Involving Children in Service
The following excerpt from The Ministry of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson really resounded with me this morning: I believe Jesus will hold each of us responsible for the stewardship of the good news he has given us. If we are to succeed in our calling of raising children with hearts for God, then we must...
Six Questions With David Potete
I asked David Potete a few questions about ministering, particularly in the urban context such as Chicago. Below are his helpful answers! David has been the pastor of Northwest Community Church in Chicago for several years. __________________________ What is the best advice you’ve been given? Strive for balance. In the early 1980’s as I...
“We don’t want sawdust in the pulpit.”
Around a year ago I likened seminary to a Dewalt drill. I’m definitely not a big tough tool kind of guy, but this past week one of my professors, @kyledunham, said something that provided some clarity in my constant search for balance between the complexity of seminary studies and practicality in the pulpit… he said,...
5 Things I am Learning About Successful Ministry by Dustin Allen
Dustin is a youth ministry major at Hillsdale FWB College in Moore, OK. He is about to enter into his Senior year and is currently a Young Adult Ministry Intern at The Donelson Fellowship. #1 Be a learner I have heard that to be a good leader you have to be a learner. Part...
Your First 90 Days in the Ministry
I recently read a few articles and books on starting a new ministry or beginning ministry for the first time. I would say that there are some common-thread principles to set out doing for anyone just jumping into ministry or for those launching a ministry. So, if that’s you, let these simple concepts be a...
How To Reach and Mentor Young Adults
I’ve been talking recently with a friend who is trying desperately to reach young adults with the gospel, especially college students, but feels like its difficult to “speak their language.” So, we’ve been discussing questions like, “How do you begin a mentor-relationship with young adults? How do they think and what do they care about?”...
What if…?
The Holy Spirit has been teaching me so many things lately, I hardly have time to process them all. Right now, it’s 3:00 in the morning and my mind is racing with questions. Here they are, with some of the scriptures that prompted them. What if we really took God at His Word, face value?...
Mainstream: The End or a Means to an End?
During my high school years from 1997-2001, all the cool kids had ‘em. If you were a teenager at the turn of the century, you know what I’m talking about–W.W.J.D. bracelets! I had a couple different ones that matched my outfits. Along with those, I had a full array of Jesus bracelets… FROG, PUSH, and a...
Big Dreams, Small Steps
The Lord is teaching me so much these days that it’s really difficult to take it all in, but one thing that I’m learning is how to go about starting ministries. As I write this, I would actually love to hear some church planters’ views on launching churches and ministries and how God has given...
Is it Methods, or Scriptural Faithfulness?
I watched part of a free online event yesterday for preachers called “Preach Better Sermons.” Of the 45 minutes or so I watched, it was all about practicality–which is a good thing. However, I sensed some tension inside of me as I watched. Tension between the emphasis of Andy Stanley and Perry Noble with...
My Craziest 10 Days in the Ministry
This picture, colored by Aaron on my iPad, is how I felt at the end of what I am officially calling “my craziest 10 days in the ministry.” When I say “crazy” I don’t mean scattered, unorganized and frustrating. In fact, it was none of these things. But with all the extra stuff I had...
An Ironic Way to Be a Better Leader
There’s a leadership principle that I’m being reminded of a lot these days. It’s not deep; it’s not something brand new or flashy. But it’s incredibly important, more than most leaders even think. The funny thing is that, initially, it makes absolutely no sense. What I’m talking about is the concept of leaders learning how...
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