These past few days we’ve gathered our pastors and leaders for our Annual Conference. This is our business session but amidst the motions and seconds, approving the budget, and ratifying decisions, we’ve spent time in meaningful prayer and learning about our Core Commitments as a tribe–what we believe matters most. The Conference will be over…
Conference is Coming!
Yes, Conference is coming! Next week is our Annual Conference at Valley View Church (November 12-14, 2018). I look forward to seeing many of you! Once again, we’re moving our time together away from the exclusively business and information formats of the past and adding what we hope will be encouraging and inspiring. Yes, we…
Sacred Cows
Every church has at least one. They are called sacred cows. A sacred cow is something so valued, that no one would dare change or criticize it. It just means that much to us! These sacred cows are not based on Biblical conviction but personal preferences. We get emotionally attached to these sacred cows, so…
Five Takeaways from the Exponential Conference
The last two days, five of us pastors have attended the Exponential Conference in San Jose, CA. We had a great time of worship, learning, and getting to know each other better. Exponential is a church planting movement committed to producing multiplying leaders and churches. Church Planting is still one of the most effective ways…
Ways to Walk
One thing we can miss in our Bibles is all the walking they did. Did you know that the word walking or walked is mentioned over 200 times in the Bible? Yes, I think that is a Biblical argument for us to walk more : -). It was at least a four-day journey for Jesus…
Four Things Pastors Dread Doing
Any job or responsibility has things we don’t like doing. Pastoring a church is no exception. As pastors, we believe we are called by God to equip His people for ministry. (By the way, one of my pet peeves is calling a pastor The Minister. The Bible teaches that we are ALL ministers. Right?) But…
How to Deal with Criticism
Here’s a newsflash…you cannot please everyone! Everyone gets criticized especially if you are a leader. Aristotle famously said, “There’s only one way to avoid criticism: Do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.” But our task is too great to waste our time doing, saying, and being nothing which leaves us with the job of dealing…
7 Things to Pray for Your Church
I don’t pray enough. One thing that helps me in my prayer time is having a guide for what I am to pray about. Here’s my list for us to pray for the local church. I hope it will prompt you to pray more for your church.
My Top Ten Apps
This week’s blog is on the light side. Most of us are using tablets and smartphones on a daily basis. In fact, they have become an integral part of our interaction with others. Some of you may not know what an “app” is. The dictionary defines it as “an application, especially as downloaded by a…
10 Things Pastors Hate to Admit Publicly
Linda and I have been in full time ministry for over 35 years. Often a pastor and his family feel the pressure to be “on top” of everything when we feel like we are at the bottom of things. It’s hard to admit that you don’t feel like preaching this Sunday or you are having…
Book Review: Didn’t See It Coming
by Nancy Austin I have always been a reader. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of cracking the spine on a new book. When I taught elementary school, I always spent the first week(s!) of summer vacation reading crime novels and mindless fiction. One summer we went to dinner with my husband’s boss, the dean,…
3 Reasons Your Pastor Should Take a Sabbatical
Many of you know that my wife and I are currently in Scotland. We are spending time with our family and our newest additions to the family—twins! I really enjoy being a grandpa! This morning I’m sitting at a Costa coffee shop thinking about how important it is for pastors to take extended time away…
