The Practices of a Barnabas

I talk about Barnabas a lot. He’s one of my favorite biblical characters… probably because he functions as a behind-the-scenes coach empowering others. I heard a talk that Bubba Justice gave on the practices of a Barnabas, taken from his study of the book of Acts....

Taking the long view

We’ve all heard the expression, “We overestimate what we can do in one year and significantly underestimate what can be accomplished in three years.” We tend to be overly ambitious for what can happen in a year. We raise expectations– our own and those of...

Three words

Recently friend and pastor Dennis Easter shared three words with me that he has found helpful in life and ministry… words that set the stage for a way of living different than what most of us are experiencing on a day-to-day basis. Pace, Space, and Grace Pace –...

Who are we precluding from worship?

When I was a pastor, I would think about the numbers of people who legitimately can’t come to church on Sunday mornings: hospital workers, police, firefighters, etc. Their schedules preclude Sunday mornings, and I’m glad for it. I want them to be available for...