So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. – 1 Corinthians 3:7-8 ESV I was part […]
Windmills
In my workshop at the 2018 RHMA conference, one of the examples I gave for the need to network for ministry in your community is a windmill field. These things seem to be everywhere that it’s flat for more than 50 acres in the Midwest. If you drive across I-74 […]
Are you at #nywc17 ? Let’s connect!!
Are you going to be at the National Youth Workers Convention this weekend in Memphis? Come stop by the National Network of Youth Ministries booth near the idea Lab in the Exhibit Hall and say hello! We would love to connect you to a network of local youth workers in […]
10 Church Safety Questions You Should Be Asking…
In light of all the news surrounding the church shooting in Tennessee this weekend, there are some questions that those of us in church leadership should be asking ourselves. We live in a dangerous world. Yes, it’s unfortunate that as shepherds, we must help in protecting our flock from physical […]
Transitional Assistance…
So a former southern baptist youth pastor who works for a non-denominational parachurch ministry walks into a Quaker Church… This is not the lead up to a really great “preacher joke”, this is life right now, and truth is sometimes stranger than fiction. When you follow God’s call, you don’t […]
May 2017 Newsletter
My latest newsletter is out. You can read it Here. Please take a moment and pray for the ministry. Thank you.
Five Ways to Welcome New Church Staff to Your Community… A How-to guide.
If you live in a community of any size, there is a decent probability that one of the churches will have hired new or replacement staff members. Uprooting and moving a family two miles or two thousand miles is a big deal. How can the believers in your local community […]
Remembering Columbine… Never Again.
On April 20, 1999. Things changed. Not everyone that day knew just exactly how wide ranging those changes would be, but there was a huge cultural shift. The school shooting at Columbine High School in Colorado was one of stories that helped to form our current 24 hour news cycle. […]
The 600th post…
In 2007 and early 2008, I had a crazy idea to start a ministry blog. I never imagined it would lead me through two different churches, seeing the addition of two more children to my family, through writing a book, and speaking and traveling all over the country as part […]
Don’t be a “Bath and Body Works” Youthworker…
Note to our female readers: This post is written by a male. We see things a little differently, and that’s ok. Hang with me, this satire makes a point… When I hear the words “Bath and Body Works” as a guy, two things come to mind. 1) The migraine-inducing mix […]
Indiana RFRA and #boycottindiana – A view from someone who lives there…
As a resident of the state of Indana, I am sad. Not because a law was passed, but for the reactions of people we call fellow Americans. I am of the opinion that when there is a problem, that there can be an open and honest discussion, without all the […]
The Truth about Fifty Shades of Grey…
This post originally appeared on the Author’s Personal Blog… A few years ago at a church sponsored event, I noticed several young ladies and women who had distanced themselves from the crowd. While most of the people stayed in a rather central location and talked, these women, ranging from age […]