5 Realities About the Weight of Pastoring
Since leaving full-time local church ministry to become one of the vice-presidents at LifeWay, I have always missed and loved the local church. Dr. Draper, the former president of LifeWay, once told a leader on my team, “If you ever stop missing being on local church staff, leave immediately.” The sentiment was that we could […]
Three Types of Friends Every Leader Needs
Some have lamented that leadership is lonely. The unique pressure and responsibilities that leaders face can push some leaders to isolation. But wise leaders reject the temptation to remove themselves from others. Great leaders know they need others for both encouragement and wisdom. Here are three types of friends that every leader needs: 1. A […]
A Challenge to Young Leaders
Earlier this week I pointed out that there are fewer leaders who meet the typical “leadership profile” for positions such as senior pastor. From a practical and purely demographic vantage point, there are fewer people in Generation X than the preceding Boomer generation, so there are currently less available leaders in the often sought-after 35-50 […]
Increasing Humility
A clear indication of maturing in Christ is increasing humility. The closer we draw to Him the more we see our need for Him, because the closer we draw to Him the more we grasp His holiness and our sinfulness. Notice the progression of increasing humility in the apostle Paul’s life. For I am the […]
Life On Mission
When you think about missionaries in Scripture, the first one to come to mind is often the apostle Paul. Paul’s ministry model was life on mission for the gospel. Everywhere he went and every person he met provided an opportunity for the spread of the gospel, whether he was close to home or traveled far […]
The Beauty of No Shame
When the apostle Paul wrote about marriage, he reminded us of the first couple in Scripture: For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This is a profound mystery — but I am talking about Christ and the church. […]
Legalism and a New Circumcision
When we make the results of our walk with the Lord requirements for our standing with Him, we are drifting from grace. When we hold up the personal results of our faith as requirements for others—we act as legalists. A couple of examples… As a result of their time with the Lord and conversations with […]
Two Conceptions; Two Ways to Live
For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave and the other by a free woman. But the one by the slave was born according to the impulse of the flesh, while the one by the free woman was born as the result of a promise… Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of […]
The Apostle Paul and the Curse of God
Twice in Scripture the apostle Paul paints a picture of a time when he should or would experience the curse of God. In both cases he uses the strong word anathema, which speaks to the curse of God, the wrath of God. In his letter to the churches of Galatia, Paul boldly declares that if […]
Character First
When the apostle Paul challenged Timothy to reproduce himself in others, to broaden the number of leaders, and to hand ministry over to more people, he emphasized character over competence. He didn’t diminish competence, but he started with character. Notice the order of the language of this often-quoted leadership development verse: The things you have […]