By Bill Wilson Thanksliving. Grady Nutt introduced us to this delightful word in his epic book Agaperos a generation ago. In each chapter he blended two ideas into one integrated and complete whole. In doing so, he taught us to…
Evangelism implosion
By Bill Wilson It’s time to talk about the obvious: We have a problem with evangelism. Let me explain what I mean. • “We”: All of us, regardless of theology, denomination, setting or worship style are struggling with this issue….
More Wednesdays, fewer Thursdays
By Bill Wilson How quickly our conversations can go from theoretical to all-too-real. Last Wednesday, I spent a rewarding day in Tennessee on a retreat with 45 ministers and staff members thinking through the unique and profound pressures of ministry…
Everyone needs to go to Arabia
By Bill Wilson One of the pressing concerns of 21st-century individual and congregational spiritual life is the question of depth. To be blunt, there isn’t much. Study after study has revealed the sad truth that much of what we call…
Dreaming with God
By Bill Wilson I’ve made a transition in recent years in the way I think and talk about God’s will. For many people, the will of God is a mysterious, elusive and frustrating concept. Too often, we have made it…
Life by the clock or life by the compass?
By Bill Wilson Which do you live by: Clock or compass? If the clock dictates, your life is consumed with the immediate and pressing issues of the moment. Clock life is focused on short-term results. If the clock rules, you…
The worst of times … really?
By Bill Wilson It happens nearly every day for me. It’s the inevitable conversation about the demise of organized religious activities, specifically local church attendance and giving. The vultures are gathering to feast on the carcass of the local church….
The tears we need to shed
By Bill Wilson As a pastor, I’ve seen my share of tears. They show up in so many places: in hospitals, especially in emergency rooms, at funeral homes, in the office, in the delivery room, at the altar, during worship,…
Martyrdom is for real martyrs
By Bill Wilson I overheard a conversation on a plane recently that re-taught me an important truth about congregational ministry. It was on a Monday morning at the end of a flight out of Atlanta to another city. Regular travelers…
Building a high trust leadership culture
By Bill Wilson Some of the very best days I have known in ministry have revolved around high-functioning staff friendships and relationships. Seeing plans come together, an organization take off, or a worship experience exceed expectations is meaningful beyond words….
The rearview mirror
By Bill Wilson These were hard conversations. This minister had been dismissed from his church many months ago, but the wounds had refused to heal. Hurtful things were said, friendships were broken, trust was betrayed and he walked away wounded…
The fire below
By Bill Wilson As I met with a congregation’s leadership team in preparation for making a presentation to their congregation about the state of the church in American culture in the 21st century, I mentioned that a primary issue we…