“It’s critical that as church leaders we both understand and address the tensions we’re facing. In the same way that diagnosing that pain under your kneecap when you’re trying to run a race is helpful, diagnosing what you sense in the congregation can be critical to taking your next step forward.”   If you lead... Continue Reading

God creates community. Through faith in what Christ has done for us at the cross, we are adopted into the family of God.  We don’t pick our friends; God chooses our brothers and sisters. We are united to one another through the blood of Christ and our friendship with each other is eternal.   My... Continue Reading

Why are Baptism and the Lord’s Supper so essential to being a true, biblical church? Well, firstly because it is biblical – Christ has commanded it!  (Matthew 28:19-20 and Mark 14:22-25).[5]  And since it is his church, the worship and boundaries of the church are set and delineated by him. The church must obey.    One of... Continue Reading

As believers, we are united to one another through the blood of Christ. We’ve been adopted into the family of God making other church members our brothers and sisters in the Lord. These relationships even supplant familial ties (Luke 14:26, Matthew 12:48-50). This is why in some churches, members refer to each other as ‘Brother ____’... Continue Reading

 In prayer, God’s people admit their own frailty and together call upon the name of almighty God.  And in answer to our prayer, God stirs and refreshes the hearts of his people and pours out his Spirit on the church (Isa. 62:6-7, Luke 11:13). God holds out wonderful promises to the church on her knees!  ... Continue Reading

The good news is that pastoral care is something that can be scaled to help your church reach hundreds, and even thousands, of new families. I address this issue comprehensively in my new course, Breaking 200 Without Breaking You (click here if you want to learn more). But what do you do in the meantime... Continue Reading

The biggest way leaders undermine themselves is by not living the vision and values they champion. A leader’s lack of commitment to the values that hang on a wall empty those values of any real culture-shaping authority.   The dictionary first defines undermine as “eroding the base or foundation” and second as “damaging or weakening someone or... Continue Reading

Among several measures taken at the church, one of the most obvious is the Chattanooga police officer standing in front of the McCallie Avenue building during services. Hired in the wake of the 2015 Chattanooga terrorist attack against local military facilities, the armed officer replaced an unarmed security guard.   Recent attacks across the country... Continue Reading

For the Reformers to worship God, whether privately or publicly, was to bow down before His majestic glory, and in spirit and in truth to bring Him, in and through Jesus Christ and in accord with Scripture, the honor and praise that belong to Him alone. Calvin said that the Christian faith turns on two... Continue Reading

When a man becomes an elder, that does not automatically confer some extra measure of spiritual strength, wisdom, or love for neighbor. It does not grant supernatural ability to overcome weakness of personality and temperament. Elders remain sinners.   I’m organizing some thoughts on being an introverted elder and am starting with one basic point.... Continue Reading