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.
The Three Works of the Holy Spirit: Dealings
In part two of this series, we explore what it means to accept the dealings of the Spirit in our lives, whether they are positive or negative.
Malcolm Webber
Have You Heard His Voice?
We may think we were searching for Jesus, but He was the one who sought us.
Mark Altrogge
The Three Works of the Holy Spirit: Dependency
In part one of this series, we dive into what it means to walk in the Spirit in utter dependence.
Malcolm Webber
5 Characteristics of Childlike Faith
Childish and childlike are similar words with vastly different meanings. The former encapsulates all the worst things about children – petulance, immaturity, obnoxiousness, selfishness, and so on. It is antithetical to faith. The latter, though, describes all the beautiful things about children – trust, joy, innocence, curiosity, wonder, forgiveness, and so much more. This word, childlike, is the flavor our faith in God ought to have. What follows are five characteristics of childlikeness that make faith robust, rich, and full of life. Like a child.
Barnabas Piper
Give a Cup of Water
Recently I have been talking with them about the challenges they face when sharing the love of Christ and the Gospel. How can we share the Good News if we have memories of failures? What if we are shy and hesitant to speak up, or to speak boldly?
Jim Brenneman
The Most Under-Rated Word in the Life of Christian Leaders
I don’t know what condition you are in right now. I have read the studies about pastors, but more importantly I drink a lot of coffee with church leaders. Some of you are exhausted, discouraged and want to throw in the towel. Some of you are full of vision and bursting with excitement for what God is doing at this very moment. This may all change tomorrow or an hour from now.
Alan Briggs
When You Walk Through Fire
I don’t believe that Christians will never suffer or be sick if they have enough faith, for the Bible promises we will go through trials of many kinds. Yet we should not fear, for God will be with us.
Mark Altrogge
Enjoying Silence?
In order to come to a place of silence and experience God’s presence, I have found it necessary to deal with the noise in my outer and inner life. I need to know how to allow that noise to either become a part of the background or to allow it to become transformational through the surfacing and dealing of those inner thoughts and feelings.
Stephen Mayers
Act Like a King!
As believers, we are made kings and priests because of our relationship to God. Let’s look at some of the kingly qualities that characterize Christian leaders, as well as every believer.
Patty Katzer
The Secret of how to Grow Your Leadership Capacity
Today I’m going to look at “leadership capacity” as a function of strength – strength to carry the responsibilities that we feel called to shoulder.
Mike Breen
Acknowledging God in Your Biblical Leadership
God doesn’t impose on any leader the need to acknowledge Him as the source of their leadership abilities or gratitude for placing them in that position.
James Bruyn
Four Reasons Burnout Is More Prevalent in Leadership
The burden of ministry is that ministry is never over. Those in ministry leadership never punch a clock. Caring for people is never done. Shepherding others is never done because their sanctification is never done.
Eric Geiger
Hope in Heaviness
By checking in on the emotional health of her staff and creating spaces for celebration and hope in the midst of the heaviness, Ann stewards her relationships with her staff and their relationships with the patients they care for.
Kelsey McFaul
The One-Minute Prayer of a Steward Leader
Meaningful time with God can be found in the Sabbath moments that punctuate our day – if we are willing to look for them and treat them in that way. How do we best consecrate these islands of solace in our seas of tumult? I suggest we have ready a one-minute prayer.
Scott Rodin
How to Preach to the Secular Age
Amid everything else Charles Taylor’s A Secular Age attempts to accomplish, at its base, it helps the spiritual leader see that our modern society has come to embrace “self-sufficient humanism.”
John Starke
Intercessory Prayer
God is searching for those who will be intercessors, for those who can actually change life’s situations and people through their fervent, upright prayers.
Joy Dawson
Ten Thousand Reasons for a Thousand Tongues Forever and Ever
When people are well-fed with a feast of the goodness of God, then they are well-served by their worship leaders, and well-prepared to stand and open their mouths to declare His praise.
Jamie Brown
Do You Teach the Fear of God to Your Flock?
We, the church leaders, teach so many truths such as salvation, victorious Christian life, worship, prayer, evangelism, giving to the Lord etc., to our congregations, but do we teach them the fear of God?
Abraham Jebaveeran
What Should We Pray For?
The devil hates prayer. Our own flesh does not naturally love it. Therefore, it does not come full-born and complete and passionate from the womb of our heart. It takes ever renewed discipline.
John Piper
Are You a Grateful Leader?
The big deal Jesus made about gratefulness in the one leper (and the lack thereof in the nine), points to the high value He places on a grateful heart. I believe leaders above all should evidence a grateful heart. Evaluate your level of gratefulness against these three gratefulness indicators.
Charles Stone