Might: Spiritual, organizational, personal and positional sources and resources are appropriately used to make decisions and develop people

Radical Soul Care For Church Leaders

In our last post, Now Is The Time For Radical Self-Care we introduced the concept of “radical self-care” for church leaders. A vitally important subset of radical self-care is “soul care,” especially for the church leader. What is soul care?  Soul care is the nurturing your inner spiritual life, your soul. Then what is “radical soul care?” Radical soul care... Continue Reading

January Is A Great Time To Create An Annual Spiritual Growth Plan

I find it puzzling that we readily accept the importance of practice in sports, in music, in any successful business, and in any creative endeavor, but for some reason most of us do not see the importance for it in the arena of spirituality, where it is probably more important than in any other area. And, regretfully, many who have... Continue Reading

We Have To Become Better Fruit Inspectors

In today’s world selecting and following leaders of companies, churches, organizations and governments based upon their positions on policy and social issues and the results they achieve is the norm. Calling into question their words and behaviors is rarely a standard of measuring whether or not to follow or elect someone. Holy Scripture tells us that “We shall know them... Continue Reading

When Protecting The Church Goes Awry

My generation of church leaders were taught that a key part of our responsibility is protecting the church as an institution, specifically its’ reputation, ability to fulfill its’ mission, and its’ financial viability. If that means sweeping things under the rug, turning a blind’s eye, being less than open, or prioritizing the good of the whole over the good of... Continue Reading

When Religion Hurts: Gender Inequality and Health in Churches

Baptist News Global recently published the results of a study by the American Sociological Association that examined the correlation between structural sexism in Christian churches and women’s negative health. The results merit the attention of the leadership of every church. This study shows that structural sexism—defined as systematic gender inequality in power and resources—within religious institutions can negatively shape individuals’... Continue Reading

How To Pray An Examining Prayer

What is an examining prayer? Typically, it involves reflection on and evaluation of one’s thoughts, activities, and conduct. The Jesuits refer to such prayer as an “examen” or an “examen of conscience” that is based on a spiritual practice developed by St. Ignatius in the 16th Century. Many forms of “The Examine” have been developed over the years but the... Continue Reading

A Self-Awareness Spiritual Practice: Recollecting Our Days

A well-known Christian therapist, who almost exclusively works with pastors, once noted “The number one problem I encounter with pastors is a lack of self-awareness.” That can probably be said of most leaders as well. Why? There are many streams that come together to create that river but in my estimation a few include arrogance, authoritarianism, and isolation from honest... Continue Reading

When Is Self-Promotion Good And When Is It Bad?

In our last post we talked about Jesus’ path being one of humility rather than that of the ego driven self-promotion that is so prevalent today. Admittedly, I have struggled with the issue of humility and self-promotion, especially as I have wrestled with how to tell others about my coaching and consulting practice and my religious art. Make no mistake,... Continue Reading

Our Way Is Upward – God’s Way Is Downward

God hates pride, and He opposes proud people—but He loves humility, and He blesses humble people. So turn away from pride and learn humility! Luke 14:11 We see self-promotion everywhere–on social media platforms, podcasts, magazines, billboards and in conversations. Self-promotion, self-flattery, self-glorification, self-importance, and self-praise is attempting to present yourself to others as an accomplished, talented, smart, and skilled person.... Continue Reading

God’s Two Books

Evidence strongly suggests that God has given us two inspired books from which to learn His ways: the Bible, and Nature. Tradition, personal experience, as well as two Scriptures back up this belief: 2 Timothy 3:16: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” Romans 1:20: “For since the creation of the world... Continue Reading

Native American Proverbs That Sound A Lot Like Scripture

If you want to know a people, the saying goes, know their proverbs. Proverbs are the time-honored and tested truths that reflect the wisdom and experience of a culture. Nowhere is that more true than in the simple and profound eloquence of the Native American tribal cultures. The wisdom from these cultures often bears a striking resemblance to Holy Scripture,... Continue Reading