Jan 4, 2018 | Burnout, Calling, Career, Depression, discouragement, Emotional Health, Leadership, Ministry Leader, Missionary, Pastor, People Leaving, Stress, Uncategorized
It’s 2018! Every New Year’s Day for me brings with it a sense of a fresh start, rekindled hope, and renewed faith. I think most pastors anticipate the new year with optimism, and hold the sincere belief that the year ahead will be even better than the one they’ve just...
Dec 21, 2017 | Calling, Difficult people, discouragement, Fear, Leadership, Ministry Leader, Missionary, Pastor, People Leaving, Quitting, Uncategorized
I have exciting news to share with you—our newest book—Putting the Good in Goodbye: A Healthy Conversation About the Comings & Goings of Church People—is due out in January 2018! I coauthored the book with my friend and colleague Jim Wiegand, and decided to salt...
Dec 14, 2017 | Calling, Career, discouragement, Fear, Leadership, Ministry Leader, Missionary, Pastor, People Leaving, Stress, Uncategorized, Work
Growth often starts with subtraction. Thousands of years ago, when Israel was being oppressed by the Midianites, God raised up a leader named Gideon to deliver His people from their enemy. When Gideon initially rallied the troops, 32,000 men showed up. But God said:...
Dec 7, 2017 | Calling, Fear, Leadership, Likeability, Ministry Leader, Missionary, Pastor, Pastor's Spouse, People-pleasing, Relationships, Uncategorized
Hi my name is John. I’m a recovering people-pleasing-aholic. My first twelve years of ministry had a significant undercurrent of people-pleasing attached to it. The subconscious desire for everyone to like me led to bad scheduling decisions, inner conflicts over how...
Nov 30, 2017 | Fear, Trust, Uncategorized
In 1986 Billy Joel wrote a hit single entitled: It’s a Matter of Trust. Here’s one of the lyrics: “Some love is just a lie of the heart. The cold remains of what began with a passionate start. But that can’t happen to us. Because it’s always been a matter of trust.”...
Nov 22, 2017 | Contentment, Uncategorized
I’ve heard business and psychology gurus pitch the idea that we can think our way to a better life. Their premise? Our brain is soft-wired, and can be re-wired by thinking positively, and in doing so, we can have a happier life. Since this is Thanksgiving week,...
