Category Archives: Leadership
Soul care, equipping and encouragement of those who find themselves on the front lines of vocational ministry. The endless demands of church growth, budgets and growing healthy vibrant communities of faith place a lot of pressure on leaders and their families. Be equipped and resourced to lead well, proven strategies for balancing family and ministry demands, conflict resolution plus preventatives to avoid burn out. Focusing on your needs as a ministry leader so you can continue to serve those within your community.

Lament

There was a tradition in a segment of Psalms referred to as the lament psalms. It was the pouring out of one's grief with all its ugliness to God. It was often in response to great loss, death, war, captivity and often gave voice to great despair and anger. In all the rawness that could…

People who meet me today are shocked to learn that as a younger man I was a bouncer at a somewhat legendary honky tonk in Calgary, Alberta. It was a fairly rough place at times, and a night wasn't complete without helping people leave the premises often under duress. In that position we had two…

Conventional wisdom tells us it is a good idea to share our goals with others for the purpose of vocalizing them and soliciting help with accountability to help keep us on track. But Derek Sivers suggests this may, in fact, be counter productive to realizing your goals. Sivers argues based on the work of social…

The Radical Middle. Healthy Faith in a World of Extremes

Driving the backroads of rural Alberta can be an adventure into some of the most lovely country in the world. There is a unique beauty of the Alberta prairie. Driving the gravel roads can be a bit of a trick as different stretches of the road can be different than others - washboards, deeply rutted,…

Once upon a time there was a rich investor, and she had a very successful portfolio of investments. One day she determined that she would have to go on an extended business trip, and she called three of her managers to her office. She explained to them about the business trip and that she…

The great poet T.S. Eliot once wrote: We shall not cease from exploration And the end of all our exploring Will be to arrive where we started And know the place for the first time.   A profound turn of phrase and very true if we live even slightly awake. It is most certainly true with…

As a Ministry leader, you know the constant, subtle and not so subtle demands to be personally involved in many of the different activities of Church. Healthy boundaries in ministry will certainly go a long way in helping you maintain the heart and quality of your ministry, your relationship with God and with your…

What do we do when what we think the "Bible clearly says" turns out to be wrong? There are many things in Scripture that we can stand on with confidence - like Jesus, and Jesus is the key to understanding and applying Scripture in life-giving ways. In saying that, very few things make the hair on…

Many of us are familiar with the Beatitudes in Matthew 5. You know, Blessed are the poor. Blessed are the ... . There are two words that translate into "Blessed" in first century Judaism. The first, in Hebrew beraka (and the Greek eulogeo) and this word, isn't used in the Beatitudes. This word is used in prayer asking…

The Lesson I have Learned from a Stuffed Rabbit

Being free to be truly authentic is a genuine desire for many people. To be known and still loved. Folks are also looking for authenticity in those who lead them, but this is contrary to many conventional leadership styles. It can be dangerous to be authentic because some see it as a weakness, and,…

December 23, 2016
Christ Climbed Down

Christ Climbed Down Christ climbed down from His bare Tree this year and ran away to where there were no rootless Christmas trees hung with candycanes and breakable stars Christ climbed down from His bare Tree this Year and ran away to where there were no gilded Christmas trees and no tinsel Christmas trees and no tinfoil Christmas trees and Continue Reading...
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August 25, 2014
Follow Jesus – On the Way

With a sincere desire to cultivate a deeper experience and relationship with God many folks are conditioned to ask the question "how." How can I experience greater peace, joy and freedom in the Lord? How can I get a deeper sense of my relationship with Jesus in all of life? These are honest questions. Unfortunately, for many, we are looking Continue Reading...
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December 15, 2011
Building Hope

We have been talking about the importance of leaders having real hope and how that can help the people in their teams to move ahead with enthusiasm. However, the past few years of the global financial crisis has really knocked many people's hope levels down. Hopes of a business being successful or of long planned investments paying off richly or Continue Reading...
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Lament

Punched, Naked and a Long Walk

Keep your Goals to Yourself?

The Radical Middle. Healthy Faith in a World of Extremes

Investment Strategy

Used by God – Revisited

Healthy Boundaries in Ministry

When We Understand it Wrong – Scripture

Blessed – A Present Reality

The Lesson I have Learned from a Stuffed Rabbit

My Blog – Articles

Christ Climbed Down

Follow Jesus – On the Way

Building Hope