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
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
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
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
It has been said that “as the leader goes, so goes the organization.” More importantly, in the church “as the soul of the leader goes, so goes the leader and the church.” The greatest need of the hour for today’s minister may very well be a more intentional approach to their own soul care, to paying attention to their “inner spiritual... Continue Reading
All cannot use the same kind of spiritual exercises, but one suits this person, and another that. Different devotions are suited also to the seasons, some being best for the festivals, and others for ordinary days. We find some helpful in temptations, others in peace and quietness. Some things we like to consider when we are sad, and others when... Continue Reading
You rarely hear of a minister “going postal.” We don’t take an Uzi and shoot up a deacons meeting…….we think about it, but we don’t do it! But, we do get depressed, cheat on our spouses, become addicted, emotionally hurt those we lead, and burn out to the point we do something so stupid they have to fire us. Like... Continue Reading
Our spiritual language changes over time. Read the religious classics and we find these spiritual saints speak of a relationship with God and Christ using a language with which we are unfamiliar. Just in my life time the Christian church language has changed from “having a personal relationship with Jesus” to “studying about Jesus,” from “following Jesus” to “worshipping Jesus,”... Continue Reading
In his book, Abandonment to Divine Providence, Jean-Pierre de Caussade says, “Every moment we live through is like an ambassador that declares the will of God to us. If we understood how to see in each moment some manifestation of the will of God we should find therein all that our hearts could desire. If we were attentive and watchful... Continue Reading
“There is not a moment in which God does not present Himself under the cover of some pain to be endured, of some consolation to be enjoyed, or some duty to be performed. All that takes place with us, around us, or through us, contains and reveals His divine action. If we understood how to see in each moment some... 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