For years I have tried to blow the whistle on the subject of shallow theology. This is a current trend among evangelical churches to keep things shallow. It is especially highlighted among the current 20-30-something crowd. Quite a few of my pastoral peers fit into this mold. Most have not heeded the warning. They look… Continue reading A Call for Pastors and Churches to Go Deep
In October I celebrated 15 years of pastoring Cornerstone Bible Church in Forest City, PA. A lot of people don’t know that this is unusual. Pastor turnover rates are high for much of the country. The average tenure of 3.5 years is now around 6.5 years, depending on the study you read. An improvement, but… Continue reading How to Keep a Pastor for 15 Years
The reality is that we all need courage to face life. We all have issues whether emotional, relational, physical, mental, spiritual, or financial. We have events and seasons in life when we need the courage to press on and do so well. Where can you get that courage? My contention is that you can get… Continue reading Attending Church Gives You Courage to Face Life
The reality is that we all need courage to face life. We all have some issues – whether emotional, relational, physical, mental, spiritual, and/or financial. We have events and seasons in life when we need the courage to press on and do so well. Where can you get that courage? My contention is that you… Continue reading Attending Church Gives You Courage to Face Life
This is a three part series covering 15 myths about giving and church. Last week we looked at the first five: it’s my money; I’m too poor to give; I don’t give, but I serve; my church doesn’t need my money; and giving ends at 10%. This week we will cover five more myths about… Continue reading 15 Myths about Giving and Church Part II
Many people have been told recently that online “church” is a fine substitute for church. I have written articles listing 8 reasons why I find that to not be true. You can read them here (link) and here (link). One of the reasons I think we still need (and are called to gather) as local… Continue reading 6 Benefits of Live Local Preaching
Over the last couple years, there has been a debate about what church is and how we do it. Really this is nothing new, but the recent debate stirred up again those attempting to make the case that “online church” is the same as attending a service in person. There are even prominent Christian leaders… Continue reading 8 Reasons to Come to Church Physically, Part 1
Many of us know what God has to say about ethics, and if we break His commands it is sin. But, can you be too conservative? Is it sinful to be too “religious?” Let me give some qualifiers. First, let’s be clear about what I am not talking about. I am not speaking about conservatism… Continue reading The Sin of Being Too Conservative
By Guest Blogger Ty Woznek This article is by guest blogger Ty Woznek. He is the senior pastor of Heartland Church in Norfolk, Nebraska. Ty and I have been friends for a few years. We often discuss theology, Christian philosophy, and church practice, sometimes on a weekly basis. Recently he published this article that I… Continue reading Should Pastors Engage in Politics? Part II
Guest Blogger Ty Woznek This article is by guest blogger Ty Woznek. He is the senior pastor of Heartland Church in Norfolk, Nebraska. Ty and I have been friends for a few years. We often discuss theology, Christian philosophy, and church practice, sometimes on a weekly basis. Recently he published this article that I thought… Continue reading Should Pastors Engage in Politics? Part I
