Have you ever thought about what makes a church healthy? In our last post, we mentioned that two ingredients in a healthy church are UNITY and DIVERSITY. Although diverse people from various walks of life usually make up a church, they can still be unified through the Holy Spirit. In…
I have been a pastor for eighteen years in the state of Kentucky. In my current role with the Kentucky Baptist Convention, I travel around the state and work with churches of all shapes and sizes. In my travels, I’ve seen and heard of churches I would describe as “healthy”…
Discouragement is a deadly disease that’s not only universal, but also highly contagious. Have you ever noticed that when you hang around with someone who’s discouraged, you get discouraged yourself? But discouragement is also curable! Veteran Dodger Bill Russell once said, “Winners – pros – never give up in a slump. They…
As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:12 (NIV) One of the latest songs from Casting Crowns entitled, East to West, continues to remind me why we should continually strive to live holy lives that are pleasing in…
Today I began another year on planet earth. I reserve the right to be silent about my age, but I will say that I’ve been a Christian now for 34 years. I believe that birthdays should serve as times of celebration, but they should also cause us to reflect, refocus,…
When I was a young man in my twenties, I decided to take up running. I discovered that I not only loved the sport, but I was a halfway decent runner. I built up my endurance to the point that I averaged about 40-50 miles of running each week. I…
This evening I’m sitting in a great little espresso bar in Black Mountain, North Carolina called Perks. The next time you’re in town, stop by, give a shoutout to Peter (the owner), and have a coffee or smoothie in a really cool environment surrounded by the Black Mountain Range. While…
Recently, I’ve developed a casual interest in a variety of television cooking shows. Ironically, I can’t cook much of anything–I specialize in eating. Oh, I can serve a mean peanut butter and jelly sandwich along with a decent pot of coffee, but that’s about it. I’m not sure why I…
The average church could learn a lot from Chick-fil-A. Last night my family dropped by for a casual dinner. As usual, we had a wonderful experience. Good food, great service, fair prices! Their mission statement is simple, “Be America’s Best Quick-Service Restaurant!” The founder, Truett Cathy, may well have fulfilled…
Last night, we were hosted by the Mt. Washington First Baptist Church where the new International Mission Board chairman, Dr. Paul Chitwood, serves as pastor. Darryl Wilson of The Sunday School Revolutionary, Alan Witham, and I, led an assimilation conference as a part of our tour around Kentucky. During one of…
Two encounters are critical. First, the leader encounters God in His Word and is changed. Second, the leader guides the group to have a life-changing encounter.