“I don’t know if our marriage can make it,” Jocey* told her pastor. “Rex often loses his cool with our daughter. He’s constantly disrepectful to me.” “I’m so sorry,” Pastor Ammons replied. “This is so painful.” After taking … Continued
About a month ago I woke up feeling so overwhelmed that I told my wife, “I don’t want to talk to anyone I know today except you.” I notified my staff that I would not be in the office … Continued
Have you ever gone all out to make someone feel loved and hit a wall? I’m blessed to be married to a woman who has all five of the love languages described in Gary Chapman’s bestseller The Five … Continued
The note on the youth pastor’s desk phone reminded, “Your problem is my problem.” I was wowed. As a college student volunteering with youth, I loved being mentored by this pastor. “Cool!” I thought. “What a great reminder!” Flash forward … Continued
“I won’t be coming to the men’s breakfast tomorrow.” Mark snarled. “I refuse to let anyone disrespect me the way Gary does.” “What happened?” asked Pastor Jermaine. “Last Sunday after church, Gary and I were the only ones in … Continued
I was in my twenties and pumped to be starting out in my first urban ministry. I loved getting to know neighborhood people, identifying needs, and coming up with plans to meet needs. It felt good when one ministry supporter … Continued
First thing in the morning, I eagerly tackle my big project. I am in the zone, creative juices flowing! A half hour in, I get an exciting email. Ooh! This will just take 10 minutes! While answering the email, I … Continued
Last week’s blog suggested tracking which activities give you energy and which drain your energy, then spending at least 80% of your time on energy-giving activities. It’s just as important to be aware of how the people you spend … Continued
In ministry, three budgets are crucial. Two are familiar. The third most of us rarely, if ever, think about. We know about managing money. A good church budget fully funds our top ministry priorities, exercises good stewardship, and empowers … Continued