Browse Blog Post
7/26/2010
171. Changing Lives or Changing Affiliations?
Recently I heard Gil Rendle say, “I was not trained to change people’s lives, but to change their membership affiliations.” With these words, Gil, who serves as a church leadership consultant with Texas Methodist Foundation, captures how our understanding of the purpose of the chur
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1/19/2010
155. If One Member Suffers….
Update: For more information on how you can help the relief efforts in Haiti, visit umc.org/haiti and www.umcorhaiti.org.
On Tuesday evening, I was giving a presentation to a gathering of clergy from the Missouri Conference when a pastor reported a major earthquake in Haiti and asked for our prayer
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12/14/2009
151. Only if…
At our Annual Conference session in June, Rev. Emanuel Cleaver II (Assistant to the Bishop for African-American Leadership Development) provoked us to think in fresh ways about our human tendency to grumble and avoid work rather than to take responsibility and fulfill tasks. He showed us the thick r
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9/22/2009
140. From “They Ought” to “We Can”
Sometimes challenges seem so insurmountable and intransigent that there seems no way to make a positive contribution. How can one person, or a Bible class, or a congregation make any difference at all in the face of issues as huge as world hunger, poverty, child abuse, racism, or unemployment? Or mo
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8/12/2009
137. Come and See
While sitting in an airport lounge that had become crowded because of all the flight delays caused by a sudden storm, I couldn’t help but overhear bits and pieces of conversations around me. Two business women in their twenties were sitting in the seats next to me with their laptops, file fold
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11/17/2008
96. Recklessness of Faith
While attending a training event for bishops a few weeks ago, I heard someone quote William Sloane Coffin saying, “I love the recklessness of faith. First, you leap. Then you grow wings.”
At first hearing, this evokes a smile. Upon deeper reflection, I’m touched by
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10/20/2008
94. Mystery Visitors
A few of our churches in Missouri are taking an interesting step in their search for excellence in hospitality. They’ve contracted to receive in-depth evaluations through an extensive program of engagement with mystery visitors, using methods similar to retail’s “Secret
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10/2/2008
90. "How Can I Help?" means, "How Can I Fit In?"
Last week I was a presenter at the Leadership Nexus event in Shreveport, along with Rev. Tyrone Gordon of St. Luke’s Community UMC, David Wetzler from Natural Church Development, Bob Whitesel, Brian Bauknight, Jessica Moffatt-Saey, and several others. At these kinds of learnin
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8/25/2008
84. O My Lord, Please Send Someone Else
I’ve been working on a writing project during the past few weeks that has caused me to dig deeply into some scriptural passages about the call to God’s service. It never ceases to amaze me how God continues to show us new things through old and familiar texts.
I was rereading the
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6/30/2008
70. Passion for Ministry
At our annual conference this year, six pastors took turns describing their context for ministry, the challenges they face, and one or two innovative responses in their efforts to renew and strengthen their ministries. The creative responses ranged from starting a hip-hop service, developing a permi
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6/26/2008
68. Focus on the Five
This week I’ve finished reviewing the final proofs of all the new resources supporting the Five Practices that will be available through Cokesbury on August 1. This has been prepared in response to the overwhelming requests that Cokesbury (and I) have received for more helpful resources
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2/1/2008
37. Assessing Hands-On Mission Projects
While attending a recent meeting, I had a delightful opportunity to renew an old friendship, and to catch up on her various ministries as a layperson in a large congregation. She has a heart for missions, and offers her time, talent, leadership, and support to numerous excellent local church a
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