A Priestly Duty

Bernhard Lichtenberg was a German Catholic priest at St. Hedwig’s Cathedral in Berlin during the time of the transfer of power to Adolf Hitler. He protested to the Nazi officials concerning the arrest and killing of the sick and mentally ill as well as the persecution of the Jews. He also held weekly prayer meetings … More A Priestly Duty

Leading Upstream

I recently had my annual wellness check. It included a series of tests to measure all my overall health. Going to the doctor routinely can help identify areas in my diet and exercise that may need adjusting before they become full blown problems. In his book, Upstream, Dan Heath says, “Downstream actions react to problems … More Leading Upstream

New Scorecard

Coach, what’s the score?! This question could be heard over and over again during an Upwards basketball 1st/2nd grade game. Upwards basketball has one clear rule for this age group – NO score keeping. Only the time left in a period was on the scoreboard. The purpose behind this was to teach that age group … More New Scorecard

Four Ways to Build Bridges Not Walls

Hiking the Grand Canyon can be dangerous because tourists underestimate the challenge, despite signs posted along hiking trails that read, “WARNING: There are no easy trails into or out of the Grand Canyon!” The way I see it… This warning also applies to revitalization work in established churches that have a long, historic legacy. There … More Four Ways to Build Bridges Not Walls

Pet Peeves

The older I get the more pronounced my pet peeves are. Airport terminal gates that have half as many seats as the number of seats on the airplane is a big one. You’re supposed to arrive early, but there’s nowhere to sit. Carry-on bags that slow passengers down…waiting for a checked bag…slow traffic…loud public phone … More Pet Peeves

Got a Map?

In 1954 Annie Wilkins embarked on an impossible journey from Maine at the age of 67. She had no money, no family, and she had just lost her farm. Her doctor had given her about 2 years to live. But Annie wanted to see the Pacific Ocean before she died. She rode her horse and … More Got a Map?

Help Wanted

I’ve been to a few churches this year that don’t have a worship leader and struggle with where to find one. It’s a hot topic among normative size churches, and no one has a good solution. As the older generation of worship leaders are retiring, there doesn’t seem to be a pool of younger ones … More Help Wanted

Finding Your Niche

MoviePass offers members the opportunity to see one movie per day at the theater of their choice for just $9.95 a month. They boasted more than 3 million members in 2019, but Covid-19 shut down theaters in 2020 and have scared away some patrons from ever returning. But MoviePass is trying to make a comeback. … More Finding Your Niche

Three Ways to Avoid an Underwhelming Easter

Easter is one of the biggest church gatherings attended by visitors all year. And you’ve probably spent extra hours preparing for this to be the best Easter weekend your church will ever have this side of the rapture. But let’s be honest, if there’s anything less than standing room only this Sunday, you’re also setting … More Three Ways to Avoid an Underwhelming Easter

Stuck…again.

About a year ago the Ever Given ran aground in the Suez Canal causing global supply-chain issues. Have you heard of her sister ship, Ever Forward? Ever Forward is operated by the same Taiwanese company and is a 1,095 foot cargo ship with more than 4,000 shipping containers aboard. And believe it or not, it … More Stuck…again.

Every Church Revitalization is a Cinderella Story

March Madness is made of upsets, underdogs and Cinderella stories. Saint Peter’s, a small school from Jersey City, New Jersey became the first No. 15 seed to advance to the Elite Eight, a feat that’s never been done in NCAA history. The Peacocks won 10 straight games, and beat No. 2 Kentucky, No. 7 Murray … More Every Church Revitalization is a Cinderella Story

A Winning Team

The recent story of Lake Hamilton, Arkansas boys high school basketball team is exceptional. Senior Andy Tolleson has been the team manager for his entire high school career and he has special needs. Head Coach Scotty Pennington decided to let him dress out as a player on Senior Night and play in his first ever … More A Winning Team

Church Owners

Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson released a song in January of 1978 entitled Mama Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys.  Mamas, don’t let your babies grow up to be cowboys Don’t let ’em pick guitars or drive them old trucks Let ’em be doctors and lawyers and such… Are you singing the … More Church Owners

The Way I See It

Embracing all that God has made me to be has been a lifelong journey. I have strengths but tend to focus on my weaknesses. At times I doubt and second guess things despite my experience and calling. Call it insecurity, fear, or being human. The 2020 COVID pandemic gave me plenty of time, since everything … More The Way I See It