Whether you believe it is an unattributed proverb, a saying of Abraham Maslow or Abraham Kaplan, many of us know the statement, “If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” I have long wondered what a…
‘It meets my needs’ and other bad reasons for choosing a church
Like many in my generation, I’ve done some moving around and with each new move I’ve had to begin the difficult process of searching for a new church home. If you’re like most, a day is coming when you too…
The Light Shines Best in the Darkness
David Hull Southeast Coordinator for The Center for Healthy Churches Have you ever wondered why Christmas always seems to be happening at night? Think about it. Do you know of a Christmas card with sun streaming in on the head…
How a Mountain Hike is Like a Congregation’s Transformation Journey
How is taking a mountain hike like a congregation’s transformation journey? Not much unless . . . Before you read too far let me admit this article took shape during a mountain hike with my family was in North Carolina…
5 Things I’ve Learned in 5 Weeks Out of Church
Consider this official. I am issuing an apology to every member of every church that I have served over the last 20+ years. Two weeks ago, we set a personal record that I never thought I would reach. We hit…
When It Comes to Congregational Vision May You Be With the Source
“We need to get a new pastor who will bring us vision and get us moving in the right direction”, or something similar, is the number one statement I hear from lay leaders of congregations during the transition from one…
Does anybody really know what tithing is? Does anybody really care?
Has a more general, difficult to measure, New Testament-oriented concept called generosity snuffed out the clear, easy to measure, Old Testament concept of tithing? Let me try that again. Has a left-brained legalism about tithing interpreted as 10 percent of…
Vatican report a reminder evangelicalism has been hijacked
The media is abuzz with a newly published report from the Vatican regarding the inclusion of divorced Catholics, homosexuals, and those who use birth control. Traditionally, those groups of people inside and outside the Catholic Church are persona non grata of…
Great Commission and Great Commandment without synergy?
Do you remember where you were and what you were doing on the morning of September 11, 2001? I do too. That is a morning very difficult to forget. I was sitting in the lobby restaurant of a hotel in…