Everyone at some point experiences the silence of God. Even Jesus, the son of God, experienced the Father’s silence as he hung on the cross. These times or seasons can feel dark and confusing. We often wonder if we have done something wrong to deserve such treatment. But the reality is – everything that happened to Jesus, in some way, happens to us as well. A student is not above His master. In today’s podcast, I share with you a passage that has been instrumental for me as a leader. The scene comes from Mark 15 where Jesus is lonely on the cross. I then offer some encouragement for how God comes to us, even in His silence.

Every day, we face new and great challenges all around the world. Just this week, we’ve learned about the tragic loss of life in Haiti and the hostile Taliban takeover in Afghanistan. It’s all shocking and heart-rending. Like you, we pray for and grieve with our global family. And yes, these events, added to the devasting realities of the pandemic can feel overwhelming. This is all a reminder that our own strength is insufficient in order to face these tragedies. Today, we need the power of Jesus more than ever. This is one of the unexpected gifts of this last season. Cascading crises all around the world have exposed our fragility and thrust us into deeper dependence on Jesus. In today’s episode, I offer encouragement by drawing attention to the enormous power of Jesus in the face of evil. Mark chapter 5 offers us the most graphic story in all of the New Testament. In. Read more.

As leaders, we are called to stand in the face of many kinds of challenges. As Christian leaders, this goes beyond surface-level problem-solving. We also contend with unseen, demonic forces through what we refer to as spiritual warfare. But this leaves us with an important question: How can we discern if what we are experiencing is a direct frontal assault from the evil one, or is simply a spiritual formation moment through which God is maturing us? It’s easy for us to blame Satan for everything or ignore Him entirely. But Jesus calls us into a different understanding. In today’s episode, I share with you a sermon from the gospel of Mark which was written during a time of horrific persecution. Jesus shares a story that points to the reality of spiritual warfare and invites us to overcome the evil one through His power alone.

Every leader exercises the stewardship of power. This may be positional power, personal power, relational power, or cultural power. Whatever form it takes, power is the ability to influence others. Every leader also has dual relationships. For example, your boss may also be your friend. Your spouse may also be a co-worker. Or, a church member may also be a mentor. For church leaders who value community and deep relationships, the proper use of power and dual relationships can be extremely confusing. Lawyers, doctors, and therapists are able to maintain clear boundaries with their clients and patients. But for pastors and church leaders, deeply embedded in their communities, this requires a high level of self-awareness and clarity. When power and dual relationships in your church are not carefully considered, you may be on the road to deep pain, confusion, and division. In this episode, I read five case studies from leaders who are navigating this delicate. Read more.

The work of teaching and preaching is one of the most important skills of church leaders. But these days, many preachers seem to invest more energy in the external, rather than the internal. It’s easy to obsess over finding the perfect illustration, crafting a catchy “one-liner”, and developing your unique style and voice. In my early days of preaching, this was my story as well. But over time, I realized there were several other deeper components to a sermon that few people were talking about. While the externals are important, it’s the internal work that has the power to transform lives. Today, I’m going to share with you an excerpt of an interview I recently did for Preaching Today. In this interview, I share 6 questions that you must ask if you want to learn how to preach from the inside out.

I want to share something with you that I believe is timely… As a leader, you MUST be aware of the forces coming at you from our western culture. Specifically, there are 4 great temptations you face, each with the potential to sabotage your life and ministry. Every day, leaders are taking the bait. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Today, I share an excerpt from a chapter in my recent book, Emotionally Healthy Discipleship, called “Follow the Crucified, not the Americanized Jesus”. It’s one of the most important chapters in the book. Within it, I explore four temptations from the Evil One that come to all of us –  regardless of our culture, country, age, demographic, or ministry. Only when we recognize and resist these temptations and allow Jesus to meet us, will we be able to lead churches that stay true to Jesus’ mission to make disciples in the whole world.