The Pastor is called to be a preacher/teacher within the body of faith. This place of leadership gives him a unique authority and influence in the local church. When the shepherd of the flock leads, the flock will follow. This is crucial for the general health of the church but also for the missional health... Continue Reading →
What Can the Church Do to Address Human Trafficking?
HOW SHOULD THE CHURCH RESPOND TO THOSE ENSLAVED TODAY? “Wash yourselves. Cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil. Learn to do what is good. Seek justice. Rebuke the oppressor. Defend the rights of the fatherless. Plead the widow’s cause” (Isaiah 1:16-19). The church cannot ignore the issue of human trafficking. The... Continue Reading →
Unpacking Your Short-Term Mission Experience
After you've planned, prepared, implemented and returned from your mission trip, it's time to unpack. Not just your suitcase, but the mission experience itself. Follow-up is an important part of going on mission because it helps the participant to understand what they learned and how God can use it in their everyday life. There are... Continue Reading →
Taking Care of Your Heart
“Don’t you know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own” (1 Corinthians 6:19). I have served in active ministry for the sake of my Lord for forty years, and in my role as Disaster Relief Director for the... Continue Reading →
What’s a Lollapalooza?
I recently had the privilege of attending a lollapalooza put on by Dexter Baptist Church in western Kentucky. Pastor David Little led his church to plan and implement the lollapalooza event as an effort to reach out to their community. I had never attended a lollapalooza and wasn’t quite sure what to expect. In fact,... Continue Reading →
Embracing the Stranger Next Door
It was estimated that last year over 50 million people were displaced from their homes, with around 19.5 million forced to live as refugees. These people have been driven from their homes by war, violence, persecution, and disasters. They have lost their culture, friends, security, sense of community, and often their dignity. These are people... Continue Reading →
How to Uniquely Involve the Uninvolved
Have you ever felt that only a small number of church members were doing the majority of the work? It’s pretty common in churches, at least the ones I’ve been a part of, for us to depend upon the same few individuals to teach Sunday School, sing on the praise team, lead the men’s ministry, serve as deacons... Continue Reading →
Are You Prepared for a Disaster?
Studies indicate that those who are prepared for disasters have a greater chance of survival than those who are not prepared. So how can your family be prepared for a disaster? Be Informed. What are the most likely disasters that could occur in your community? What are the best safety practices that our family should... Continue Reading →
“Pulling Teeth” at Show and Tell
Perhaps you remember as I do, participating in "show and tell" as a child in elementary school. In case you're not familiar with show and tell, it's an informative presentation involving the demonstration of an object. While the class may not always need the demonstration of the object to understand the information presented, together, they... Continue Reading →
How is your vision?
I have never had issues with my eyesight. Well, until recently. As I am now fully into my mid-40s, I am noticing that my vision is becoming a bit blurry. Distances are not quite as clear as they once were. I have yet to do anything about this new middle-age challenge. Perhaps I should go... Continue Reading →