Blog

Free Study Guide for 12 Ways
Here’s a free study guide for 12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You. Great resource for youth (and not-so-youth) groups.

Top Reasons Why a Long Commute May Be Worth It
Three reasons to look forward to work even when you have a grueling commute.

A New Kind of Youth Ministry (to save the local church)
Not sure where this series is going but this initial article on he historical background to youth ministry is fascinating.

The Most Important Ingredient for Rebuke
“Be ready to say the hard thing, Timothy, and then do the harder thing and practice complete patience with fellow sinners.”

6 Surprises Every Premarital Counselor Should Cover
“Many young couples head into marriage with blinders—believing their marriage will be the fairy tale they dreamed of as they planned a Pinterest ceremony and momentous honeymoon. But the truth is marriage reveals our sin, exposes our desires, challenges our relational network, and requires us to regularly practice costly forgiveness. Engaged folk need to know that marriage is a call to ministry where two sinners learn—till death parts them—how to apply the gospel of grace.”

Leaders and Loneliness
I agree with this assessment. I’d only add that in the falls I’ve witnessed, the pastors and leaders chose isolation, resisting fellowship and accountability. It wasn’t people who pulled away from them; they pushed people away.

“In the past two years, five of my friends who are pastors lost their ministries because of moral failure. Five. Most of these pastors were also well known and celebrated beyond their local contexts. From the outside, it seemed they were at their peak pastorally and relationally. How could it be otherwise? Their books sold like hotcakes, they had speaking engagements galore, and their adoring congregations devoured their words like honey. Surrounded by such acclaim, the one thing they couldn’t possibly be… …is lonely. “

Mexico City Burnout
If American pastors think they’ve got it bad….

5 Tough Lessons from the Death of Nabeel
Why would God take away such a beloved and useful servant of Christ?

6 Actions to Take when Grieving the Death of a Loved One
Six things that, if done in faith, can be the way to resurrection.

Kindle Books

10 Things Every Minister’s Wife Needs To Know by Jeana Floyd $2.99.

Wait and See: Finding Peace in God’s Pauses and Plans by Wendy Pope $2.99.

The Dating Manifesto: A Drama-Free Plan for Pursuing Marriage with Purpose by Lisa Anderson $1.59.