I think we’d all agree the church should be a safe place. We all want to feel safe when we go there. Hopefully, we’re all open to being challenged, since that’s where the growth is. But none of us want to feel judged, condemned, or threatened. For many of us, the church has not been […]
As much as we try to ignore it, we all have pain in our lives. And we all touch the pain, one way or another, for better or worse, in each other’s lives. Yet as universal as pain is, we typically don’t talk about it, for a couple of good reasons. First and most obvious, […]
Honor is the currency of the Kingdom of God. It’s different from the currency of the world. In the world, if I want to increase my bank account, I need to hoard it. I need to not let you get any. I need to keep it for myself to increase my bank account. But the […]
I recently saw a Christian podcast episode titled “Our Job Is Obedience, God’s Job Is Everything Else.” It’s from a very reputable Christian ministry that I have a lot of respect for and I really like. And the episode was actually good and helpful, about doing what God’s called you to do without taking responsibility […]
Another quiet night’s sleep was shattered by the midnight alarm. The claxon went off in the small, New England lighthouse on the rocky Massachusetts coast. Another ship had run aground in the night fog on the rocks. The men and women in the small, dingy lighthouse jumped out of bed, pulled on their gear, and […]
As the church, we are Jesus’ hands, feet, voice, and heart to the world. We invite wounded people into transformational intimacy with our Savior by stewarding both truth and compassion. But there are 3 mindset traps that sabotage Jesus’ mission to wounded people. These 3 mindset traps are so insidious and sneaky we often don’t […]
As God brings wounded people to himself, we as the Church need to learn how to facilitate the healing transformation God wants to bring. Often, this starts with just learning how to pray for people effectively, whether it’s after-service prayer, a phone call from a friend in need, or in a private, dedicated, ministry setting. […]
If you’re looking to join a healthy group, whether it’s a church, a mastermind, an association, or a support group, here are 7 traits to look for. 1) Givers They are givers, giving to others more than they take. And no one is keeping score. There’s no “you owe me because I helped you.” Their […]
Accountability groups, or accountability partners, are big in some Christian circles. But, while well-intentioned, accountability’s not all it’s cracked up to be. What you actually need is support, not accountability. Here are 4 reasons why. 1) Support Helps, Accountability Controls The critical difference between accountability and support is that accountability is “friendly” control, while support […]
Too often in the Church we try to address the bad fruit in a person’s life without taking the time to understand the wounding that caused it. If we’re just dealing with the visible bad fruit in people’s lives, and not the bad roots in their hearts that cause it, then we’re just offering a […]