Millennials and the Church: the Good, the Challenging and the Ugly
https://www.flickr.com/photos/26324411@N00/1617694299/in/photolist-3sX7a2-agqfBP-e8awnU-dPnukK-8njHa9-J5p2p-7tGbnf-rU4e6-4Zm8eh-5o3H1t-ocE6KV-7oRoEC-pctzNd-4z9Nv5-qbakCD-pTVr5v-a3mQQ6-8TpGGM-E9XWY-8dxY2p-7aPrvz-8TQhJG-4z9Q9d-eiwixk-98Ukfr-cZkSCw-99ACEa-a3n4yL-4z5B84-7nrody-re3kVo-eiC5SU-ffKnAb-bEm86H-5Ug3K-4z5uFp-z4aYL-LdyjL-8M21gB-6Js48T-4ZmjHb-9xZ8bN-eK1rJM-cT8XTy-a3D8Au-8E1rGm-6Sw2fV-8TzTxP-8G423W-5iATSt/ Millennials I read a fascinating article about Millennials and the church from the Washington Post a few weeks ago. The author commented how they’re leaving the church at a faster rate than previous generations and made suggestions on what could be done. In fact, Pew Research found that Millennials are more willing to identify themselves as “not-religiously affiliated” more than any previous generation. There is definitely a real spiritual shift with this younger generation, so the author raises an important question. I love her observations about their needs, and think every pastor and church planter should pay attention ...
There’s No Such Thing as the Perfect Day
My plans were perfectly laid. I would wake up, get the kids off to school, then enjoy a perfectly organized day of studying my brains out and cleaning the house. The kids would come home as I casually cooked dinner and later would tell my wife about the day's great accomplishments. But, days never work out like we plan do they? One of my kids had to stay home sick. Our car had to be taken into be fixed, and the internet wasn’t working so I was unable to study. As my week unfolded I noticed the similar pattern of ...
Attending Church for the First Time Can Be Scary
The First Day Remember your first day at the new school growing up- what it was like knowing no one? Remember being dropped off at camp, as you balanced trying to be cool saying good-bye to your parents, but terrified to see them leave? Remember your first practice with the new team, dance group, or club? It’s so easy to forget how scary it is to do something new. Once we feel a part of a community or group, it’s hard to remember what it was like to not feel that connection. Cognitive Psychologists coined the phrase, curse of knowledge ...
The Most Important Question a Leader Asks
I recently began a management and leadership degree and realized something very important about leading others. I’m working on two classes and both challenge me to grow by answering a critical question, possibly the most important question- Who am I? The better I understand myself as a leader (strengths, weaknesses, personality, leadership style), the better I’ll be able to lead. This idea was reinforced in The Leadership Challenge when the authors ask, “WHO ARE YOU? This is the first question your constituents want you to answer. Finding the answer is where every leadership journey begins” (Kouzes & Posner, 2012, p. ...
Top 5 Posts of 2015
I had a blast blogging this past year and hope to blog even more in the coming year. I thought I'd share the top 5 most viewed posts from this previous year. 5. The Prayer that Changed My Life Forever I decided to share what I remember about saying goodbye to my dad in third grade. This was definitely an emotional post for me to write. I had a counseling appointment in grad school that changed how I viewed my dad's death forever and shared about it in this post. 4. Stuff My Kids Say #3 I began writing down ...
Why People with Small Children Don’t Write Devotionals
The First Step… I admit my life can be a little crazy. It includes 3 young kids, coaching two soccer teams, my wife and I leading two separate groups, each having full time jobs, meetings, etc., etc. I console myself with the fact that this craziness will only last a season- although that season will continue for another 15 years! As my wife and I compare weekly schedules, I’ll look towards our 2 year old and joke, ‘Well, the good news is there will soon be one more kid's activities to add into the mix!" The Problem I’ve recently read two books ...
I Believe in Leaders Who…
Last week I was meeting with a group of 15 leaders from Velocity and I asked them to finish the sentence, "I believe in leaders who..." I thought I'd share the list of characteristics they came up with. I believe in leaders who... Listen Don't ask people to do things they aren't willing to do themselves (leads by example) Value people on the team Give constructive criticism Help you grow Are Approachable... Kind Patient Reliable Genuine Involved Open to ideas Balanced Courageous Consistent Creative I'm sure there's many more things we could have come up with, but this was our ...
Tools to Grow Over the Summer
Summer is a funny time. School ends for children and there's something in the American psyche that says, "Vacation." Summer may be a great time for vacation, but as a leader, it's also a great time to grow. Summer's probably a great time to give the people you lead a little space. It's not the time of year you'll be pushing hard and casting vision. So, take some time over the next two months to develop yourself personally. I thought I'd share a few tools you can use to grow. 1. Podcasts There are all sorts of Podcasts out there ...
3 Things the Church Can Learn from the World’s Best Chefs
The church can learn a lot from the best restaurants in America. Over the past few weeks I’ve been watching Chef’s Table on Netflix and been amazed. Each episode draws the viewer into the mind of one particular chef as we discover their drive and passion for cooking. There are 3 important things every church can learn from these talented chefs. 1. Passion Regardless of the chef, there is an absolute passion that drives them. They give their all to every dish. Passion propels their creativity and pursuit of perfection, which results in breathtaking food. Imagine if the church and its ...
How to Discover Your Story
When I was in grad school one of my classes had us do this exercise. I found it so helpful and insightful that I thought I'd share. First take a piece and draw a large rectangle, covering most of the page. On the left side write, "born", and on the right side write, "now". Then by the top of the left vertical line write, "good", and on the bottom write, "bad." Now, plot your life up to this point. You can start by making dots representing the major high points and low points of your life. This can include things ...