Thousands of new churches rapidly starting…a Jesus movement sweeping through…bringing transformation! Our hearts are stirred. We want to be a part. “It would be so amazing if that could happen in my area,” we think. After a few months (or years) of effort, things may not be happening quite as you expected. You’ve prayed, fasted, …
Pioneering is tough. One can feel alone, overwhelmed, and under-resourced. Partnerships are sometimes a great solution to this sense of isolation. They may bring powerful solutions to the starkly felt gaps in the team or ministry. Or, they can cause even more problems. Some kinds of partnerships later become obstacles for those wanting to release …
They stood in front of my gate, a group of angry men. Impatiently, they rang the gatebell again and again. They came with demands. Emotions ran strong. Who were they? Angry Hindu fundamentalists? No. Surprisingly (or not), they were a group of Christian pastors from our city. A sometimes unexpected obstacle we frequently face in …
Burnout! A common condition we hate to see fellow workers walk through. Depression. A mental health issue more common in ministry leader’s lives than you would think. Marital difficulty or divorce. Again, not unusual. Heart attack! Almost predictable in busy leaders who don’t take care of their health. As I write that, I think about …
Missionary platforms– a necessary evil, or a tool for launching a Disciple Making Movement (DMM)? That is a great question! There is a lot of talk in missions circles today about Business as Mission (BAM). Can BAM and DMMs go together? Are they a good fit? Another good question. Ignoring Platform Issues- Not An Option …
My husband and I like to run at least one half-marathon each year. To get a decent time in a 21 K race, you need a good strategy. If you start too fast in the beginning, you won’t get a good time. You have to slow yourself down at the start, to speed up at …
Effective movement leaders don’t focus on disciple-making strategy. In contrast, the focus that consumes them is a passionate urgency to reach lost people. Concentrating on the wrong thing (even good disciple-making strategy) can hinder a movement from starting. Strategy is important and has its place. It’s not, however, what drives a Disciple Making Movement (DMM) …
As a kid, I enjoyed going to the circus. I especially liked watching the jugglers. How did they keep all those balls in the air? Then, when I was about 12 years old, my dad bought me a set of bean bags to practice juggling with. It was fun to try to keep a few …
One after another the problems came. It was an unending stream of difficulties. Moral failure in a team member. Sickness and near death in a key leader we were mentoring. Unusual conflicts between spouses and children. It soon became clear to us. This was not just normal life, we were facing a spiritual attack. This …
My husband and I like to run half-marathons together. A few years ago, we were running a race in a South Asian city. The day before the race, one of the church planters there heard about our upcoming event. Excitedly he declared, “Next year I will run the race with you!” I looked at his …