The Holy Spirit can be the most underrated and misunderstood persona with the Divine Presence. Popular author Frances Chan suggests, “There is a big gap between what we read in Scripture about the Holy Spirit and how most believers and…
10 life lessons from Holy Week
Our reflective Lenten journey is complete and our celebrative journey into Eastertide has begun. But before we leave Holy Week too quickly, there are a few takeaways from the stories we encountered we need to bookmark, a few lessons for…
10 suggestions for welcoming a new pastor
When a congregation welcomes a new pastor, it is an exciting time for both the congregation and the minister. To maximize this new beginning, it is important to prepare spiritually, cognitively and emotionally for a new chapter. Once a call…
10 observations about church health for the next chapter of ministry
I believe in the local church. Despite its foibles, the local church is where the action is in the demonstration of love and grace. It is the place and space where faith is formed, life is shared, and ministry is…
10 reasons we are giving a little extra to the church this year
Every year, my wife and I give a few gifts at the end of the year to nonprofits, mission centers and ministry groups with whom we have a close connection. And although we give regularly to our church throughout the…
12 trends for being church in a post-pandemic world
In a post-pandemic world, the church, in the words of Mark Twain, may need to declare, “The rumors of my death are grossly exaggerated.” While it is true that many struggling churches may close, merge or re-purpose in the near…
Lessons from storms past and present
Early this morning, I drove north on Scenic Highway, one of the most beautiful coastal drives in America. And yet, as the sunrise glistened over Escambia Bay, the picturesque Florida scenery was scarred by nature’s whim. Stately oaks were uprooted,…
Politics in the pulpit: One pastor’s approach
Election years can be volatile, unpredictable, and filled with heated political rhetoric. And these days, it is not unusual for prominent pastors and local clergy to join the fray of bombastic oratory. While I do not think pastors should…
16 books I plan to read in 2016
By Barry Howard My love for reading was slow to develop. During my teenage years, I perceived reading to be a nuisance and necessary evil. At some point during my college years, however, I learned to enjoy reading, not just…