The Four Stewardship Investments Every Church Leader Must Make
Stewardship isn’t just about finances. It’s about your vision, your people, your systems, and even your own health. Neglect any one of them, and the cost will eventually show up in your church’s momentum, unity, and mission.
Let’s start with the first investment: Steward the Vision.
Can Church Sanctuary Status Shield Illegal Immigrants from Arrest?
Any encounter with ICE within the context of immigration and border enforcement exposes churches and, more particularly, church personnel to the risk that they will be charged with a crime if they continue to provide sanctuary to illegal aliens, particularly aliens who ICE seeks. For churches that intend to continue such a policy, the Trump Administration’s decision to rescind the Biden Administration's rules raises a flood of questions that place such behavior in harm’s way.
Trade Deals
The economic winds will at times blow in your favor, and in others they will be a stiff headwind. But if your hope is in the eternal, you can chart a steady course in all conditions!
Starvation
Gazans are starving—an inhumane reality that must be addressed. Hamas continues its mission to eradicate Israel (including by continuing to hold hostages) and it must not be tolerated or excused. There is no easy solution here. That is the hard truth.
Fixing the Issue of Church Political Speech
For decades, there has been a fierce debate about the constitutionality and general legality of the Johnson Amendment. This little-known amendment has been used to restrict the First Amendment rights of churches and faith-based organizations for more than 60 years. But the mission of the church demands that it be encouraged to speak truthfully to America’s postmodern generation. How should the church respond?
Repeat Offender
We are all sinners (dare I say even repeat offenders) who have fallen short of the mark (Rom. 3:23). You and I both find ourselves in need of a Savior. In the same breath, there is cause for great rejoicing because the cost of your sin has already been paid in full (Rom. 6:23). Your redemption is a free and finished work, so walk free of your sin and leave it behind today!
When Ministry is Difficult
Ministry has difficult seasons. There is always an ebb and flow related to leading and dealing with people. Take time now to consider what kind of leader you will be when you enter the dry season. Prepare now for those times. Don’t wait for them to catch you all off guard. When those times do come you will be able to lead the team through them easily.
The Epstein Saga
Your impact on behalf of the vulnerable can begin immediately. Walk upright. Defend those vulnerable to oppression. Desire and pursue equal justice.
Ryno
Hero or not, each of us will die. Your physical body will one day give out, and only your eternal being will remain. I confess much of this is beyond my finite mind, and yet it is the foundation of my greatest reason for hope. My eternity has nothing to do with my fragile and failing body, and everything to do with the One who created me and called me his own!
Don’t Say It
It is a word never to be uttered. It should especially never be mentioned in an e-newsletter or any other subscription-based form of communication. It is in every way taboo, and one every marketing plan will scream for you to steer clear of at all costs. Despite all these realities, it is a word you and I should take seriously and deploy regularly:
Unsubscribe.
100 Years of Monkey Business
It is fascinating that so many people do not know the longstanding impact of the Scopes Trial in 1925 in the town of Dayton, TN. This month marks the centennial anniversary of one of the most impactful trials to have occurred in the history of the United States. Ultimately, the trial had its genesis as a publicity stunt but would end with a schism that has not managed to heal a century later.
Rare Cuts
The federal government has approved $9 billion of spending cuts. How should Christians view this development?
Leading Through the Seasons of Ministry, Part 4: Spring — The Season of Deepening and Growth
Spring is the season for deepening. It’s not just about doing more. It’s about helping your people grow deeper in their walk with Jesus and more engaged in the mission of the church.
This is a key moment. Don’t let it slip by.
Sit or Serve?
It is a difficult concept for me to fully understand and yield to, and it presents itself in the form of a question. Perhaps you can relate. The question is this: Should I sit or should I serve?
At the risk of eliminating any suspense, the answer is yes. Yes to both. Yes and yes.
Leading Through the Seasons of Ministry, Part 3: Winter — The Season of Reflection and Pruning
In nature, winter is when things look dormant — but under the surface, critical work is being done. Roots grow deeper. Energy is conserved. Pruning happens. And that hidden work is what makes future growth possible.
Ministry has a winter rhythm, too — and wise leaders know how to lean into it.
Fried Eggs on the Sidewalk
You serve a God who loves you too much to leave you as you are, and He is using the heat in your life to refine you, and to produce a treasure worthy of His name.
Leading Through the Seasons of Ministry, Part 2: Fall — The Season of Assimilation and Activation
Part Two: Fall. After a summer of looser schedules, vacations, and flexible routines, many people enter the fall ready for some structure. Families are looking for patterns. Individuals are seeking clarity. They may not use this language, but what they’re really asking is: Where do I belong? Where am I going? What’s next for me here?
Without Love
Love doesn’t show up the way we tend to think it should, or always does. True biblical love might require a different way of acting, or thinking.
One Day
Jesus may just walk up to you today in the course of your everyday life. It could be in the form of a friend, a foe, or simply someone in need. Will you notice Him?
Four Part Series: Leading Through the Seasons of Ministry
In this series, I want to explore four ministry seasons — Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring — not as fixed dates, but as leadership mindsets. Each one offers unique opportunities (and challenges), and when we recognize and lead in rhythm with these seasons, we can shepherd our churches more faithfully, strategically, and sustainably.