January 2013

Sitting on a Park Bench with God

Answering God’s call begins with letting him tell me who I am

"How does God see you?" Marion asked me.

Her question fell into the wrung-out quiet that wrapped us both in her office. It was the quiet that falls after someone sobs for 15 minutes without pause while sharing her story in fits and gulps. I looked at her through the haze of contact lenses that now needed a good clean.

"How does God see me? " I echoed, a tad dully.

Her question ...

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Answering the Call of God

It’s all about alignment and anointing

"When did you receive the call?" That's the question young, aspiring ministers ask seasoned pastors. "The call" has come to signify the very moment the pastor knew God wanted him or her to minister and shepherd a flock.

Biblically, the most evident passage referencing "the call" is the Apostle Paul's Damascus road experience. In Acts 9, we read about God's miraculous conversion ...

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A Fake Girlfriend, a Cheater’s Confession, and Inauguration Day

Three recent events that matter to your ministry

Consider these recent events and how they might affect your ministry.

A Fake Dead Girlfriend and Our Longing for Love

College football player Manti Te'o and the unraveling story of his fake girlfriend have been the biggest story of the past week, and as the truth begins to take shape it will continue to be a topic of conversation. What started as a too-good-to-be-true headline—"Football ...

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Going Through the Motions

Are you passionate about what you do?

My husband and I have a long history of full-time Christian service. We met through a campus missionary organization and independently joined the staff of that group. A year later, we both recognized that not only was our calling similar, but our attraction to each other was too! And so began an adventure of listening to God together.

When my husband felt that God was calling ...

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The Dangerous Mistake

Is “your calling” a thing you do, or a voice you hear?

Leaders—whether in church ministry or the workplace—often speak of their "calling" as a time of realization, an ah-ha moment. We knew: this is what I was made to do. This is what God has called me to. I am called to lead.

Sometimes calling creeps in like a fog—and we realize that what we've been doing for the last five years actually is our calling. Or worse, that it's not. ...

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Are You a Wonderstruck Leader? (Part 2)

4 ways to restore your awe of God

…Continued from Part 1.

As passionate followers of Christ committed to serving others, we must be intentional about nurturing a sense of wonder in our lives and discovering God as "wonderful" each and every day.

The gospels ground us in the truth that those who encountered Jesus were left in wild amazement. Those who encountered Christ were awestruck by his teachings, healings, ...

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Are You a Wonderstruck Leader? (Part 1)

4 things that prevent you from living in awe of God

As leaders, we are meant to toss back the covers, climb out of bed, and drink in the fullness of life God intended for us. We are called to live alert to the wonders all around us and within us that expand our desire to know God more. Yet a focus on the functionality of ministry combined with an increased sense of familiarity can numb us to the marvelous work to which we've ...

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The Church of People Who Like to Be Liked

A Christianity measured by niceness is antithetical to the gospel

I really enjoy being nice to people.

Initiating friendly small talk with my grocery-store cashier or graciously showing patience to my overworked waitress brings me happiness. There's something about sharing a laugh with a stranger or bringing a smile to a person's face that is nearly exhilarating. I love it. I walk away with an extra skip in my step and a part of me thinks, ...

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