As I wrap up the busy spring ministry schedule and head into a change of pace for summer, I’m looking forward to processing some of the events, reading, and discussions that I’ve experienced over the last few months. High atop the list of things that are on my mind are the following two ideas. #1…
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One of the great things about being part of the Alliance is that we have regular and frequent opportunities to have International Workers present in our churches. In the RMD this typically means several days, and not just for a Sunday. For some of you, this may feel very normal, but for others who have…
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Most of us desire excellence and would love to be excellent at what we do. Overall, I think this is a good thing and something that God would praise and encourage us toward. However, like almost everything, there is a dark side to excellence, especially when it comes to church. In short, I believe the…
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Of all of the things that I love about my role in the RMD, the thing I love the most is serving with all of you. I genuinely enjoy just being with you as friends, I love working together to accomplish the mission of God, and I greatly value the conversations that we get to…
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Briefly stated, a missions partnership is a vehicle that enables missions engagement. When we choose to engage in a partnership with an International Worker (IW) and their team, we effectively bring their work from across the world into our world. Missiologist Dwight Smith called this “telescoping” – taking something that is far away and making…
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If you’re over the age of 40, perhaps the first thing that pops into your head when you see this is “Cowboys”. Where have all the cowboys gone? You wouldn’t be alone. The song by the same name was released in 1997 by Paula Cole and went to number eight on the Billboard Hot 100…
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There are various ways to approach creating ministry strategy. Here is one approach that has been helpful to me over the years: Goals, Content, and Environments. Goals Before embarking on a trip, you need to know the destination, and the same is true when developing strategy. Therefore, the first step is to look ahead to…
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I probably don’t need to convince you that short-term mission (STM) trips have value. From coming alongside partners and providing a boost to long-term work, to being a tool that God uses to shape us into the image of Christ – including the call of many into full-time vocational ministry, there is abundant worth in…
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If you have ever been through a Church Planter Boot Camp or Prepare to Plant Training you know that part of that training focuses on the mission of the church and how to implement that mission. Among the important components that are discussed, three are of particular importance: Mission: why the church exists. Strategies: how the…
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Are you familiar with the human resource concept of hard and soft skills? Hard skills are specific technical skills like the ability to code, weld, design an app, or operate a piece of equipment. They are tangible and generally easy to evaluate or measure. Soft skills, on the other hand, are more akin to character…
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