A few weeks ago only a handful of us were live-streaming services. And, very few of us were only preaching to a camera. Even if you had a camera in your auditorium, you were focused on preaching to the people physically in front of you, not to the people behind the camera.  All this has changed with the COVID-19 pandemic.   We’ve been thrust into an environment where we no longer have the feedback of a live audience to gauge if our jokes are funny, our point is resonating, or if people are...

Last week was one of the most unexpected weeks I’ve experienced as a pastor. In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, our governor banned gatherings over 250 people. That means none of our campuses can gather in person. If your church isn’t yet in the same situation, you likely will be soon.  This post isn’t about whether churches should be closed or what I think about the virus. This post is about how to build a church community if and when you have to shut down weekend services. Here are three...

What’s your favorite movie? Why do you love it? One of my favorite movies is Forrest Gump. (Yes, I know I just dated myself.) I love this movie because I love history and I love quirky characters, but most of all, the story moves me. We often love the movies that we do because they move us. We connect with the story emotionally.   Emotional connection is critical to effective communication. It’s likely the most impactful sermons you’ve ever heard connected with you emotionally and moved you.  ...

Something that scares me is that it’s possible to do church without actually doing what a church is called to do. It’s possible to gather people together, sing songs, listen to words spoken from a stage, pass offering plates, and not even come close to the mission that Jesus gave the Church.   Does that scare you? I don’t ever want to be a church that isn’t accomplishing the Great Commission of reaching lost people and discipling them into Jesus followers. And yet, we know from the book of...

Last week, I had the privilege of hosting the ReCourage Conference at Ada Bible Church, the church where I’m a pastor. One of the guest speakers was Gordon MacDonald. If you’re not familiar with Gordon, he’s 81 years old, has served in ministry for over four decades, and has been married for 58 years.   The conference was on faithfulness and longevity in ministry and he was the perfect guest speaker for this topic. One of his talks was called “The View from Eighty.” In it, he shared 15 lessons...

Years ago, I thought of myself as a relatively smart and effective youth pastor. My high school youth group at our church was averaging around 100 students and things were going really well. Five years into my ministry career, I transitioned to the church where I now work and joined a student ministry that blew my mind.   The level of volunteering in this student ministry was off the charts. The volunteer small group leaders functioned as the pastors of the students. They owned their roles....

I don’t know about you, but I’m deeply interested in two things when I deliver a sermon.  I want to stay faithful to the Scriptures, and I want people’s lives transformed by the Scriptures.  For me, it’s not just about head knowledge. I want to see people surrender more and more of their lives to the authority of Jesus.  I believe this is where real life is found. Who’s with me?!? I want people to live differently because of Jesus.   Of course, I understand that this transformation is the work...

Can we talk about pressure?  Does anyone else feel the pressure to achieve, to perform, to do more?  And I’m not talking about sports or the business world. I’m talking about church.   Isn’t it interesting that we’re in the business of liberating people from the pressure to perform for God and to accept a free gift from God, and yet we feel all kinds of pressure to perform?  What’s this about?   I recently read an article that connects worship and work, but not in the way you’re thinking.  The...

My senior pastor often talks about the word “encourage” and how it contains the word “courage.”  The word comes from Old French, “to make strong.”   Have you noticed that ministry takes courage?   Walking with a family as they grieve the loss of a loved one—that takes courage.   Sharing the message of the cross with people who are far from God—that takes courage. Confronting each other’s sinful behavior—that takes courage. Asking the people of your church to serve and give—that takes courage....

Welcome to 2020!  I don’t know about you, but I feel like I’m living in a sci-fi movie.  Maybe it’s because I grew up in the 1900s but the year 2020 feels like hover-boards, vacations to the moon, and robot butlers.   Anyway, a question for you: Do you have any goals for 2020?  Maybe you’re a resolutions person, or perhaps you have goals in mind for your church or ministry.  Perhaps God has placed something on your heart to run after in 2020.   Recently, I spent some time in the book of...