The phrase “diagnosed with disconnection” comes from a compelling story in Johann Hari’s book Lost Connections. He tells the story of a psychiatrist, Dr. Derek Summerfield, who traveled to Cambodia to learn about the mental health of the Cambodians. The Cambodians realized there were people who struggled with deep sadness and pointed to this one…
sin
Popeyes, Our Fascination With “New,” and the Exhaustion of Climbing
Because I grew up in the New Orleans area I grew up eating and loving Popeye’s Chicken (Popeyes started in New Orleans). As a kid, my parents would drive us by Al Copeland’s house at Christmas, the founder of Popeyes, because of the incredible Christmas lights he put up each year. My childhood nostalgia had…
7 Signs We Are Not Spiritually Hungry
We all hunger for something, at all times. Whether for position, for influence, for affluence, for possessions, for a relationship, or for righteousness – we are hungry for something. Jesus said that only those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled. In Jesus’ Kingdom, the only way to be satisfied is to be…
5 Sins Leaders Must Constantly Give New Wounds To
In his famous and classic work, Mortification of Sin, John Owen wrote, “Never think your sin is dead because it is quiet, but labor to give it new wounds, new blows every day.” He also famously wrote, “Be killing sin or sin will be killing you.” The more we think our sin is quiet, the…
4 Signs of a Self-Centered Team Member
If you have been leading for any period of time you have learned the corrosive power of selfishness on a team. Instead of being committed to the mission of the ministry or organization, a selfish team member is obsessed with his or her own agenda. Selfish team members can’t bring unbiased wisdom to a discussion…
How to Recognize Repentance in a Restoration Process
When friends or ministry leaders fall, we can find ourselves in the serious conversations of designing a restoration process – a process that places the leader in the care of others with the purpose of restoring the person to some type of leadership. In recent years, I have been asked frequently about restoring someone to…
7 Indications That Fear is Hampering Your Leadership
In the book of Proverbs God gives His people a collection of wise sayings on living life skillfully. One of those sayings contrasts trusting the Lord with fearing other people. The fear of mankind is a snare but the one who trusts the Lord is protected (Proverbs 29:25). We are commanded to fear the Lord….
Two Views: Severance and Financial Support for a Fallen Leader
I have enjoyed and benefited from the theological books that present multiple views on important theological vantage points. They have helped provide clarity on differing positions and caused me to research further and even challenge my own viewpoints. Today I want to offer two different views on severance or financial support for a fallen ministry…
4 Ways a Church Should Respond with Grace When a Leader Falls
The central message of the Christian faith is the gospel, the good news that Christ exchanged our sin for His righteousness and forgiveness. Those of us who have been rescued by His grace have been called out of the kingdom of this world and into His kingdom. We are “the called-out ones,” the Church. Therefore,…
3 Warning Signs You Are Responding with Pride to a Leader’s Fall
People love to watch great and mighty buildings fall. We find it fascinating that a structure that took years to build can come down in a few seconds. Some arrive hours early for a scheduled implosion to get a good view of the devastating seconds when the building topples inward. Those who love to watch…