Follow Jesus. Lead the church. Change the world.
Recently, I was preparing a sermon about Ananias and Barnabas, those unsung heroes who played a major role in the Apostle Paul’s life (he was Saul, at the time). I was particularly struck by Jesus’ description of Paul’s call to ministry. God sent Ananias to search for Saul, the persecutor of the Church, who was … Read more
The Church needs provision for the vision! I’m nearing the end of a series of posts, offering prayers for the Church on different topics (see links below). I invite you to pray with me for the Church for the sake of the world God loves so much! God has given the Church its mission–to make … Read more
Laura Vanderkam, author of 168 Hours, has written a series of short books focusing on “what the most successful people do.” This week, I’ve written about the first book (What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast) and the second book (What the Most Successful People Do on the Weekend). The final book in the … Read more
Laura Vanderkam has written a series of short books focusing on “what the most successful people do.” Yesterday, I wrote about the first book in the series (“What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast”). The second book focuses on non-workdays: What the Most Successful People Do on the Weekend. Now, weekends in our home … Read more
Laura Vanderkam has written a series of short books focusing on “what the most successful people do.” The first book in the series is What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast. Mornings have always been important to me. So, right after I read this book a few months ago, I wrote What The Most … Read more
Recently, I was reading in Exodus 20 and the words describing what followed the giving of the Ten Commandments grabbed my attention … 18 All the people were seeing the thundering and the lightning, and heard the sound of the horn, and saw the mountain smoking—and when the people saw it they trembled with fear … Read more
The Church needs vision! I’m nearing the end of a lengthy series of posts, offering prayers for the Church focusing on different areas (see list and links below). According to Bill Hybels, “Vision is a picture of the future that produces passion” (see my post on Hybels’ book, Courageous Leadership). Hybels calls vision “a leader’s … Read more
Recently, I re-read Exodus 18 where Moses receives a visit by his father-in-law, Jethro. It’s a well-known story, especially among Christian leaders. It’s often used to make a case for team-building and delegation. After observing Moses do all of the work by himself, Jethro advises Moses to find and equip capable people to share the … Read more
As I look back over the past twenty-five years of following Jesus, clearly my greatest passion has been God’s mission — engaging in it and leading others to engage in it, too! I’ve always been challenged by Jesus’ first words after the resurrection: “As the Father sent me, so I am sending you!” (John 20.21, … Read more
We just returned from vacation in Maine (where we went in 2011 and 2012). The kids enjoy going to Maine. They talk about going there through much of the year, even though it’s far away and the water is cool (water temperature was 57-59 degrees last week). Last year, it took them a few days … Read more