Many Christians say we need to love the sinner and hate the sin. Others say we need to love the sinner and hate our own sin. However, those pithy statements do not deal with the serious matter of how Christians are to respond to the changing values in their world. I believe there is a biblical, four-step response.  Read More

What are you teaching your children? What would you add to this list?  Read More

What do you teach them? You can teach your child many things, but there are only a handful you can emphasize and plant firmly in their hearts. When we were young parents, my wife and I centered in on these ten things:  Read More

Physical vertigo is a condition where your brain cannot process what your eyes see. Spiritual vertigo happens when our faith cannot process what we see, hear, or experience. We become spiritually disconnected, off balance, and doubt our faith in God. What are the causes of spiritual vertigo?   Read More

Just as the early Christians in Galatia were challenged to remain faithful to the gospel, modern-day leaders must navigate pressures to compromise their values for popularity or convenience.   Read More

We have been in a series of leadership lessons on what it takes to have longevity in a ministry. We have said there are two areas we concern ourselves:The inner life of the pastorThe relationship with the congregationIn the first area, we find six principles:A calling to ministryA mission with that callingA godly definition of successA disciplined lifeA willingness to changeA security found in Chr...  Read More

We have been in a series of leadership articles on “Leaders Who Last.” It’s been said that a person changes every 4-7 years. If a pastor is going to have longevity in ministry, he must reinvent himself several times.Pastors, we often lament on our church’s unwillingness to embrace change. There are articles and books written on the challenges and steps to bring about change in a church. Few write ...  Read More

What is the secret of longevity in ministry? After 31 years, I can say, “I am a hard guy to run off.”I am often asked, “What is the one thing that makes longevity possible”? There is no one thing. It’s like after getting a fly wheel spinning at a high speed asking someone, “What was the big push that made it go that fast”? There is no one push. There are several elements involved.In this study, we...  Read More

We must define the win. If the win is defined by the world, such as, money, fame, numbers (alone), your sense of mission will wane with time and pressure.John 15:4,5 says, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that ...  Read More

After 31 years in the same church, I am often asked the secret to longevity in the ministry. There is no “magic bullet,” but I see 12 principles that are true in my life; six center around my personal life and six center around my relationships with others.Personal lifeA calling to ministryA mission within that callingA Godly definition of successA disciplined lifeA willingness to changeA security...  Read More

According to a recent survey by George Barna, 38% of pastors have considered quitting in the past year. It seems ministry is harder than it needs to be. However, leaving or running to another problem situation is not the answer. After all, if your church did not have problems, they wouldn’t need you.After 31 years at the same church and 9 at my previous church, I believe there are 12 key elements ...  Read More

How tough is the ministry? Dr. John Bisagno told the story of listing the over 100 young men called to the ministry when he started pastoring. Of those 100, plus friends and acquaintances, only 4 of them retired as Pastor. In a recent George Burns survey, 38% of pastors considered quitting the ministry over the past year.When we are first called to ministry, many will admire you for your dedicatio...  Read More