Are you trying to play an infinite game with a finite mindset? Just less than a month ago, Simon Sinek released his new book The
Author: Mark
I'm a devout Christian, a loving husband, and a killer guitar player. My desire is for God's people--individually and collectively--to flourish.
Haikus From Jonah
Engaging Scripture creatively helps us engage it more deeply. Here are some of my haikus based on Jonah.
Haikus from Isaiah
Scripture comes to life when we engage it creatively. Here is a collection of haiku poems I’ve written based on Isaiah.
Dear Church Leader
Let me begin by saying, “Thank you.” Of all the ways you can expend your energy and talents, that you are using them in service
What Everyone Needs
Leaders need it. Volunteers need it. Insiders and outsiders both need it. How do we best care for the people around us?
Wholly Redeemed
Salvation is not about emphasizing one particular action over another. It is about God redeeming your whole person.
Preaching that Transforms with Dr. Rob O’Lynn
Good preaching informs, but great preaching transforms. Dr. Rob O’Lynn shares his research, imagining how preachers can utilize transformative learning theory in how they help their congregations grow spiritually.
1st Anniversary of Kingdom Upgrowth
Our first post on Kingdom Upgrowth went live one year ago today. I wanted to take a moment to say “thank you” to everyone who
Don’t forget this one BIG thing on your mission trip!
Short-Term mission trips have the potential to do a lot of good abroad, but also at home! Here’s something you definitely want to do as you go on your trip.
Helping Women Grow Spiritually with Dr. Anessa Westbrook
Dr. Anessa Westbrook shares her original research about what factors help young women to grow spiritually.
5 Tips for Writing Mission Trip Fundraising Letters
Fundraising is an essential part of mission trips. You cannot go on a mission trip without the means to get there. Since many people raise their funds through writing letters, I am offering some tips for how to write excellent letters that are more likely to get you the response you are desiring.
Learn Spanish Christian Children’s Songs
Here is a collection of Spanish Christian Children’s songs, ideal for learning with your mission trip team if you are going to a Spanish-speaking country.
Short-Term Missions Shopping List
Summer is approaching! More than 1.5 million North Americans will be heading out on Short-Term mission trips. Though everyone has access to standard packing lists,
The Significance of the Tomb
It is significant that Jesus came in a physical body and physically died. These are reflections about Hans Holbein’s classic art work that brings out the grotesque nature of death.
Responding to Criticism
Everyone deals with criticism. When someone criticizes you, how should you respond? Here are a few suggestions.
Navigating the Cultural Divide
In Decline or Not? I can’t remember the source of the quote, but I heard someone say, “It used to feel like Christianity was the
On Being A Messenger…
Thoughts about the different ways we can be motivated to speak on God’s behalf and how in a vocation of preaching and teaching this develops over time.
How the Old and New Testaments Work Together
The Old and New Testaments work together to provide a beautiful portrait of a loving God who has acted powerfully throughout history.
Engaging Longer Texts
If you are wanting to teach a larger book of the Bible without overwhelming your listeners, here are three strategies for making larger, complex books more accessible.
Book Review: Worship Essentials by Mike Harland
A review of Mike Harland’s book Worship Essentials (2018).
A Dwelling Place for the Spirit
Avoiding Ditches In my religious tradition (churches of Christ) we have had an uneasiness with the Holy Spirit. As with most areas of doctrine, when
Youth in Family Ministry with Luke Dockery
How do we help our children’s faith become their own? Luke Dockery shares about his Youth In Family Ministry model as a deliberate way to
An Interview with Bob Turner
I was thrilled to have a conversation with Bob Turner about books and trends in Christian publications. Bob serves as the Library Director at the Harding
W.A.Y.S.?: Seeking God’s People by Christine Fox Parker
Note: This post is part of the 2018 blog tour What Are You Seeking? Hosea. A testimony to God’s steadfast lovingkindness towards Israel and Judah.
