Care for your Community; Don’t Merely Consume From It

In the summer of 2010, Kaye and I were on vacation in New York City and we attended services at Redeemer Presbyterian church. Before the sermon, a young man stood in front of the congregation and prayed to the Lord on behalf of the whole congregation. He prayed specifically for the city they lived in […]

Who Are the iGeneration and What Does Research Tell Us?

Boomers. Generation X. Millenials. You have likely read research and descriptions on each generation. While generational generalities cannot adequately or specifically describe individuals, generational names and descriptions endure because they are helpful in understanding the influences and the commonalities in a generation of people. Thus parents, ministry leaders, and educators are wise to pay attention […]

6 Ways to Attack Viruses That Destroy Leaders

I shared yesterday how Steve Graves recently challenged my leadership team with six viruses that commonly take leaders down. Steve continued to give us solid insight on how to fight and attack the viruses that can corrupt a leader’s heart. While the counsel he gave is simple, we often over-complicate defeating sin and guarding our […]

3 Warning Signs a Leader Is Growing Numb

Because leadership is challenging and never-ending, many leaders are prone to exhaustion and burnout. There is always more to do, always more to accomplish, and always people disappointed. To fight the pains of leadership, wise leaders take time to continually care for their own health and their own souls. And when burnout creeps in, wise […]

3 Reasons Your Church Must Care About Groups This Fall

While one person can make a significant impact on each of us, we tend to be much more influenced by groups of people. Here is a fascinating example: The Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona has often faced a crisis as people can steal petrified wood at an alarming rate. Some researchers tested what message […]

4 Ways Confrontation Must Happen in Christian Community

For almost fifteen years, you have likely been exposed to “If you see something, say something” messaging. An ad agency developed the messaging shortly after the horrific terrorism and tragedies of September 11, 2001. While some federal agencies rejected the campaign, the NYC Transportation Authority adopted it to encourage residents and tourists to report any […]

Darkness, Being Anonymous, and Church

Does darkness and anonymity impact one’s behavior? Researchers from the University of Toronto conducted a series of experiments to discover the impact of darkness on one’s perception of being anonymous. In one experiment, the researchers placed participants in two different rooms and instructed them to complete math problems and reward themselves with allotted money each […]

Facebook Friends and Church: Connectivity vs. Community

How many friends on Facebook are really friends, you know, there for you and show up when you need them type friends? Hal Niedzviecki wondered this when he invited all 700 of his Facebook friends to a party he was hosting. He wanted to gather his “friends,” get to know them better, and perhaps further connect […]

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 […]