If You Had to Choose One Dead Theologian
If I had to choose one dead theologian to sit under for the rest of my life, who would I allow to disciple me from afar?
Leadership
The Danger of Ministry Overcompensation
The problem in ministry is when leaders overcompensate a weakness so much that it creates another weakness.
Can a Church Have Polished Programs and Personable Pastors?
Can a church have polished programs and personable pastors?
December’s Focus: Discipleship
It’s a new month and that means it’s time for a new focus for the leadership at Rocky Creek. Each month, we are focusing on a specific area to really develop as a church body. Just to catch you up, here’s what we have been focusing on at Rocky Creek: January: Pastor – I am so thankful you allowed me …
November’s Focus: Budget
It’s a new month and that means it’s time for a new focus for the leadership at Rocky Creek. Each month, we are focusing on a specific area to really develop as a church body. Just to catch you up, here’s what we have been focusing on at Rocky Creek: January: Pastor – I am so thankful you allowed me …
Preparing a Church Budget
Every church has to prepare a church budget every year. Before the congregation receives it, a substantial amount of time and a significant amount of people have prayed, talked, and worked hard to prepare it. So, how should the process work? While there are many logistical tasks to be done, this endeavor is truly a spiritual exercise. In preparing a …
May’s Focus: Leadership
It’s a new month and that means it’s time for a new focus at church. Each month, we are focusing on a specific area to really develop as a church body. Just to catch you up, here’s what we have been focusing on: January: Pastor – I am so thankful you allowed me to be your pastor! February: Website – …
Thermostat vs. Thermometer
Would the people around you say that you are more of a thermostat (you set the temperature of an environment) or a thermometer (you reflect the temperature of an environment)?
Spiritual Leadership
There are Christian leadership books that give leadership principles and try to attach a Bible verse to the idea. And then there is Spiritual Leadership. Written by J. Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Leadership, is an incredible read for anyone who wants to impact another. Favorite Quotes After all, is it not better for the position to seek out the person rather than the person …
21 Things That You May Not Know About Your Pastor
You can’t truly appreciate a pastor that you don’t know. While you may think that you know him, there are things you may not understand about him and his position. While he will appreciate a card, a meal, or a gift this month, he will appreciate something even more – acknowledgement and understanding. As a pastor of a local congregation, there are …
The Whole Counsel of God
for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. -Acts 20:27 In Paul’s farewell speech to his beloved family in Ephesus, he makes a startling and yet glorious statement. In his 3 years in that city (Acts 20:31), he taught them the complete counsel of God. He wanted to make sure that they understood the …
7 Reasons Your Bible Reading Is Inconsistent
As of late, I’ve had some great discussions concerning personal Bible reading. While this spiritual disciplines post sparked some great conversation, I’ve also been trying to step up my intentionality in training my family, friends, and anyone who wants to listen concerning the need to read the Bible. For many years, Christians have called time in the Word and prayer …
My 3 Daily Spiritual Disciplines
Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness. -1 Timothy 4:7 If anything other than godliness is your purpose for spiritual disciplines, you will lose momentum. Spiritual disciplines are not to earn God’s love, increase his favor for you, or to help him by supplying something lacking in him. God doesn’t need you to spend time with him. If you don’t spend …
How Long Does It Take to Prepare a Sermon?
Since Sunday, I’ve received some questions and engaged in some great conversations concerning how long it takes to prepare a sermon. Our senior pastor has been talking for a long time about how ready he was to begin a sermon series through the Book of Romans. Due to his excitement, it was shocking when he wasn’t there delivering the first message on Sunday. …
The Anxiety of Ministry
Caring for souls within a local church can cause anxiety for its leaders. Rely on God’s power to change your church, and don’t settle for what you can do.
I Hated Reading
The best ideas I have come from the best books I read. When I think back over the last year, I can’t communicate that enough. The best ideas that have changed my walk with Jesus, my marriage, my fathering, my vocation, my habits, and my worldview have come from the best books I have read. And that is huge for …
I Love Your Church
I woke up with a heavy heart this morning. After reading about the removal of Perry Noble as pastor of Newspring Church, I was simply heartbroken. I am heartbroken for him, for his family, for his church, and for all those close to him. Besides meeting with Perry once, I really don’t know him. We have mutual friends and what …
4 Keys to Communication
We all are trying to communicate something. Our passion comes out on our platforms. It is natural. As a preacher, I desire to communicate truths about God from the Bible. I don’t put trust in my communication ability because I believe in the power of God, but that doesn’t mean that I am slack in my approach either. There is …
10 Biblical Tips on Productivity and Laziness
Many people neglect reading the Bible due to a false assumption that it doesn’t speak to where a person is in life. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Even as it relates to work, productivity, effort, and laziness, the Bible is very clear regarding how we should live in this world. Here are 10 biblical tips on productivity and …
How Do I Report Abuse? [Ministry Mandated Reporting]
Due to having to deal with abusive situations in my years as a pastor, I learned a lot by asking questions of friends who deal with such issues in their professions. I decided to pull together an expert panel who could help churches and ministries navigate through the legal requirements concerning abuse. David Stumbo – Greenwood County Solicitor Charlotte Ehney – Children’s …
How Do I Recognize Abuse? [Ministry Mandated Reporting]
Due to having to deal with abusive situations in my years as a pastor, I learned a lot by asking questions of friends who deal with such issues in their professions. I was shocked to be educated on certain things. I decided to pull together an expert panel who could help churches and ministries navigate through the legal requirements concerning abuse. …
What Is Abuse? [Ministry Mandated Reporting]
I learned a lot in seminary, but there are some things they don’t train you for in seminary. One of those issues is concerning how pastors are to handle situations relating to abuse. Many pastors believe a myth that they don’t have to report something that is shared in a counseling session. That is simply untrue. Some pastors and churches …
Do You Know the Next NGU President?
