A giving challenge is an ideal way to get hesitant members to commit to giving for a specified period of time and to re-engage those who may have fallen off. The best way to introduce a giving challenge is to tie it in with one of your messages or testimonies on stewardship. Turn your people’s attention to the idea of … Read More
Leaders Care For Their Flock
“He cared for them with a true heart and led them with skillful hands.” –Psalm 78:82 (NLT)
Calvin on God’s Infinite Goodness
“However many blessings we expect from God, His infinite liberality will always exceed all our wishes and our thoughts.” — John Calvin (10 July 1509 – 27 May 1564) was a French theologian, pastor and reformer in Geneva during the Protestant Reformation. He was a principal figure in the development of the system of Christian theology later called Calvinism, aspects … Read More
Thinking About Thinking
Since the quality of your life is so directly tied to the quality of your internal dialogue, you must do all you can to shape that dialogue for your own good. Understanding the power of your thoughts or knowing you need to change is not enough. You have to take specific action. Here are some practical steps you can take … Read More
Love Your Family: Putting in the Hard Work
Providing well for your family is a major component of loving them–and hard work is key to being able to provide well. For some reason, however, too many pastors have gotten it into their heads that ministry is a soft profession–that it can be done with less effort and intentionality than other jobs. In a surprising number of ministerial circles, … Read More
Leaders Endure with Patience
“God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” — James 1:12 (NLT)
Hudson Taylor On Humble Good Works
“As our Father makes many a flower to bloom unseen in the lonely desert, [let us] do all that we can do, as under God’s eye, though no other eye ever take note of it.” — James Hudson Taylor (May 21, 1832 – June 3, 1905) was a pioneer in reaching the unreached for Christ. He was unlike any other … Read More
4 Helpful Tips for Effective Project Marking
Many tasks you tackle will be small enough to complete in a single sitting. But for those larger projects, you must always be able to track where you are. Marking where you left on a project is a relatively simple step you must take for your own sake and for that of your reputation, your staff, volunteers, and your church. … Read More
Sidestepping Stress: The Stress-Health Connection
Walking in the fullness of the new you goes beyond eating well, exercising, and getting enough rest. To achieve and maintain true health, you also have to learn to handle the stress in your life. Otherwise, it will derail your other efforts, keeping you overweight, sick, emotionally bound, and quite possibly taking you to an early grave. When you begin … Read More
Leaders Will Be Victorious
“All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.” —Revelation 21:7 (NLT)