I’ve never been much of a retreat guy, but when I was in seminary I went on a singles retreat. I was new, single, and didn’t know anybody. I decided I needed to get to know some of my classmates and attending the retreat seemed to be an easy way to do that. However,...
We are called not to be a church in the community, to the community or even for the community. We are called to be a church with the community. It’s an important distinction and an important reminder. To shed more light on what this reality can look like in the...
We all have our favorite styles for learning: lecture, small group discussion, reading, hands-on experience. When we’re the ones doing the training, we need to take a balanced approach for different learners. Try orientation, clusters, individual coaching, networks,...
When you are planning a meeting, the first question to address is, “What are you trying to accomplish?” At the end of the time, what do you want people to do? What do you want them to feel? What do you want them to walk away with? Once you have a good answer for that,...
Have you ever looked carefully at the structure of 1 John? The first time I read it I thought the author was just repeating himself. Yet on more careful examination, he is working through the same three themes more and more deeply with each round so that it becomes a...
For me, seminary preaching classes were a painful experience. The worst part was when I had to go to the preaching lab to be videotaped as I struggled to deliver a message. Having to listen to myself on tape seemed bad enough, but having to see myself too was just too...
