When you hear hoof beats, think of horses, not zebras” has been a popular medical proverb since about the 1950s. Zebra is a medical slang term for a rare or a surprising diagnosis. The saying means then that one, such as a doctor, should look for the common or probable cause first, rather than the rare or exotic. That the most... Continue Reading
If you are like me, you have spent the better part of your ministry career living with some level of guilt about not observing Sabbath, at least in a traditional and legalistic understanding of Sabbath. Like most ministers, throughout my ministry I have worked a minimum of 5 days and more times than not 6 or even 7 days a... Continue Reading
Recently I met with a group of church educators and the topic of discussion was soul care. Soul, not in the sense of that part of us that is eternal, but rather that part of us that is our spiritual essence that longs to be in relationship with God. The group concurred that one of their biggest challenges was to... Continue Reading
Dr. Wayne Grudem, noted biblical scholar, professor, and author, shares an experience that may provide insight into what seems to be an epidemic of moral, ethical, and leadership failures of prominent Christian pastors, denominational leaders, politicians and church staff. While working on the translation for the English Standard Version of the Bible, Grudem along with dozens of scholars worked round... Continue Reading
One of the leading reasons people give for leaving the church is the behavior of Christians. When Christians are viewed as hypocritical, self-righteous, judgmental, lacking compassion, unloving or no different from the world then the church suffers. These behaviors by people who profess to be Christian point to a lack of emphasis on personal spirituality, soul care, and the inner... Continue Reading
Ignatius of Loyola, who founded the Society of Jesus, wrote a classic devotional book called “Spiritual Exercises.” In this book, he commends a specific approach to prayer that emphasizes the use of the imagination as a way of praying. Instead of reciting words to Jesus, you take a Gospel story and visualize the story in your mind’s eye including all... Continue Reading
In recent posts we explored the differences between contemplative and evangelical streams of Christianity. Here are several ideas that I think every church can reflect on, and hopefully, implement — as steps the congregation can take to foster a contemplative dimension to their community life. This will not happen overnight (among other things, we have our cultural bias against silence... Continue Reading
In our last post we looked at a comparison of the language, emphases and practices between Evangelical Christianity and Contemplative-Mystical Christianity. In this post we share 11 additional comparisons. I share once again some introductory comments. A Definition Of Each Movement Mainstream Evangelicalism Definition: A movement within Protestant Christianity maintaining that the essence of the gospel consists in the doctrine... Continue Reading
In recent years I have come across two types of evangelical Christians who are interested in contemplative-mystical Christianity: Some are actively practicing evangelical Christians in their local church but frustrated by what they perceive as the lack of spiritual nurturing taking place. Often this is expressed as a feeling of being stuck in their spiritual growth and as desire to... Continue Reading
What is a spiritual retreat day? A concise definition is “a planned day away from work to focus exclusively on your personal spiritual life – your heart, soul, and mind.” The beginning of a new year is a good time to schedule a personal spiritual retreat day. In the article 15 Ways To Make A Personal Spiritual Retreat Meaningful we... Continue Reading
The beginning of a new year is an opportunity to challenge yourself to engage in spiritual practices that are new to you. The practice below, Imaginative Meditation, is an ancient practice that today is finding a new audience. Read on and try integrating it into the spiritual practices and disciplines that you engage in on a regular basis. Ignatius of... Continue Reading
Many ministers I know wrestle with the difficulty of trying to live a life of transformation and intimacy with the God they read about in their Bibles. Most of us long for a deeper inner spiritual life yet regularly experience Dallas Willard’s observation “the greatest enemy of intimacy with God, is service for God.” Ministry by definition is depleting. Without... Continue Reading
Jim is a Church Organizational Leadership and Management Coach, Consultant and Trainer. Throughout his career Jim has demonstrated a passion for showing Pastors and Ministers how to use organizational tools for church and personal growth and health.
More About Jim“For I may be absent in body, but I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see how well ordered you are and the strength of your faith in Christ.” Colossians 2:5