“I’m a fake,” she said.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“I mean that I get up and I teach my Sunday school class when I don’t even know if I believe what I’m teaching anymore.”
A Bit of Hell
November 15, 2023 by Leave a Comment
Formations 01.08.2023: Jesus’s Humility
January 1, 2023 by
Many leaders in our world, past and present, have come with fanfare and promises, conceit and power, riches and tailored suits. They’re surrounded by bodyguards who will protect them at all costs.
Leadership on the Edge
July 28, 2021 by
It was a wonderful spring morning. The trees were dressing out after a winter of nakedness. The flowers were beginning to decorate the earth.
The Helper’s Paradox
May 25, 2021 by
Ministering from a stance of personal deprivation is both foolish and ineffective. That is why the Helper’s Paradox is important to remember: The best way to take care of others is to take care of yourself.
Follow the Leader
October 4, 2018 by
One day, Jesus asked his disciples what they were hearing people speculate about him. They offered various answers. Then Jesus asked his disciples who they thought he was. A disciple named Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.”
Connections 11.19.2017: Deborah, a Good Leader
November 12, 2017 by
Bible stories about female leaders are rare. And I’ve been in churches whose ministers have attempted to explain away female leadership with excuses like these: “When God can’t find a good man, God has to use a woman.” “Notice that the woman isn’t ruling over men. She’s instructing other women or taking care of children.
Asking Good Questions in Bible Study
March 14, 2017 by
Asking good questions communicates at least two things to learners. First, it says they are valued, that each person has valuable contributions to the group. Second, asking good questions says that the leader wants to hear what the learners think.
Connections 10.23.2016: Lord of All
October 16, 2016 by
These are tough times to be active on social media. Hurricanes. Floods. Racially motivated riots. Shootings. LGBTQ rights. A more-contentious-than-usual presidential race.
Nine Helps for Teaching
June 21, 2016 by
It’s summer. Families are traveling and the youth you do have are drowsy, but the following nine guidelines will help you build toward meaningful teaching and learning in the classroom.
Formations 05.22.2016: Casting a Vision
May 15, 2016 by
One of the key skills of any leader is motivating his or her team, and there is no shortage of advice about how to do it. Much of this advice, however, though true, is also rather basic.
Something to Talk About (As if They Need It)
February 2, 2016 by
One gift that many young people possess is the ability to talk. Some teens seem to talk all the time: in the halls at school, during class (even when they are not supposed to), during the sermon, and on Gchat, Snapchat, Insta, and so on.
Introducing Formations for Youth
December 15, 2015 by
This January, we are proud to announce a new addition to the Formations line of curriculum resources. Available as a digital download, Formations for Youth is an engaging, low-prep curriculum resource for Middle and High School youth groups.
Why Did God Call Me?
October 2, 2014 by
I had the privilege of preaching recently on the well-known Exodus Chapter 3 passage about Moses and the burning bush. You know the one. Moses is happy in obscurity, herding his father-in-law’s sheep when—BOOM!—God appears to Moses as a burning bush in the wilderness.