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Pastoring in Community
One of the greatest joys of my first two years as a pastor has been leaning into the gift of pastoring in community. I was just 23 years old when I accepted the call to lead Faith Baptist through the process of church revitalization as their pastor. Faith is a historic, 180 year-old church, with…
Read MoreThe Rough Edges
I don’t exactly know how a hobby starts, but I am now an official collector of sea glass. A couple of months ago I wrote about how the Aspen Tree demonstrates the need for community. Since the story of the Aspen hit home (we received a lot of feedback), let me share one additional picture…
Read MoreLess is More
We have all heard this phrase and have witnessed its appropriate application in various areas, such as in entrepreneurship. However the idea is still counterintuitive. Let me explain with an analogy. When I was in my teenage years, my father liked to take us to modified tractor pulls. For those of you not familiar with…
Read MoreSea Glass
I don’t exactly know how a hobby starts, but I am now an official collector of sea glass. Recently, I had the incredible privilege of speaking to pastors in Las Conchas Mexico, which is located at the northernmost tip of the Gulf of California. Also known as Rocky Point, the beach is well known for…
Read MoreChurch Discipline
“…you are not welcome in our gathered worship, you will not be admitted to the communion table, you will not be allowed to meet with your small group, nor with others in our church body…” These were the words I heard on a cold November day in 2013. I heard these words from men I…
Read MoreA New Trend for Churches and Denominations: Outsourcing Care for Leaders and Pastors
As a pastor, to whom do you turn when you’re troubled at the deepest level? Maybe it’s the daily unraveling of your marriage. Or could it be that sinful secret that relentlessly gnaws at you? Whatever the case, when you’re compelled to finally pull back the curtain of your heart to unveil the worst within,…
Read MoreAt the Gates
Being faithful doesn’t just involve what Gospel you speak. Every bit as important is where you speak it. My wife is better at this than anyone I know. Getting groceries or replacing the coffee pot becomes a Gospel opportunity. She doesn’t preach or buttonhole in stores. Normal small talk in lines sometimes leads to coffee.…
Read MoreHearing Mary and Martha
A great sister wrote most of what follows. It is a tragedy she needed to write it, and even worse that she took heat after she posted it. Christ’s body is a family, and all families have that Aunt or Uncle that you love, but give a wide birth. Truth be told we are all…
Read MoreYou Are Free – Freedom
Undoubtedly, the holocaust imposed by Nazi Germany is one of the darkest periods of world history. Concentration camps were the zenith of that darkness. Buchenwald Concentration Camp, located near Weimer Germany trailed only Auschwitz in the horrors it imposed. Despite having no gas chambers, thousands died each month within Buchenwald from disease, malnutrition, beatings, and…
Read MoreFour Activities to Refocus Your Calling as a Pastor
As a young leader of a small church, I’m considering tendering my resignation and moving on—maybe even away from ministry altogether. I’ve found that serving in the church is incredibly tough, and I’m not sure I’m called to do this anymore. This scenario is all too common today. We often hear or read the…
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