Ha! I know it is October, and yet I am writing a column entitled Thankfulness! Shouldn’t that wait till November, when we actually celebrate Thanksgiving??? Well, actually, we can be thankful anytime, can’t we? I have been reading through the Psalms lately and this past weekend the words of a Psalm I have read over many, many times,…
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As the C&MA has moved more toward partnership models of missions engagement, a question has arisen that I hear frequently: How do we handle an IW tour with a non-partner IW? This is a great question, and it expresses itself in various ways such as, “How do we stay focused on our partners when we…
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Recently I saw a headline that came from a U.S. Department of Labor report that said the average man in America will hold 12.7 jobs in his lifetime. The average woman will have about 12.1. Diving into the report a bit, you find things like the statistics drawn from later-era baby boomers born from 1957-1964.…
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Student loan forgiveness has been a hot topic in the news over the past couple of years. One day there will be a promising plan announced, and a few weeks later a delay or roadblock is announced. So where do we stand at the moment? I am not an expert on this topic, but I recently came across…
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I love to collect sayings! That’s not a misprint, I literally meant, sayings. This goes back about 35 years, to when I first heard John Maxwell speak at a Stewardship Seminar in Sioux Falls, SD. I was a young 25-year-old newly minted lead pastor of a small 60-person rural Minnesota church in a town of 300.…
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I love living in a part of the world that has four true seasons. When I have visited other places that don’t, I always find it a bit disorienting, and it makes me even more appreciative of the change in weather and scenery. I wonder if part of the reason for this is due to…
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Managing the church insurance policies is probably not at the top of most pastors’ priority lists. Maybe this task is delegated to a board member or an insurance expert within the church, but someone needs to be focusing on ensuring the church has correct insurance coverage to protect its assets and manage risk. Without proper insurance, a…
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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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Settle down folks, this is not a politically based column! Actually, this is a column reminding you about our pastor and wife retreat called IGNITE which is held each fall. (Yes, we even met in 2020 in Cody, WY!). Ignite provides a more relaxed atmosphere in which to learn from some great preachers, teachers, and skilled professionals. Last year we had Ken…
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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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