My Favorite Reads of 2018
If there is anything that bothers me, it’s that I feel like I never have enough time to read. As I started compiling a list
Book Review: What About Kids Ministry? by Bill Emeott
Emeott, Bill. What About Kids Ministry? Practical Answers to Questions About Kids Ministry. Nashville: B&H Books, 2018. One Sentence Summary: A collection of mini-essays by
Enneagram Resources
Having spent a lot of time studying the Enneagram over the last few months, I wanted to share a lot of my favorite resources in
W.A.Y.S.?: Disordered Loves by Rob Sparks
Note: This post is part of the What Are You Seeking series. First Things First A long time ago, our friend Augustine talked about disordered
W.A.Y.S.?: What Am I Seeking When I Study The Old Testament? by Lance Hawley
Note: This post is part of the 2018 Blog Tour: What Are You Seeking. What am I Seeking when I Study the Old Testament? The short
Stacking Your Skill Sets
4th Place Disappointment In 2016, following an extended period of injuries, setbacks and a lengthy recovery, Kara Goucher attempted her comeback for the U.S. Olympic
W.A.Y.S.?: Your Eyes Tell It All by Jonathan Woodall
Note: This post is part of the 2018 blog tour: What Are You Seeking? As soon as I heard the theme for this year’s blog
A Mentoring Model for Intentional Disciple-Making: with Dr. Jason Bybee
For this Research Spotlight, I had a rich conversation with Dr. Jason Bybee about discipleship. Discipleship is so much more than making converts. Through Scripture and
W.A.Y.S.?: The Search for the Search by John Dobbs
Note: This post is part of the blog tour series: What Are You Seeking? God created mankind upright, but they have gone in search of many
Make Serving A Joy
Not Employees Volunteers aren’t employees. When you’re leading in a church setting, there isn’t a single person involved who doesn’t have the real option of
W.A.Y.S.?: The Seeker’s Heart by Matt Stidham
Note: This post is part of the 2018 Blog Tour: What Are You Seeking? “You are what you love.” That’s the title of a book
Enneagram Ups and Downs
The Enneagram The Enneagram is a personality system which groups people into Nine Types, partially based on their behaviors, but even more so based on
W.A.Y.S.?: What are you seeking…really? by Peter Horne
Note: This post is part of the 2018 Blog Tour: What Are You Seeking. Several weeks ago I was having a conversation with someone about
W.A.Y.S.?: What You Can Stop Seeking
“It was in the last place I looked.” One of my least favorite expressions follows an anxious search for keys, wallets, and phones. Having scoured
2018 Blog Tour “What are you seeking?”
For this Fall, some ministry friends reached out to me about a blog tour. I’m honored to participate. I’ll be sharing one post of my
Pastoral Leadership: It’s About The Sheep
The Shepherding Metaphor A good shepherd cares about his sheep. When we talk about leadership, we would do well to stay close to that imagery.
Having Productive Online Conversations: with Matt Dabbs
These days, talking about important subjects online is a lot like walking through a minefield. Matt Dabbs provides tools to help us with online conversations–and
Questioning Forward: Appreciative Inquiry in Action
What does it look like when you put Appreciative Inquiry into action? I’ve made lots of posts the last few months about Appreciative Inquiry, and
Tools & Tech for Productivity
Ministry isn’t the only vocation where productivity, organization, and efficiency are important. Here are a few things I use to help me accomplish as much
Worship As Spiritual Formation: A Conversation With Kevin Burr
CLICK HERE FOR THE AUDIO-ONLY PODCAST In this Research Spotlight, I am excited to share a conversation I had with Kevin Burr. Kevin is a Ph.D.
Short-Term Missions for Long-Term Impact
In the video, I walk through: Basic info about short-term missions and their rapidly growing popularity Brief information about the missional church movement, and why
Stories We Need To Tell
When I was preparing to preach about the parables of Jesus, I came across John Dominic Crossan’s book, The Dark Interval: Toward a Theology of Story. The
Questioning Forward: A Case Study for Appreciative Inquiry and Congregational Change
I’ve enjoyed posting about the assumptions of Appreciative Inquiry. In this video, I explain how I utilized this method at the Old Hickory Church of
Questioning Forward: In This Together
I’ve been making posts about Appreciative Inquiry, an effective method for studying an existing group of people and discerning how to implement positive change in
Seven Mistakes Your Church Should Make
Churches are too cautious. People who won’t change can’t grow, because growth cannot occur without something being done differently than it was before. Churches that won’t
Questioning Forward: Better Than When It Started
I’ve been sharing reflections on the different assumptions of a group evaluation method called Appreciative Inquiry. One assumption that seems especially obvious is that in