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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Last month my article included some thoughts about stewardship and personal financial management. I believe it is important to understand biblical principles regarding money management and for everyone to have a financial plan, but can one go overboard with money management and become obsessed with planning? I recently came across an article that suggests “excellence” is…
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When it comes to ministry, there are many things that the Lord has left for us to navigate using wisdom principles and the Holy Spirit. For example, should you live stream or podcast your services? Or both? Or neither? How much of discipleship should be multi-generational, and how much should be age- and stage-specific? These…
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Over the last couple of years, we have dedicated significant amounts of time, energy, and finances to come alongside RMD churches in the area of student and kids ministries. This month I want to give an update on one such ministry and announce a new initiative. Update: Youth Leader Weekend Resources Last month youth workers from…
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A couple of months back I read a fascinating (and sad) article about a Navy sailor who died during BUD/S (Navy SEAL training). There is a lot that can be gleaned and discussed from this story, but one thing in particular caught my attention. Over the years, the BUD/S program has become increasingly difficult, and the graduation…
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Last month, I wrote about how easy it is to be more dependent on ourselves than on the Lord. We can get so proficient at “ministry” that we can, over time, find ourselves estranged from the One we serve. This usually happens through any number of small steps that move us away from God rather…
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Just 28 days ago, many of you sent your high school students off to Orlando, FL, for LIFE Conference 2022. This triennial gathering of C&MA students is crafted to be a time of worship, teaching, and encouragement. For many of our students, this last aspect is vitally important. The Kingdom life has always been, and…
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Perhaps, like me, many of you were taught early in ministry that the way to multiply something is to divide it in half. If you want to multiply a small group, develop another leader and divide the group into two groups. If you want to multiply your youth group, find another leader and divide the…
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Growing up, Saturday was Chore-day. Dad would assemble us kids and then begin handing out chores: Chris, mow the lawn, Mike, wash the van, Jana… you get the picture. I remember one time I was assigned to mow the lawn, but when I went to start the lawn mower it was out of gas. When I went back…
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