Many people today are asking themselves, “Where is God?” It’s a legitimate question during a global pandemic—even pastors are likely asking it this year. In fact, some researchers are suggesting that 20 percent of U.S. churches may never reopen. If you’re asking, “Where is God?” right now, the Bible has an answer. He’s right beside […]

This is one of my favorite quotes on education from my friend, AJ Juliani:     We talked about this recently on my podcast, and I discuss thinking about shifting from moving to engagement to empowerment.   When I first started teaching, my focus was to make sure students were really interested in the way that […]

You have three options for what you can do with your life. You can waste it on pursuits that don’t matter. You can spend it on making a name for yourself. Or you can invest your life in ways that will bring God glory for future generations. Leaders invest their lives in ways that will […]

The power of the internet deliver info overload the leadership subject is no different. There's much that has actually been blogged about leadership: guidelines, tips, designs, and bios of motivating leaders throughout world history. Regrettably, there are particular leadership ideas that we fall short to identify. Here is a list of things you believed you […]

The way you structure a sermon matters. I believe the biblical text should determine the substance of your message, but the way people hear and learn should determine the structure of your message. Even when you’re preaching on a single passage, you’re obligated to apply the truth of that passage. But the Bible never says […]

The third part of my new book,  “Because of a Teacher,” is focused on providing advice that you would give to yourself as a first-year teacher.  When I described my hopes for this chapter, it was to share a vulnerability in their own practice as truly accomplished educators and help others see the importance of […]

Research tells us that more people struggle with setting goals than they do accomplishing them. Sitting down and actually thinking about what God wants us to do with our lives is often the hardest part. Yet the biggest differentiator between those who were moderately successful in life and those who were highly successful is whether […]

People only accomplish the goals they plan to accomplish. You probably have big plans to engage your community with the message of Jesus, but you need to back that vision up with tangible, written-down goals.  Genesis 24 and the story of Eliezer provide a great model for us in developing and pursuing goals. Last week, […]

As I have shared before, ideas will pop into my head, and I tend to jump in without much planning and figure out where things will take me. I heard this in a podcast one day, and although I do not know the source, it challenged my thinking:     “The difference between successful people […]

To be effective in ministry, you must manage your time well. Whether you’re a full-time or bi-vocational pastor, it can sometimes feel like the time you put into ministry gets crowded out by everything else. The problem with your time isn’t the clock. It’s not your schedule. It’s how you use the time you have. […]