The damage in Moore, OK and elsewhere is overwhelming. As it was in Joplin, Bangladesh, Port-au-Prince, and countless others places that experienced tragedy on such a massive scale.

Encouraged that the death toll was reduced and that so many were pulled from rubble. Such encouragement doesn’t do much for those grieving.

The time lapsed helicopter footage:

How you can help the victims and prepare to help in the future.

You can read the entire series here.

Well of course this is where I ended up. And you can make all the fun you want, but I really was more productive at Starbucks or at coffee shop than anywhere else.

See I need(ed) a routine.

If I were to wake up in the morning without a plan, I’m not going to be productive. So even if I didn’t have anything pressing to do when I sat down with a tall coffee (I’m on a budget) it was helpful for me to get out and get to work.

It also begins to connect you with people outside of the church bubble.

Now sure you still have to talk to them, but a little community forms among the coffee shop workers. We’ll watch your stuff while you take a call outside or run to the bathroom and we will open up an outlet if our battery’s full; it is this weird work space community that forms.

Seeing as how I often have a Bible or church book out on the table conversations are started that I probably wouldn’t otherwise have with these strangers.

It’s also a place with some built in accountability. When someone can see your screen do you really want them to see you spending hours on Facebook?

So if you are an unemployed pastor, don’t let that stop you from going to work and finding people to minister to.

You can follow along with the entire series here.

Church is a funny thing, and pastors even odder.

We all know that we shouldn’t make following Jesus about an hour on Sunday, event, or program; but we aren’t exactly sure how else to do it.

Well maybe we do know how to do it, it is the execution that gets in the way.

Libraries of books have been written dissecting and trying to solve the issue of creating attenders and not disciples. And to be perfectly honest I don’t have a solid solution either.

So as I came out of a position and am moving into a new one I need(ed) to detox a bit.

Its an issue we all run into. Spend too much time in the bubble and you forget what life is like outside of the bubble. So like an addict you have to go through some detox.

You catch yourself in a moment of Saturday night panic as you forget that you aren’t preaching in the morning, hoping someone shows up to help, or that an element isn’t a total failure. Or Sunday morning you don’t know what to do with yourself. There is no Monday email avalanche to deal with.

Continue Reading…

You can follow the entire blog series here.

I miss spiritual leadership.

We were having our weekly Saturday conversation about where we were going to church the next morning and my wife asked me what I missed.

Heidy misses worshipping with other believers, particularly through music. I enjoy a good group sing as much as the next person but that isn’t the thing I miss the most. For her she feels incomplete without worship, I feel incomplete not leading people that I’m in relationship with.

I don’t miss preaching. I get to communicate in other ways.

I don’t miss preparing for events or services. Although Easter this year was weird.

I don’t miss serving with other leaders. This surprised me a bit.

I miss spiritual leadership.

The idea of being connected with someone, through a friendship or some sort of community environment and having the permission to speak into their lives. Maybe this is a cop out because this happens through preaching, but also in unplanned conversations, crisis moments, pastoral care, small groups, and intentional time together.

My advice to you would be to try and figure out what you would miss if you suddenly without the community you lead in.? What would be the thing or activity that gives you life?

Once you have an idea on this start figuring out how you can lean into that aspect more.

For me as I think and plan for the next chapter of ministry this isn’t about becoming the extrovert I’m not, but about building trust and speaking from experience and brokenness.

So if you were like me and suddenly unemployed, what would you miss?

Without the commentary you have a funny video.

With it you have a viral video.

Pastors have a unique challenge and opportunity today. Everything I read and experience tells me that people appreciate stories with meaning more than something with raw empirical truth.

So if you were like me and read Josh McDowell 15 years ago you may have realized that particular brand of apologetics isn’t as effective as it used to be. (although was it ever?)

Pastors and other leaders within and without the local church have an opportunity to tell great stories of meaning. Namely those of Scripture and the life change that results in following Jesus.

Everyone’s personal story is more or less how they perceive the world depending on how postmodern they are. In turn it is the job of communicators and leaders in the church to tell stories that invite the personal narratives into the grander narrative. We have to put words, music, images, and media to what we witness.

We have to narrate Kung Fu Grandpa. We have to be interpreters of life.

So go tell a story in a way that gets people’s attention.

And always enjoy viral videos.