For many years, I have taken the turning of the calendar as an opportunity for reflection and resolution. I ask myself, What have I learned in the passing year? What do I want to accomplish in the coming one? Perhaps … Continue reading To Manage Time, Manage Attention
My favorite national holiday is Thanksgiving. It brings family and friends together around a table laden with food. The fact that my wife is an excellent cook makes it all the more enjoyable. Thanksgiving has a fourth F, though — … Continue reading Goodness and Gratitude | Influence Magazine
One of my favorite stories from the Gospels is found in Luke 24:13–35. Two disciples were walking the seven-mile road from Jerusalem to Emmaus on the first Easter Sunday. As they talked to one another about Jesus’ death and about … Continue reading Will We See Jesus? | Influence Magazine
It is often said that ministry is a marathon, not a sprint. I appreciate the point of the metaphor, which is that pastors need a sustainable pace of service. Even so, I wonder whether the comparison is too fast. The past 21 months of ministry haven’t felt … Continue reading Plod On | Influence Magazine
Recently, I posted a link on Facebook to an article about a controversial event, along with a tart comment on it. My wife texted me almost immediately: “Can you take down that post? Why would you even put it up … Continue reading Above Reproach on Social Media
A few weeks ago, I made a radical decision regarding social media. I was headed out the door for summer vacation but found myself in a bad mood because of Facebook arguments about the outrage du jour. Not wanting to … Continue reading Joy vs. the BUMMER Machine | Influence Magazine
Last month, David Sharp wrote a story for the Associated Press that stated a fact and asked a question: “Millions Skipped Church During Pandemic. Will They Return?” Both the fact and the question weigh heavily on the minds of pastors. … Continue reading Six Reasons People Aren’t Coming Back to Church | Influence Magazine
The Acts of the Apostles ends on an ironic note. Four years elapse between Acts 21 and 28, and Paul experiences, in succession, riot, arrest, attempted flogging, Sanhedrin hearing, attempted assassination, night flight under armed guard, multiple Roman hearings, attempted … Continue reading Boldly and Without Hindrance | Influence Magazine
This Sunday is Father’s Day. Compared to Mother’s Day, Father’s Day is a mediocre holiday, if it is celebrated at all. Americans feel more ambivalently about their dads than their moms, perhaps because their dads are abusive or absent from … Continue reading The Righteous Dad | Influence Magazine
In 1 Corinthians 12–14, Paul responds to Corinthian church members’ questions about the use of spiritual gifts in corporate settings (12:1, cf. 7:1). Corinthian worship included uninterpreted tongues (14:1–25) and prophecies delivered chaotically (14:26–40). These misuses of those gifts resulted … Continue reading Six Tests of Pentecostal Worship
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