A more liturgical in nature background likely means you are familiar with the history and practice of Lent. More evangelical? Maybe you are curious about adding some of the rhythmic liturgical elements into your spiritual life. Lent provides a unique and special opportunity to grow closer to the Lord spiritually.

Somehow the news always makes its way out. “Sources” have confirmed that arguably the greatest coach in the National Football League will not be inducted into the Football Hall of Fame(HOF) during his first year of eligibility. Bill Belichick has been :snubbed” by the 50 member committee. He did not receive the required 40 votes to be one of the new members of the HOF. The news spread like wildfire with too many to count players, pundits, and commentators weighing in on the news. In the days that have followed news has come out that he missed it by one vote. To many the snub is atrocious and unconscionable. Others immediately blamed the infamous Spygate scandal and theorized the snub acted as punishment for it. Whatever the reason, he will be absent the HOF Enshrinement Ceremony this year. He will have to wait another year.

Envy seems to be the underlying acceptable sin in the church today. But it is having dire consequences across the world. It is not just a congregant problem, but a pastoral problem just as much. Through these things you can learn to trust God, who made you and has created the best plan for your life.

Being a leader means recognizing that you are better when you work and lead from the overflow of life. Working from the overflow of life doesn’t only apply to a leadership scenario. When you work out of an overflow you are a better spouse, a better parent, and generally a better person all around. Practice these steps so that you will up your leadership game wherever you are in life.

How about you stop playing the games and go ahead with no New Year’s resolutions this time? It will save some time, energy, and feelings of guilt when you abandon them a few weeks later. However, if you are resolved to make intentional changes to life in the coming year, here are several real-life resolutions that will bring about lasting impact to both you, your family, and the world around you.

It would be silly to say that every year Christmas sneaks up on the world, but in a weird way it does. Every year. Every single year. Oh, not the celebration of Christmas, but the reality of Christmas seems to sneak up every year. Even in the church it can feel like the underlying reality of God coming as man gets lost in the production of a wonderful Christmas seasonal celebration. Undoubtedly the world is struggling with a broad secularistic move. And it can easily be argued that the church is as well. However, you can lead your family towards keeping Christ in Christmas this year and every year.

Disagreement can be and is highly constructive for a team. Healthy disagreement can help spur creative solutions, prevent big time mistakes, and push better decision-making across the board. Too often, disagreement is seen as disloyalty, or destructive to the team. And done wrongly it can certainly harm the spirit of the team. It can easily escalate into something far more and unintended. There is a way to disagree well when you find yourself in an environment that fosters healthy conflict. It can be scary at first, but when done well it will make everyone better.

Change is an inevitable part of life and creation. God knit together an incredible creation that can adapt and grow throughout its life. It is amazing to see it in action. We don’t have to be afraid of change, but we should have an idea about how to handle it well.

Looking inwardly before blaming outwardly is vital. Are you holding a grudge over a past issue, or disagreement? Are you trying to make your spouse an “idealized” version that is impossible to attain? Are you making your spouse responsible for your own joy, satisfaction, and comfort? Above all other things, love each other well. The model for your love is Christ Himself and His self-sacrifice on the cross.

The issue of in-laws isn’t one limited specifically to the parents of your spouse, but the entire family. There is the possibility of grandparents, uncles, aunts, siblings, and more. At marriage, two people leave their families to unite into one family. But, in a way, two different families also unite to become one as well. And that makes all sorts of room for friction.

It may feel like a married couple in love should never fight. That just isn’t reality. Disagreements are inevitable. The impact they have on your relationship is up to you both.

The goal here is not to make you think that the fairytale of marriage is a myth, or impossibility. Marriage is the most beautiful thing God has given us. It is just really, really hard work. There are difficult realities that every marriage faces. It is vital that you anticipate things and recognize that you have the tools to walk through these things when they show up.

Marriage is the most beautiful thing God has given us. It is just really really hard work. There are difficult realities that every marriage faces. Yes, EVERY marriage faces. It is vital that you anticipate things and recognize that you have the tools to walk through these things when they show up. And they will show up. This article will look at how a married couple can facilitate communication about expectations together in a healthy way.

Marriage is the most beautiful thing God has given us. It is just really really hard work. There are difficult realities that every marriage faces. Yes, EVERY marriage faces. It is vital that you anticipate things and recognize that you have the tools to walk through these things when they show up. And they will show up. The current focus will be communication and expectations. These two really do belong together. Maybe even like peas and carrots.

Welcoming a new member to the family can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. You were once a new member too. Think about how you can make that transition easier. Be open to new things, ideas, and traditions. Above all, open your heart to the new member of the family. You aren’t losing a child. You’re gaining a family.

Every marriage encounters disagreements, miscommunications, arguments, setbacks, stress and friction. It is a part of the life being built together. You are not weird, wrong, or headed the opposite direction of good if these things happen. What matters is how you prepare for these things and how you handle them when they do occur.

Accountability is vital to the long term success of a leader and a system of accountability can help missteps from being taken and wise decisions to be made. You should willingly submit to some form of accountability, whether that is a small group of church leadership, or an individual or two that you can trust fully.

Emotional intelligence will help you lead your team better and even lead yourself better, which is huge for any great leader. Here are some ways to add EQ to your IQ and better develop your toolbelt. 

Thankfulness is often a counterintuitive process. Why would we be thankful for losses, for failures, or for mess ups? But life is a journey of ups and downs. It will not be all ups. It just won’t. Failure teaches us new things. Mistakes help us recognize what should happen. The ugly makes the beauty so much more sweet.

Every person has moments of stupidity. Poor choices are made. How you respond in the midst of the poor decisions, bad communication, and mistakes will tell you whether you are learning or closed minded. No one has to stay stupid. Growth and maturity are possible. Make the choice to be better.

It is perhaps a great tragedy to read the Scriptures without acknowledging or having a basic understanding of the Jewish culture in which Jesus was born, lived, died, and rose again. Take time to learn what the world surrounding Jesus was like and what these statements would mean to the people. It will deepen your time and enrich your life.

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.

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.

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.

The four Gospels in the New Testament give accounts of Jesus’ earthly ministry and teachings. They are internally consistent though much different in focus, audience, and end goals. Three, known as Synoptics, look to be more chronological accounts. And then there is John’s gospel. In a sense, John’s gospel stands alone from the other three.

Tension and disagreement are inevitable in the workplace. And there's a difference between healthy and unhealthy conflict. Healthy conflict is vital towards a team’s maturity and growth. The team is better when the members can engage in healthy conflict that allows them to voice their honest thoughts, disagreements, and helps everyone move forward together. Here are ways to encourage productive healthy conflict on your team.

Previously we discussed four types of communication that belong in a healthy and growing marriage. You can’t leave any of them out. Time and again couples focus on the first two or three and stand by while things slowly dry up and distance becomes the norm. As you approach any of these types of communication there are some simple thoughts to help make the most of any conversation. Take a look below.

Leadership is a developable skill. It is not static and if left ignored it will erode away. It will atrophy. Good leaders are able to see the big picture, model desired behaviors, and challenge others to be the best version of themselves. Great leaders understand that they can continue to improve these skill sets.

No team avoids all conflict. A bit like the married couple who “never fights”, a team without conflict is likely an unhealthy team. Good teams deal with conflict. Great teams engage in healthy conflict to better the team as a whole. As the leader, if your team is not dealing with conflict you have a serious problem, and might just very well be you. It should be noted that this conflict is not aggressive, or mean-spirited.

Life is an adventure. It is an extremely difficult adventure without a guide. Hearing God in the moments of decision, both large and small, is vital to experiencing the depth of God’s peace in your life.