The search for the next president of North Greenville University is underway and gaining serious momentum by the day! Do you know the next NGU president? Do you know someone who you think would do a great job? You might have just the right candidate in mind. If so, I want you to read through the presidential profile that our …
Unplug.
My family was able to hit the beach last week. I cannot overstate how needed of a time it was. I told someone that I hadn’t hit the wall, but I sure was bumping up against it. The last few months have been great. Crazy, but great. We finished up services on Mothers’ Day, packed the van, and hit the …
How to Pray for the Next NGU President
Today is going to be an exciting and intensive day. I am going to be on the campus of North Greenville University for a pivotal time of meetings concerning the next president of the school. I have written previously on my newfound role as a trustee of the school and how I am more confident than ever in the fact that …
Overcoming Email
In this 6th post on productivity, I want to talk with you about a tool that can help you if you use it wisely. If you don’t, it can dictate your life! I am talking about the dreaded tool known as email. In his book, Do More Better, Tim Challies, offers a unique perspective on how so many people handle …
Moderating Social Media
In this 5th installment of a series on productivity, I want to throw out some ideas for you on how to moderate social media. While there are so many positives concerning social media, it can turn into an addictive time-waster like no other. Social media is like a walk through Walmart. You spend more time than intended & walk out …
Church Competition
Serving as a pastor in the Bible Belt comes with quirky challenges. As a pastor, one of my greatest burdens is watching how churches compete with one another. You would think we would realize we are on the same team. You would think we would grasp that there are enough unchurched folks out there to fill every congregation. You would think we would …
Organizing Projects
In this fourth post in a productivity series, I want to give some tips on how to organize projects. I was speaking at an event recently, and someone came up to me who had read a book I had written. As we talked about the content for a while, she eventually acknowledged, “I’ve always wanted to write a book myself. …
Choosing Tools
In this third productivity post, I want to discuss the importance of choosing the right tools to keep you organized and focused. A few years ago, we remodeled a good portion of our home. As we went from project to project, I was on a first-name basis with all the employees at Lowe’s. I am a penny-pincher, so if I …
Learning Discipline
In this second post in a blog series on productivity, I want to talk about the importance of learning discipline. I mentioned in the previous post on “Disguising Laziness,” that I struggled greatly with procrastination. I tried to blame it on my wiring, but ultimately, I was simply succumbing to laziness. My close call with an online Greek course in seminary …
Disguising Laziness
I used to brag about being a procrastinator. I could wait till the last-minute and get anything done. While I would drive people close to me crazy, I just accepted that’s “how I was” and barely made it through everything I did in life. That’s until my second semester of seminary came along. Prior to seminary, college had pushed me academically. …
The Ascent of a Leader
At North Side, we have an influx of guys going into the ministry. It is an extreme blessing, but we want to do diligence to prepare them for where God is leading. We have started gathering these men together for training and development. The first assignment was a book Jeff assigned called The Ascent of a Leader by Bill Thrall, Bruce …
Effective Spiritual Leadership – Part 2
Such a great day to focus on spiritual leadership and sending leaders out all over the world! 7 But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children. 8 Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us. 9 For you recall, …
Unless the LORD Builds the House
Psalm 127 is what commentators call a “song of ascents.” As the people of God would ascend the hill into Jerusalem and ascend the stairs into the place of worship, the priests would sing this song over the worshipers upon their journey: Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over …
Effective Spiritual Leadership – Part 1
2nd week in 1 Thessalonians as we discussed “Effective Spiritual Leadership.” I hate not being there in person but it was great to watch the service online and see how great our team led out today! Today’s service: Burning in My Soul – Passion Welcome To God Be the Glory – The Alone Instrument Baptism Offertory Prayer Scripture Reading 10,000 …
Managing Ministry Interruptions
A few days ago, I posted an article entitled “Death to the Green Room” which somehow got traction in certain circles. It caused a surprisingly large amount of people to read the post and prompted some discussion. What was intended to be an article teaching our church about what we value as a worship team, it caused some to evaluate their own …
Death to the Church Green Room
When North Side broke ground on our worship center, I was our College and Missions Pastor. In the middle the building’s completion, my job and responsibilities changed as I became the Worship Pastor. I suddenly began attending meetings with architects, designers, and engineers. Coming into the discussions late into the process, I often had questions or suggestions as I thought through the future …
Church Leaders: Let Us Know if You Are Coming to The Word
Pastors need encouragement and motivation too. At times throughout my ministry, I have benefited from the pastoring of other pastors. It is an incredible thing to be able to learn from one another, encourage one another, and be led by one another to catch an idea to implement within our local congregations. I have been asked by other church leaders if it …
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