Barna Group research indicates that the average church has taken less of a financial hit than the typical for-profit organization over the course of the past two years. However, an emerging trend among corporations may challenge the ability of many churches to maintain their existing ministry over the coming two-plus years.
Numerous companies cut back on [...]
Doing More Ministry with Less Money
Faith at Work
Several years ago I wrote a book entitled Revolution that suggested a new wave of faith expressions was becoming increasingly popular in America. One of those expressions was faith-centered gatherings at places of work. The popularity of such meetings has continued to grow in recent years.
An article in the Wall Street Journal published earlier this [...]
Steinbrenner the Visionary Leader
Thousands, perhaps millions of words have been written over the years about George Steinbrenner, the owner of the New York Yankees who died earlier this week. His tenure was colorful and controversial, to say the least. Among the lasting memories that many have of him was his penchant for micro-managing the team during the early [...]
Misunderstanding Immorality
Some of my recent reading has included arguments by atheists regarding their take on the relationship between faith and morality. One particular atheist writer, Dennis Ray, contends that religious behavior has little or no impact on morality, an argument based largely on research I conducted showing that the divorce rates of born again Christians and [...]
Inappropriate Censorship
The magazine article in my hands reviewed a book by a Christian leader with whom I rarely see eye-to-eye. Without realizing it, my immediate reaction to the article was one of distaste and mistrust. My unconscious thought was that the author wouldn’t have much of value to say and therefore I should simply turn the [...]
Seeking Cues from Genuine Leaders
A few days ago I had the privilege of speaking on behalf of the largest provider of services to the poor in our county. It was an interesting evening in many respects.
One of the intriguing aspects had to do with the presence of local politicians. Because the event took place five days before the state’s [...]
The Power of Follow Up
I recently attended a major league baseball game in a city where I was speaking. I purchased the tickets online a few weeks before my trip. What happened after the purchase was a great lesson in the power of follow-up.
The day before the game I received a thank you for the purchase and the team’s [...]
Does Ted Haggard Possess Moral Authority?
Ted Haggard, former senior pastor of a large church in Colorado and past president of the National Association of Evangelicals, is back on the scene. After having been run out of the church world for his admitted homosexual liaisons and drug abuse, he has stayed under the radar for a couple of years while working [...]
Telling the Truth
I’m a big fan of the Lakers (pro basketball, if you’re not up on such things). It’s the end-of-season playoffs, and the Lakers stomped the Phoenix Suns in the first game of the western conference finals. Kobe Bryant, the star of the Lakers, embarrassed Grant Hill (and others) who vainly tried to guard him. Afterwards, [...]
Leaving a Mark
As you may know, the research that spawned the books Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions and then Revolutionary Parenting has radically affected my entire view of life, as well as ministry. The research has also impacted my understanding of parenting and, while I am still a mediocre parent, I believe I at least have a [...]
