Five Types of Thinkers on Your Team
Aristotle made a classic overstatement by saying, “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” It isn’t. “After all, our hearts are more deceitful than anything else, and incurable—who can understand them?” (Jeremiah 17:9) Wisdom comes not from a futile attempt to understand our own hearts, but by fearing the Lord. The author of Proverbs […]
Why It Is Unfair to Treat Everyone the Same
Should Phil Jackson (once head coach of the Chicago Bulls) have treated Michael Jordan (if you don’t know who he is, this illustration won’t make any sense) the same as the other players on the team? Some reasoned that Jordan should be treated like the other players; after all, “They are a team. Every player […]
Ministry Makes You More Holy or More Hypocritical
Ministry will make you more holy or more of a hypocrite. Ministering to others will drive you to the Word, to your knees in prayer, and to a holy dependence on God OR ministering to others will confront you with the opportunity to pretend to be someone you are not. Ministry will develop you or […]
Group Pastors: Both of These Can’t Be True
God uses community to mature and grow His people. Without the encouragement of others, sin hardens our hearts (Hebrews 3:13). As Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “Sin wants to have a man by himself.” Sin hates Christian community because true Christian community seeks the sanctification of its members. I believe in the power and necessity of Christian […]
Discipleship and Mission: An Encouragement and a Caution
Charles Spurgeon said, “Every Christian is either a missionary or an impostor.” As disciples of Jesus, we are simultaneously sent to live on mission. Living on mission is part of what it means to be a disciple. Biblically, there is no such thing as a disciple who does not live on mission. As Christ was […]
Life in Community: Joining Together to Display the Gospel
Dustin Willis has planted, pastored, and now serves thousands of churches in his role at the North American Mission Board. Dustin co-authored Life on Mission and blogs regularly at SendNetwork.com. Additionally, Dustin just released his new book, Life in Community: Joining Together to Display the Gospel. Dustin has a heart to see everyday people join together […]
Three Important Stats About Our Cultural Context
The end result of a church’s focus must not merely be a bigger or better church, but a transformed community. The end result of a church’s mission statement must not be the church itself, but a broader community impacted and changed. As we consider serving and impacting the world around us, it is wise to […]
Developing an Intentional Plan for Discipleship
I recently had a chance to talk to Rick Howerton, our Small Group Specialist at LifeWay, about a serious struggle he is seeing in discipleship ministries all around the country and how LifeWay is trying to help. Here’s a look at our conversation: Eric: You talk to hundreds of pastors and group leaders all over […]
Three Questions to Ask as You Discern the Culture of Your New Church
Realtors love the summer because it is a time when many families move. Kids have completed a school year, so summer provides a transitional season. When ministry leaders change roles, they often do so in the summer. I know this personally as our moves from Cincinnati to Miami and then Miami to Nashville both took […]
Six Questions on Men and Women Serving Together
I gather on a monthly basis with all the managers in the division that I lead for a time of training. A few months ago I asked Faith Whatley, our director of adult ministry, to train and offer insights on men and women serving alongside one another. Faith has been serving at LifeWay for 20+ […]