The Importance of Hospitality Part 2

In an earlier post on hospitality (read it here), I discussed the importance of guest follow up, and I shared some tips and tools. I based my post on Hebrews 13:2 – “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.” This is a reference …

What Do We Need to Unlearn?

I was scrolling through Facebook the other day and a meme jumped off the screen at me. It posed the following question: “What does the Church need to unlearn?” I shared this in one of my clergy colleague Facebook groups and here are some of the responses: Wow…I’m sure this list could go on and …

Journey or Destination?

As the song lyrics remind us, it’s “summertime and the livin is easy.” There is something about the rhythm of summer; schools are on break, for some work schedules are slower and people pile onto planes, trains and automobiles (and don’t forget cruise ships) to venture to familiar and new destinations throughout the summer months. …

Bug Zappers and Attractional Church

On occasion I’m asked where my ideas for blog posts come from, and honestly they come from a variety of sources. Many are based on blogs, articles, and books I read. Some are reflections on training events or conferences I’ve attended. Several have been grounded in my own experiences as a local church pastor. A …

Who Will Do This With Me? The Importance of Building a Team

One of my least favorite classes in elementary school was Physical Education, particularly during the sessions dealing with team sports. While I LOVED playing organized sports, mostly football, it was during the P.E. sessions that we would pick teams. I was not the most athletic child, and I have vivid memories of standing there, hoping …

The Importance of Hospitality

As I am writing this, we are at the beginning of what I consider the holiest time of the Christian year, conveniently called Holy Week, therefore you would think that I would post about that. I was going to do that at first, then I got “the letter,” which moved me to write about the …

How Do You Make a Disciple?

The mission of The United Methodist Church is “to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” I wholeheartedly agree with this mission, and I believe disciple making is the most important undertaking with which we should be engaged. We have assumed that if a church provides consistent events, biblical information, and …

What is a Disciple?

The mission of The United Methodist Church is “to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” I wholeheartedly agree with this mission, and I believe disciple making is the most important undertaking with which we should be engaged. We have assumed that if a church provides consistent events, biblical information, and …