You don’t intend to not be ready. You really want everyone to feel welcome.
You even have some greeters at the front door. People are shaking hands,
and they appear to be friendly. 

However, every weekend people walk into churches across America and feel
less than welcome. They don’t know what to do or where to go. They feel
like strangers.

Here are 10 reasons you and your church may not be ready to welcome new
guests to your weekend service: 

1. Your culture is developed for “family” and every weekend is a
reunion. Unfortunately, guests can sense when they aren’t treated as
family.
2. You have a “friendly” church. Unfortunately,… Continue reading →

As we face change, we face the temptation to fight the change. We get
caught up in the agony of the change itself – and the self within us.

If you’re just tuning in to this three-part series, you’ll want to carve
out a few minutes to read Part 1 and Part 2. I’m writing about change and
how it exposes the “real me.” We’re in almost constant transition – with
jobs, family, relationships, and ministry.

The final portion of this series below isn’t intended to be formulaic or
prescriptive. Navigating change is more fluid than that. However, the
following may be helpful just the same.

Embrace the change.

* It’s here. It’s real.
* Don’t play the Continue reading →

As we face change, we face the temptation to fight the change. We get
caught up in the agony of the change itself – and the self within us.

If you’re just tuning in to this three-part series, you’ll want to carve
out a few minutes to read Part 1 and Part 2. I’m writing about change and
how it exposes the “real me.” We’re in almost constant transition – with
jobs, family, relationships, and ministry.

The final portion of this series below isn’t intended to be formulaic or
prescriptive. Navigating change is more fluid than that. However, the
following may be helpful just the same.

Embrace the change.

* It’s here. It’s real.
* Don’t play the Continue reading →

If you missed Part 1 of this series, you can catch up here. Regardless,
here’s a quick catch up…

Researchers who study the mind and our human experience tell us that any
change, any transition – whether perceived as good or bad, positive or
negative – any change brings some level of stress.

But the change is real. And change has to be navigated. And it is
stressful.

In the stress I can become completely self-absorbed. And in doing so, I get
buried by the self-focus of shame: “I’m not good enough or strong enough to
navigate this…”
Or I become puffed up with the self-focus of pride: “I’ve got this. I’m
self-sufficient.”

Either way this change, this circumstance becomes all my focus. We just
want to change the circumstance that’s changed.

Yesterday, I noted that maybe, just maybe there’s ore God wants to help us
navigate. Perhaps these seasons of transition become an opportunity to ask
God to help us look under our own hood. Continue reading →

If you missed Part 1 of this series, you can catch up here. Regardless,
here’s a quick catch up…

Researchers who study the mind and our human experience tell us that any
change, any transition – whether perceived as good or bad, positive or
negative – any change brings some level of stress.

But the change is real. And change has to be navigated. And it is
stressful.

In the stress I can become completely self-absorbed. And in doing so, I get
buried by the self-focus of shame: “I’m not good enough or strong enough to
navigate this…”
Or I become puffed up with the self-focus of pride: “I’ve got this. I’m
self-sufficient.”

Either way this change, this circumstance becomes all my focus. We just
want to change the circumstance that’s changed.

Yesterday, I noted that maybe, just maybe there’s ore God wants to help us
navigate. Perhaps these seasons of transition become an opportunity to ask
God to help us look under our own hood. Continue reading →

If you missed Part 1 of this series, you can catch up here. Regardless,
here’s a quick catch up…

Researchers who study the mind and our human experience tell us that any
change, any transition – whether perceived as good or bad, positive or
negative – any change brings some level of stress.

But the change is real. And change has to be navigated. And it is
stressful.

In the stress I can become completely self-absorbed. And in doing so, I get
buried by the self-focus of shame: “I’m not good enough or strong enough to
navigate this…”
Or I become puffed up with the self-focus of pride: “I’ve got this. I’m
self-sufficient.”

Either way this change, this circumstance becomes all my focus. We just
want to change the circumstance that’s changed.

Yesterday, I noted that maybe, just maybe there’s ore God wants to help us
navigate. Perhaps these seasons of transition become an opportunity to ask
God to help us look under our own hood. Continue reading →

I’m increasingly amazed at the amount of change in my life. Truth is, maybe
it’s always been a cyclone of change. Maybe I’m just getting older. I am
getting older, no doubt. Am I handling change differently in my fifties? Am
I less nimble emotionally and psychologically? Maybe it’s not about age.
Perhaps because change is cumulative, there’s a growing pile and increasing
effect on my life. I suppose that’s tied to the number of years I’ve lived,
but not about my age.

Bottom line: there’s a pile of change. My baby girl just finished Continue reading →

I’m increasingly amazed at the amount of change in my life. Truth is, maybe
it’s always been a cyclone of change. Maybe I’m just getting older. I am
getting older, no doubt. Am I handling change differently in my fifties? Am
I less nimble emotionally and psychologically? Maybe it’s not about age.
Perhaps because change is cumulative, there’s a growing pile and increasing
effect on my life. I suppose that’s tied to the number of years I’ve lived,
but not about my age.

Bottom line: there’s a pile of change. My baby girl just finished Continue reading →

Church is too often the most risky place to be spiritually honest. – Peter
Enns

It’s a challenging statement. And yet, most of us know exactly what it
means. Of course, we are complex beings, thoroughly connected: body, mind,
spirit. So being spiritually honest can be as difficult to as revealing our
mental illness, our emotional insecurities, our addictions.

How does this risk exist in too many churches? What contributes to our
mask-wearing? Perhaps some of the following are true…

* Do we expect only joy should be expressed in corporate worship?
* Do we say “how are you?” with any intention of hearing what’s true –
regardless?
* Do we believe that Christ-followers should never feel depression,
anxiety or suicidal ideation?
* Do we value closure and convincing over journey and process?
* Are we afraid our question of faith… Continue reading →

Church is too often the most risky place to be spiritually honest. – Peter
Enns

It’s a challenging statement. And yet, most of us know exactly what it
means. Of course, we are complex beings, thoroughly connected: body, mind,
spirit. So being spiritually honest can be as difficult to as revealing our
mental illness, our emotional insecurities, our addictions.

How does this risk exist in too many churches? What contributes to our
mask-wearing? Perhaps some of the following are true…

* Do we expect only joy should be expressed in corporate worship?
* Do we say “how are you?” with any intention of hearing what’s true –
regardless?
* Do we believe that Christ-followers should never feel depression,
anxiety or suicidal ideation?
* Do we value closure and convincing over journey and process?
* Are we afraid our question of faith… Continue reading →