Truth be told.  We’ve all been there. Conflict in church settings in inevitable. When should we stay and fight, and when should we leave? That’s a tough question. Joe McKeever makes an impassioned plea about the reputation of the Body of Chris when these conflicts happen. He asks the question (and I think it’s a good one):  Why can’t we just walk away and let ourselves be wronged? In some cases… it really is probably the best answer. Joe writes: Why not let yourself be wronged?  Why not just “take your lumps” and walk away? Do it… for God’s sake. His honor is at...

Casey Tygrett shares three measurement devices for elders and local church leaders regarding spiritual growth and formation that will bring light and life to situations stuck in darkness. Are you regularly engaging with Scripture, both individually and as a leadership team? Leaders committed to wrestling with the narrative of God both alone and in their group have put themselves in a position to be corrected, humbled, and augmented for the sake of others. Being open to the Scriptures is a posture that embraces the mission of God in the world today. Scripture refines the lenses through which the mission...

Seth Godin is the author of twelve books that have been bestsellers around the world and changed the way people think about marketing, change, and work. He is also the master of saying a great deal using relatively few words on his blog. Recently he shared that while people are in a hurry to do many things, generosity isn’t usually on that list.  Godin then asked a powerful question: What happens when we adopt the posture of being in a hurry to be generous? // Read more here:  Hurry Up & Be Generous. It’s a great concept.  How could your church hurry to be generous as we enter these...

I’m thinking we could settle this with an old-fashioned duel. Last man standing wins. Pat Robertson has been accused by evangelical Christian and creationism proponent Ken Ham of “destructive teaching,” after the televangelist stated that the existence of dinosaurs is evidence that Young Earth Creationists are wrong about the planet being 6,000 years old. Christian Broadcasting Network spokesman Chris Roslan told The Christian Post on Friday, however, that “Dr. Robertson stands by his comments.” The controversy arose earlier this week when Robertson, co-hosting his...

Christopher Keating is a PCUSA pastor who wrote this piece for a St. Louis newspaper.  He writes about the most common things people tell him as a pastor.  Take a look at the list and see if this rings true in your ministry: I don’t know how to pray. In my experience, this is hinted at more than it is clearly stated. A family is going through a difficult time, or a protracted illness. The person feels detached from their spiritual moorings, isolated, exhausted, lonely. Their experience of God has gone stale, and yet, they still long for God’s presence. I’m angry at God. It is...

Here are a few of 15 warning signs from Perry Noble that your church is in trouble.  Take heed and do an honest assessment of where your church is at in these key areas: When excuses are made about the way things are instead of embracing a willingness to roll up the sleeves and fix the problem. The leadership begins to settle for the natural rather than rely on the supernatural. The church begins to view success/failure in regards to how they are viewed in the church world rather than whether or not they are actually fulfilling the Great Commission! Scripture isn’t central in every decision that is...

Matt Steen and I talk about Rick Warren’s recent tweet about his phone’s ring town being ‘Gangham Style’ and how it has infuriated some bloggers. This is just one more reason that I’m glad I’m not Rick Warren.  Can you imagine people writing blog posts every time you tweet?  Oh my. CBS News even posted this: Well… here’s our take… Sorry for the ‘not great’ video quality.  My internet connection is bad here in rural Ohio.  :) When America’s Pastor Goes Gangham...

Do you strive for a healthy team? There is nothing more fun (and more exciting) than being a part of a ministry team that is running on all cylinders. But many teams never get there.  How is your team doing in achieving unity? Kem Meyer has some great insights on what makes great teams really work: We’ve got to do it together. Every person has their role in the family effort. And there are threads that weave every role and relationship together like a fabric. That’s what makes us a team. VISION. Vision is a picture of what could be and should be. It binds us together, it invites others to what...

From Mashable:  Are you one of the 29% of people who say they can’t live without their cellphones? According to a recent Pew Research study, people have a hard time breaking away from their cellphones — and their friends don’t help stop this addictive behavior. The study also shows that only 12% of cellphone owners say that people they know tell them when they’re spending too much time on their phone. But 39% of cellphone owners say their family, friends and acquaintances will complain if they don’t answers calls or texts fast enough. The study of 2,254 adults showed that 67% of cellphone...

Former megachurch pastor Rob Bell, founder of Mars Hill Bible Church in Grandville, Mich., recently shared how his 2011 book, Love Wins, led to a fallout with the congregation and forced him on a “search for a more forgiving faith.” Bell told The New Yorker that the book caused attendance at Mars Hill to plummet by 3,000 people.  According to the New Yorker: “The book put pressure on the people around Bell, who found themselves having to defend statements they might never have heard, let alone approved,” The New Yorker writes. “Congregants reported that friends and family...