Back Story to My “Trail Guide” Series

In early 2021, I received a God-PING. The prompt was to turn my Wednesday evening Going Deeper messages into a series of verse by verse treks through entire books of the New Testament. These books would have the NLT scripture text baked in and offer engaging commentary, colorful stories and illustrations, practical applications, questions to

Thinking About Returning to On-Site Church?

If you have not been to on-site services at your church since the pandemic began and are considering returning, here are seven thoughts: 1) Churches are running way less than half what they did per-pandemic; there is more room for distancing than you probably think. 2) Most churches have taken substantial measures to keep people

Melissa is Retiring (and I am humbled)

Melissa is retiring. We will honor her service on Sunday. We will serve carrot cake and coffee. I am humbled. My wife, best friend and ministry partner Melissa Bishop is retiring. I am happy for her. She has served as the Youth Director, Worship Director and most recently, the Education Director at Christ Church over

SURVIVING IN THE FISH BOWL

Lay people who love God often have romantic ideas about vocational ministry. They think it will be like getting paid to go to an endless church camp. The reality is that vocational ministry IS very much like church camp; WORKING at a church camp! Employees cook meals, wash dishes, mow the lawn, maintain the property,

Four Little Things for 2021 (A Movement of One)

Thinking a bit. I wonder if four little things we all can do in 2021 might help the state of our world: 1) Let’s clean up our language. There is just no need for it. Leave yourself something to say when you get really mad. Bad language disrespects everyone. 2) Let’s tap into manners. Please

Seven Post-COVID Questions for Churches (that need to be asked right now)

Louisville, Illinois. 1984. I was about half-way through my first year of teaching history at North Clay Jr. High School.  I was twenty-two.  It was time for parent-teacher conferences and I needed some advice.  I had never been on this side of things before.  I dropped by the room next door for some counsel from

What We Want to Hear (A Perspective on Race)

When my daughter Lydia was in high school we didn’t really talk much. We spent time together but we didn’t really talk. In fact, I used to joke that the words she most often spoke to me during her teen-age years were, “Dad, is mom there?” and that was over the telephone. When we did

Churches: Get Your Defense Off the Field!

COVID is like a bad headache that just won’t go away. Regardless of your opinion on why people have headaches, how to prevent headaches or how to properly treat headaches, one reality remains. We have a collective headache. Right about the time church leadership couldn’t get any harder; it got harder. About half of churches

Eight Steps to Owning Monday (by noon)

Eight Steps to Owning Monday (by noon) Many people dread Mondays.  I don’t. I try to own Mondays and I try to do it by noon. A good Monday is like a birdie on hole number one; it does not guarantee a great round (or week) but it is a fantastic start that can’t be

Another Look at Psalm 23 (Leadership, Ovis Aries, COVID-19 and the Great Shepherd)

Back in what my grandson the New One called the “back olden times” I often did music for summer church camps. A signature song was called, “I just want to be a sheep.”  The song was terrible so everyone loved it.  Every now and then, someone sends me a message and reminds me of those