Most people die on the climb down
‘Quitting on time won’t make you famous. It’ll likely make you infamous. Quitting on time; however, will likely save your family—namely by ensuring that your spouses and kids don’t prematurely become orphans and widows. Most people die on the climb down BECAUSE THEY FORGET climbing down requires more energy. And the amount you have is limited.’
Why do cultural institutions always lean left?
I think this is insightful and avoids falling into any conspiratorial views in either direction. People ultimately gravitate towards things because of what drives them.
Who killed the prayer meeting?
For some, it is the worst attended meeting they have in the church. Why is that? Does it matter? What happened to cause it?
5 signs a pastor is overcommitted
‘Pastors can’t do everything, try as they might. Further, when pastors try to do too much, they actually put themselves in a position to be less effective, less impactful, and to be less fulfilled in the work God has called them to do.’
What are theologians for? The case for Karl Barth’s adultery
‘Barth’s sin couldn’t do anything other than produce a handicap in his theological contemplations. Jesus meant it when he said that it’s the “pure in heart” who will see God (Matt. 5:8). With Barth, or any other theologian, the way a person lives affects the way he thinks.’
Stop looking for what you haven’t got
‘The Bible is full of statements about the lavish grace gifts God gives his church. And yet most of us minister as if that isn’t true. We know what we want, what we need, what ministry we could do if only we had…. Or we think “doesn’t God know that if we only had [insert your need of the moment here] then my ministry would be fruitful.” It’s ministry from disbelief. What if instead we took stock of the gifts God has given our church and worked out from the gifts he has given what he is calling us to rather than bemoaning the lack of gifting to fit our model of ministry?’
From the archive: The goldilocks zone – to programme or de-programme the church
‘On the one hand, churches that load their week with programmes so frequently find their members exhausted and the emphasis falling on faithfulness measured by attendance. On the other, churches that intentionally under-programme their churches very often find themselves with people who simply content themselves to do nothing at all. Neither seems optimal. The (seemingly) obvious answer, then, is to find a Goldilocks zone for programmes.’