I often hear from pastors who want to grow as leaders. They feel pressure to steer the church on a healthy course. Most of these leaders are humble, knowing ultimately Christ is the head of the church. They also usually know three things: 1. There are certain expectations by the people of the church. People … Continued
Excerpted FromDiscover Your True SelfBy Chip Ingram Let me ask you a couple of very important questions about your identity. First, what is your image of God? A.W. Tozer taught us that we tend by a secret law of the soul to move toward our mental image of God. He also said that what comes […]
Insights for the church from a Gen Z thinker on understanding Gen Z.
Ask someone how they’re doing. The common response: “I’m good, thanks!” Here’s the more candid version I’m hearing these days. “I think I’m pretty good, but I’m not really sure. Honestly, I don’t know.” That’s an honest answer. It’s an answer of a leader who may be on overload. It could be someone in your … Continued
With much of the world in various stages of lockdown, short-term mission trips have become one of the first summer casualties. Planes are grounded. Airports are quiet. And the folks who print all those matching mission trip T-shirts are wondering when business will pick up again. But I, for one, am grateful someone hit the […]
A few years ago I met with a group of millennials in our church—asking them to help me think through leadership today. The most repeated word was “authentic.” Funny, they couldn’t necessarily define the term, but they apparently know when they see it—and when they don’t. I was talking with a young staff member of … Continued
Its true that Saddleback has gained attention because of its growth over the decades, but I dont want our church to grow just to add to our numbers. Im motivated by changed lives. Im always asking myself, Who is the next person God will radically change? Whose marriage will be transformed next? What is the […] This article discusses Rick Warren's method for crafting sermons.
Third culture kid teens are resilient, resourceful, clever, creative and flexible. For their entire lives they have not only practiced but also excelled at adapting to new cultural situations and learning new ways of being and of doing. This year in particular they have been challenged to draw upon these strengths in new and important ways as the world continues to navigate the ambiguity and adjustments of new protocol and procedures in all arenaswork, academic, social and commerce. Understanding third culture kids reentry adjustment is crucial for this demographic.
Imagine this scene. It’s Sunday morning. You’re somewhere in the congregation, maybe four or five rows back. You’re singing to the Lord along with your church family. Their voices comingle with yours. This rare moment yields a refreshing wave in your soul. You look up to see the worship leader. No, it’s not a guest … Continued
As a second generation Filipino-American I am very aware of my othernesswhether its at church on Sunday which includes a 30-minute worship set with a beautiful LED screen displaying the lyrics so we can sing along, a distant departure from my Catholic upbringing where we were accompanied by a pianist and the sheet music was […] This article explores how to love other Christians even when you don't agree.
