Moving Toward Maturity
For many of us, faith was easy as children but has become far more difficult to sustain as adults. The problem, at least in part, is that we try to carry our childish faith into adulthood and find it inadequate.
Skye Jethani
Spiritual Life
Articles in this category focus on issues related to leading from union with the Father and building our spiritual life to increase our effectiveness as Christian leaders.
Skye Jethani
13 Signs of Leadership Fatigue
Leadership is sometimes wearisome – so wearisome that we come close to giving up. Over the years, I’ve watched leaders slide into defeat, and I’ve seen some of these common signs of trouble.
Chuck Lawless
Our Ultimate Purpose Is to Know God – Part 2
Listen to our new episode of In the Word with Malcolm Webber.
Malcolm Webber
A Biblical Balance (from Healing in the Old Testament)
How do we gain a biblically-balanced perspective on healing? Find out more from Healing in the Old Testament by Malcolm Webber.
Malcolm Webber
Footfall
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
Encouragement from a Man Who Raised Millions
Both experienced and emerging leaders dealing with weariness will hopefully find encouragement in this nugget of pure gold – George Mueller’s description of his daily practice of spending time with the Lord. In his day, Mueller raised the equivalent of millions of dollars in funding, which he used to build and run several large [...]
Susan Jensen
But What About My Brother’s Killers?
Forgiveness is hard work. You are dealing with a reality of pain and loss that cannot be pretended away. As leaders we must ask forgiveness as well as forgive, even if it seems impossible.
Rick James
When God Says “No”
Jesus said that God hears our prayers with the ears of a loving Father who gives good things to His children. With this image of God in mind, we are to ask for what we need and desire. This has led some to incorrectly think God will grant whatever we ask.
Skye Jethani
Great Expectations?
“I personally love worshiping with believers from other cultures, especially in their home countries. I can’t help but look around the room and think, this is it! This is a little glimpse of what it’s going to be like in Heaven. Those are some of the most treasured worship memories of my life. Yet I can’t help but wonder why isn’t that [...]
Matthew Winn
Defeating the “Kryptonite Fear” of Unhealthy Leadership
There is no reality in you that will kill this evil kind of “Kryptonite fear” (and tendency to shrink back) more than an ongoing encounter with Love Himself. He is more beautiful and kind and patient and all-knowing than you can understand and it is only a closer proximity to Him that will fuel a hotter degree of “bold” in your [...]
Nick Franks
Is Evangelical Worship Headed for a Huge Crash?
Even I didn’t know most of the songs that we were supposed to be singing along to at the conference. I tuned out. I sat down. I tweeted. I texted my wife. I gave up.
Jamie Brown
Love Comes First
We want to be impressed and even overwhelmed by God’s love for us. It should inspire our worship and provoke our obedience, but can we still be motivated by His love if it is indiscriminate?
Skye Jethani
Deliberate Rest
It seems that like breathing, we can all rest naturally; but to perform at our peak, we can all learn to do it better. It turns out that we have to work at taking deliberate rest. What do you do to rest and recover? How do you detach from your work?
Rick James
Introduction to 1 Peter (from Encouragement to Suffering Saints)
Dive into 1 Peter with us in this excerpt from Encouragement to Suffering Saints by Malcolm Webber.
Malcolm Webber
Are You Nurturing a Healthy Soul?
Burnout is not an uncommon problem in our churches and nonprofits today. You may have had a similar experience. Matt shares five things that he has learned as he has wrestled with burnout and has found a far healthier alternative.
Matt Parker
Lesson from a Laptop
When the pressure is on and there is a lot to do, in the very time we need to be intimately connected to God and depending upon His Spirit, we as Christian leaders tend to cut back on quality time with God and end up “running on battery.” Sadly, what usually starts out as a temporary measure often becomes a dangerous habit. Before long, [...]
Bert Watson
The Peace & Might of Gideon
Gideon’s colossal might in slaying thousands of men in war is not at odds in any way with his heart and posture of peace. Gideon was fully a man of peace and yet he was also a man of violence, aggressive strategy, confrontation and victory. Gideon would never have achieved this, never would have functioned as one of Yahweh’s Judges of [...]
Nick Franks
See, I Am Doing a New Thing!
Isaiah 43:18-19 is a very popular verse in the New Year. It’s in social media, as a part of church sermons, in devotions and even on greeting cards. But what does it really mean?
Elaine Vitikainen
Know Your Enemy (from Deliverance)
Find out more about the principles and practice of deliverance ministry in this excerpt from Deliverance by Patty Katzer and Malcolm Webber.
Malcolm Webber
The Sower and the Seed
The Parable of the Sower is one of the most well-known of Jesus’ parables, but it could be more aptly named “The Parable of the Soils” due to its focus on where the seed lands.
Chris Wheeler