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For more than 150 years, the Little Sisters of the Poor have faithfully served the poor, motivated by a religious calling to surrender all for the sake of others. The nuns have been engaged in a long-running legal battle over the federal government’s contraception mandates. After several court victories, this battle has now taken an ominous turn since a federal court has ruled against an exemption that permitted the religious order’s opposition to the mandate to take shape.

We as The Equipped community remain in steadfast prayer for those living in a war zone. We also remain steadfast in our pursuit of peace (Ps. 34:14), while acknowledging that true and lasting peace requires far more than just the cessation of war.

For sports fans, the beginning and ending of the various sports’ schedules marks the seasons as much as any calendar. In my world, it will still be baseball season until early November, but for many, football now takes centerstage from a sports perspective. As we look towards the new season, it is wise to plan (Pr. 6:6-11). But remember to trust the God of the universe to make firm the ground beneath your feet (Ps. 37:23)!

Look around today. Buildings rise like sterile glass monoliths, stripped of character. Cars glide by like indistinguishable pods, designed less to inspire and more to conform. What was once a craft infused with artistry has, in many ways, given way to a sterile minimalism. This isn’t the natural evolution of design, it’s the intentional subtraction of beauty. And in removing these flourishes, we’ve also chipped away at the joy of living among things that inspire.

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.

You need a plan for fixing your eyes on Jesus rather than the crazy out there. This is not a call to ignorance, as Jesus himself rebuked the religious leaders for failing to discern the signs of their day. But the crazy out there is not the object of your affection or attention. The object of your affection and attention must be Jesus, the lover of your soul.

Most church leaders don’t set out to avoid decisions. In fact, we’re making them all the time — about staff, budgets, calendars, volunteers, and ministries. But there’s a particular kind of indecision that quietly drains the health and momentum of a church: the failure to act when the moment is ripe.

There are two lions, and each is powerful. But the through line of this epic storyline is two-fold: 1) The first lion is of no consequence in the presence of the second triumphant Lion, and 2) The second Lion lives in you!

It is no wonder Proverbs 28:1 calls the righteous, “bold as a lion!” You, as one of the righteous, should be bold as a lion even as you are pursued by a dangerous enemy, and the reason for your boldness is because the Lion of Judah walks with you!

Time is one of your most limited resources as a church leader — and one of the easiest to spend poorly. Not because you don’t care, but because you do. When we talk about stewardship in the church, we usually mean money. But your time may be the most valuable thing you steward. How you spend it signals what you value. Who you spend it with signals what you prioritize.

The National Guard has been authorized to deploy to the streets of the nation’s capital, Washington, DC. Let’s together pray that all of DC’s leaders, both federal and local, act with the wellbeing of DC residents in mind.

In a world where the glow of our screens follows us day and night, boredom has become almost taboo. Being “bored” feels like failure. Like you’re not making the most of your time or keeping up with the endless stream of things you could be doing, watching, listening to, or scrolling past. We have endless entertainment thanks to pocket-sized devices, streaming platforms, podcasts, and social media. But in gaining this access to boundless stimulation, we’ve lost something quiet and essential: the art of being bored.  

Your church can’t run on an empty tank — and neither can you. Healthy leadership flows from a healthy leader. If you burn out physically, emotionally, or spiritually, it will ripple through your team and congregation. So there is one more stewardship investment we can’t afford to overlook — and it’s the one leaders tend to neglect most: Steward Yourself.

Let’s together make a daily decision to be agents of love and healing in our world.

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.

Vision gives direction. People carry the vision forward. But without healthy systems in place, even the clearest vision and most committed people will eventually slow down, stall out, or burn out. That’s why the third stewardship investment is Steward the Systems.

More economic winds. You almost certainly have no control over what the Fed decides to do about interest rates. You do, however, have a great deal of responsibility to wisely steward the resources entrusted to you.

As the war between Israel and Hamas continues to wage, outcry over the ensuing humanitarian collateral damage is growing.

Vision alone won’t move the mission forward. Vision needs carriers — people who believe it, own it, and run with it. That brings us to the second stewardship investment: Steward the People.

It is a very stressful thing to lose a job. It is a stressful thing to live in fear of losing your job and your means for provision. But, as a Jesus follower, you are reminded that God cares for the “birds of the air,” but deems you “much more valuable than they” (Matt 6:26). You are invited to give Him your anxiety and to trust Him to provide (1 Pet. 5:7).

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.

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.

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!

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.

Your impact on behalf of the vulnerable can begin immediately. Walk upright. Defend those vulnerable to oppression. Desire and pursue equal justice.

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!

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:

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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.