Do you know someone who asks good questions? Someone who knows how to foster good conversation? Someone who causes you to think thoughts you’ve never thought before? Someone who helps you evaluate?   When I think back on my life, there have been critical questions asked at critical times that have shaped my path.   Something else I’ve noticed is good questions keep me on track. One of my teammates asks excellent questions that seem to redirect me toward what matters.   What I’m saying is asking...

I don’t know about you, but I like to be comfortable. I like what I like. I order the same things over and over. It’s a Blonde Americano at Starbucks and a Spicy Chicken Deluxe at Chick-fil-A. And I haven’t changed my hairstyle in…well; I guess I’m not ready to admit this publicly. Let’s put it this way: I have things pretty locked in.   There’s just one problem with being comfortable: I’m not uncomfortable. Meaning, I’m not being stretched or challenged.   I’ve observed a plateau in many...

In my mid-20s, I was frustrated. I was a young pastor, and I had ideas. I knew what we needed to change, where we needed to go, how to become a more relevant and effective church, and I was frustrated because we weren’t moving fast enough.   Maybe you’ve been there. Or, perhaps  you’ve been on the other side. You’re in a senior leadership seat and you feel the pressure of younger leaders pushing for change or possibly even pushing for your exit. You like the energy and enthusiasm, but you also...

I’m guessing you’re good at what you do. Likely, you’re in the position you’re in because you’re gifted and experienced, possibly the best on your church staff at what you do. So, it might sound strange when I tell you that you need to do that thing a little less this year.   Huh?    My goal in this post is to convince you that you need to invite someone else to do what you do. I’ve been thinking about this concept since I began studying Acts 11 and the church in Antioch a few weeks ago. The...

I’ve been thinking about a few similarities between the early Church and what we’re experiencing right now. In the first chapters of Acts, the church in Jerusalem was experiencing phenomenal growth. The community was incredible. People were selling their property and giving the money away to help the Church and the poor. The Spirit was moving, and thousands became followers of Christ. Then, persecution hit. The word Luke used to describe what happened was “scattered.” People fled their homes,...

How do you feel about your church’s fall ministry launch? I’m guessing it’s a combination of “Finally!”  and “Is 2020 over yet? Get me out of here!”   I get it. This fall is unlike any fall ministry season we’ve experienced. People are nervous and distracted, and we’re limited in what we’re able to do. If your church is planning to meet in person, you probably have low expectations of how many people will show up.   It can feel like a pretty significant downer. But here’s the deal. I think we...

Have you ever had a moment where you feel multiple voices in your life converge around a central theme, and it makes you think, “I should probably listen to this!”? I had one of those moments last week. It was the merging of a book I’m reading, a Global Leadership Summit talk, and ideas I’ve been pondering and blogging about for years.   I’ve blogged several times about one of my favorite books, Creativity Inc., by Ed Catmull, which talks about the story of Pixar and their creative process. The...

I’ve been thinking a lot about the early Church and how God orchestrated events to expand the hearts of His Church to reflect his heart. I believe what God did in the first century should instruct us as we engage a racially and socially torn culture.   This is one of the most divisive times that I can remember. This pandemic has us fighting over masks, theories, and economics. With the United States presidential election coming up, the rhetoric will continue to heat up over the next few months....

Are you feeling frustrated right now? Maybe it’s just me. This season has been incredibly frustrating to me. I’m tired, and it feels like I’m not winning.   So, what’s causing the frustrations? I’ve been thinking a lot about this, and depending on how you are gifted and wired, this pandemic could be messing with you. It’s definitely messing with me.   Perhaps you’re a visionary leader. You have the gift of planning for the future. This is where we need to go! This is the future! You can get...

Recently, we announced our plan for reopening services. I thought it was a good plan. It seemed to accommodate everyone. It was prayed over, debated, and amended. I thought, “this is a good plan; our people will appreciate this.”   We made a video to communicate the plan. The message was clear, and the tone was right. We posted it to Facebook, and...the comments were a warzone.   Should we reopen or not? Is COVID-19 a threat or a passing virus? Should we wear a mask or not? During this season,...