Category Archives: Leadership

Don’t be such a Pharisee

Posted on April 2, 2013 by

  Don’t be such a Pharisee! We still hear it today. The label is typically aimed at a self-righteous person or a hypocritical religious legalist.   I’ve never heard someone use the word pharisee with anything positive intended. The Pharisees are primarily remembered as the … Continue reading →

Posted in Antagonists, Leadership, Legalism, Pharisees | Leave a comment

Leadership and authority in the Church

Posted on March 22, 2013 by

  Spiritual leaders have authority (Hebrews 13:17) and are to be honored by those under their charge. Sometimes their authority requires them to admonish, rebuke and warn people (I Thessalonians 5:12; Titus 1:13; 2:15; 3:10-11).  As shepherds, leaders must protect … Continue reading →

Posted in Church, Church growth, Church Leadership, Church membership, Elders, Leadership, Pastors | 1 Comment

Humble, loving, truth-telling Christians in community

Posted on March 1, 2013 by

  God desires to use the lives of those who have experienced His love as plausibility cases for the truthfulness of the good news of salvation. This is a little overwhelming to contemplate but God has chosen to make a case … Continue reading →

Posted in Apologetics, Change, Character, Christian life, Christian worldview, Church, Church growth, Church Leadership, Church membership, Community, Conflict, Elders, Emerging Leaders, Evangelicals, Evangelism, Giving, Gospel, Gospel-centered, Grace, Greatness, Honor, Humility, Jesus Christ, Kingdom, Leadership, Legalism, Life of a pastor, Local Church, Love, Mercy, N. T. Wright, Narrative, Pastors, Poor in spirit, Reconciliation, Relationships, Religion-not the answer, Repentance, Salvation, Servanthood, Small Group leaders, Spiritual growth, Spiritual transformation, Submission, Testimony, True Christianity?, Walking with God, Witness | Leave a comment

When people let you down

Posted on February 21, 2013 by

  People work is difficult. People will hurt you and forget you and desert you. Sometimes the people who do this will be the very ones you’ve served most in ministry. If you commit to a life of ministry, you … Continue reading →

Posted in Burnout, Call to ministry, Church Leadership, Contentment, God's Protection, Hope?, Leadership, Life of a pastor, Wisdom | 1 Comment

An Ancient Leadership Lesson

Posted on February 15, 2013 by

  One leader can only effectively oversee a small number of people. This was the lesson Jethro taught Moses. Follow the story in Exodus 18. “Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people and they stood around … Continue reading →

Posted in Church growth, Church Leadership, Ecclesiology 101, Elders, Leadership, Life of a pastor, Local Church, Pastors | Leave a comment

A plea for civility and sanity from brave liberals and progressives

Posted on February 10, 2013 by

  This is a plea for civility and sanity among brave liberals and progressives. It’s time for many of them to break the silence and oppose the tone changes and agendas in their party. They have good reasons to be … Continue reading →

Posted in 44th President, Abortion, Atheists, Barack Obama, Billionaires, Breaking News, Brit Hume, Church and State, CNN, Culture, Culture of Honor, Cynicism, David Brooks, Democracy, Democrats, Emerging Leaders, Environmentalism, Equal Rights, Equality, Fear, First Amendment, Fox News, Gay, Gay Marriage?, Government, Hate speech, Health Care, Independents, Justice, Leadership, Liberal, Message to our 44th President, MSNBC, Obama, Occupy Wall Street, Oprah, Partisanship, Piers Morgan, Political Correctness, Politics, Popular vote, Pro-life, Progressive?, Rachel Maddow, Republican, Same-sex, Sunday News Lancaster PA, Tea Party, Tolerance, Unity, Washington Post, Wealth, Women's rights | 5 Comments

Dare to challenge the intolerance

Posted on February 1, 2013 by

  Collin Hansen wrote a piece at The Gospel Coalition provocatively titled, “Dare to be Immoral.” The point of his title (IMHO) is that there is shifting societal opinion about what constitutes morality that will put Christians in a position … Continue reading →

Posted in Accountability, Church and State, Culture, Culture of Honor, Democracy, Democrats, Gospel, Gospel-centered, Government, Homosexual lifestyle, Law, Leadership, Liberal, Political Correctness, Politics, Progressive?, Tolerance, Wisdom | Leave a comment

We all need a political reality check

Posted on January 29, 2013 by

Many times I find myself wishing that I could take President Obama at his word. Of course the same could be said of many politicians but Obama so often presents himself as such a likable guy. He’s definitely a gifted … Continue reading →

Posted in 44th President, Barack Obama, Culture, Democracy, Democrats, Fox News, Government, Leadership, Obama, Occupy Wall Street, Partisanship, Political Correctness, Politics, Progressive?, Republican, Wisdom | 1 Comment

Living on Mission

Posted on January 27, 2013 by

  Eight Identity Markers and Callings of Christ Followers “Missions is an authorized activity carried out by the tenants on the instructions of the owner of the property” (by Christopher Wright,) Salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13) Light of the world … Continue reading →

Posted in Baptism, Call to ministry, Calling, Christian life, Christian worldview, Christianity, Church, Church growth, Church Leadership, Church membership, Citizenship, Common grace, Community, Culture, Emerging Leaders, Encouragement, Evangelism, Gospel, Gospel-centered, Holistic ministry, Imago Dei, Jesus Christ, Joy, Kingdom, Leadership, Local Church, Manifesto, Missions, Passion, purpose, Radical love, Seeking God, Spiritual transformation, Student Ministry, Walking with God, Witness, Worldview, Younger Evangelicals | Leave a comment

10 Attributes of good preaching

Posted on January 22, 2013 by

  In his book, The Supremacy of God in Preaching, John Piper noted that God-centred expository preaching was the key to the New England revival under Jonathan Edwards (1734-1744). Piper sets forth ten characteristics of Edwards’ preaching which serve as an excellent … Continue reading →

Posted in Church growth, Church Leadership, Elders, Leadership, Life of a pastor, Local Church, Pastors, Preaching | Leave a comment