I share a few of these reasons in this post.
Why Physical Church Attendance Is A “New" Spiritual Discipline
The Covid-era has changed how God’s people engage with the local church. In this post, I share why we should no longer assume that people view the physical gathering as being essential, but help people to understand why it is so. Churches have to associate physical church gathering as one of the spiritual disciplines alongside Bible reading, prayer, community life, generosity, etc.
Is My Church Healthy? Here’s An Indicator We Don’t Often Think About
There is more to a healthy church than theological literacy, emphasis on spiritual practices, robust small group systems, or engaged volunteer teams (as important and as essential as these are). In this post, I share why I believe there's a correlation between the handling of staff departure and the health of a church.
Christian Tribe vs. Tribal Christian. There’s a Difference.
Author and Professor Gerald L. Sittser once wrote that “Every generation of believers faces the risk of becoming a prisoner to its own myopic vision of the Christian faith, assuming that how it understands and practices faith is always the best.” It’s one thing to be part of a Christian tribe. It’s another thing to be tribal. This post is about the dangers of pursuing our “myopic vision.”
“My church’s teaching model is video and live hybrid. Here’s why I love it.”
My church people receive God’s Word through a combination of live or video teaching on a given weekend. I never thought I’d be part of a church (much less the lead pastor) that utilizes this hybrid model. But the bigger surprise for me has been why I’ve grown to love this model so much. This post details these reasons.
I’m Launching a Church This Weekend. Here’s Some Backstory
What started out last year as a localized gathering to serve God’s people makes the transition as an official congregation this coming Sunday. In this post, I share some personal backstory and subsequent learnings from the last 15 months.
Do We Hurt Young Leaders When We Platform Them Too Quickly?
How quickly should young leaders be platformed? Do we set up young leaders for failure when we empower them too much, too quickly? How do we wisely unleash the gifts of younger leaders so it looks beautiful 20 years later? Is there a way to make it fall-proof? This post explores these questions.
My 2 Pastoral Crises and What They Taught Me
Every pastor has seasons of crises. They can arise from external circumstances or internal challenges. There were two times in my life when I went through a pastoral crisis. In this post, I share what the crises were and what I learned through them.
5 Reminders For Those Listening to “The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill”
I told myself I would not write a blog regarding this podcast series. But here’s why I’ve changed my mind: More and more church members (not just church leaders) are listening in. So out of the burden of what God’s people are hearing, here are a few words of encouragement for those listening to the Rise and Fall of Mars Hill.
I became a lead pastor 10 years later than I wanted. Here’s why I’m glad for it.
I wanted to be a lead pastor at 25. But instead of giving me what I thought I wanted, God used the next 10 years to bring me to a place where I wasn’t sure it was something I even wanted. But to my surprise, a decade later, I find myself stepping into a lead pastor role. And I could not be more grateful it’s happening now, and not then.