Articles in this category focus on rejoicing in the community of other believers, how to build and nurture community, and how to better reflect Jesus Christ to our brothers and sisters in the faith.
In our leadership contexts, and crucially, within our natural and preferred leadership styles, let us never forget to consider whether our approaches are genuinely reflective of Kingdom values or not.
Nick Franks
Simply by valuing others, we can open up lines of communication that we thought were closed.
Elaine Vitikainen
How do you recognize numbness in your own leadership? Here are three warning signs.
Eric Geiger
Research studies all seem to return to one major theme to explain the exodus of church members: a sense of some need not being filled. In other words, these members have ideas of what a local congregation should provide for them, and they leave because those provisions have not been met. But many times, probably more than we would like [...]
Thom S. Rainer
It is relatively easy to live victoriously when we are all by ourselves. The “spiritual lone ranger” is not tested as deeply as the man who lives in community. It is easy to be patient when no one is irritating us! In reality, we only really mature and grow as Christians in the context of community.
Malcolm Webber
God, in everything, carries out the plan of His will. Can we trust Him as leaders?
Deborah Chupp
The church is in disunity for several reasons including gossip, self-serving leaders and lack of prayer. This breakdown of unity severely hinders our mission of reaching the lost and building the Kingdom of God.
Thom S. Rainer
When you next encounter someone who is proclaiming a false christ, or someone who announces their belief in no Christ at all, have the confidence of your convictions to ‒ instead of arguing or debating ‒ lead in prayer and in spiritual authority. Then, in a moment of faith, trust that the living, breathing, all-consuming Jesus Christ [...]
Nick Franks
Pastors’ children find themselves in a complicated position within the church community. Members’ expectations about their behavior, harmful gossip, and the taxing schedule of their pastoring parent may cause anxiety and breed cynicism in so-called “PKs” (Pastor’s Kids). Thom provides us with five reminders about how to combat this.
Thom S. Rainer
What started as a romantic bike ride had become a small intimate adventure. I had inadvertently awed her with my relaxed trust in her steering. And boy did I reap the benefits, scoring big points with my new wife. Not a bad idea on your honeymoon.
Jess MacCallum
Forgiveness is an essential component of any healthy organization. Forgiveness needs to be ingrained into the organization’s culture, modeled by the leadership, and embraced and practiced by everyone. It’s not easy - sometimes forgiving another person needs to be a conscious, daily decision!
Matt Parker
Do you struggle in seeking out relationships with mature leaders to learn from them? This holistic design will help.
Malcolm Webber
Check out what I’m growing in my garden this year. And in my leadership.
Adrian Pei
Is it time for us to go beyond “East vs. West” leadership charts?
Adrian Pei
Pastors are surrounded with people. We confer with them in meetings, conflict with them in ministry, visit them in hospitals, counsel them in crises and train them in seminars. We pour our lives into them. But who pours their lives into us?
Robert Walter
As summer approaches, ministry leaders in many churches will spend time recruiting and training new leaders to serve in their church’s kids ministry, the youth ministry, and to lead groups and classes for adults. If you are approached and asked, here are six reasons you should say yes.
Eric Geiger
The work of creation involved the whole Godhead. No individual is inferior, yet team leadership doesn’t eliminate the value of a principal leader or director. The team together has all the gifts and capabilities necessary to lead effectively.
Raj Chelvaraj
How often have we been challenged by the “problem of evil”? If there really is a “God,” then why is there so much suffering and evil in the world? In fact the existence of evil, and our distress over the unfairness of it – this angst over evil ‒ is a strong evidence that there is a powerful God who cares!
Jim Brenneman
Despite the team’s initial desire to keep the positive momentum, avoid further anxiety and move on, the dissenting voice forced us to slow down. It turned out to be a gift as we got to grips with heartfelt issues.
Dr. Stanley Arumugam