We typically think of discipleship relationships in the category of mentoring. A mentoring relationship is where someone who has more experience or knowledge seeks to transfer that information to someone younger or less mature. One person, the mentor, sets the …
When I was a junior-high ministry pastor, winter camp was a staple of our calendar year. Each Saturday night of camp, as we prepared to say good-byes, the students would sob. I mean, they’d bawl their precious little tween eyes …
God has given each of us the responsibility to care for one another—here are four practical ways to build up the Body of Christ around you. When our church was without a pastor for two years, our congregation looked to …
Jesus demonstrated a life of perfect communion with God. He interacted with his Father throughout the day, spent entire nights conversing with him, and explained to his disciples that he only did what his Father told him to do. As …
We’ve all heard the saying, “It’s good to have friends in high places.” The junkyard (and I have lots of great, junkyard lessons in my book, Salvaged) turns that axiom upside down. In reality, it’s good to have friends in …
For those of you who are church pastors, church staff, or lay leaders, and are responsible for the overall culture and strategy of discipleship, the thought of implementing simple discipleship strategies may seem daunting. Oftentimes, our discipleship programs have grown …
[maxbutton id=”27″] Leaders ultimately are judged by their actions, which Jesus teaches flow from the heart. Some of the stuff that came out of my dad’s junkyard would have made Dr. Frankenstein proud (and I have a lot of great …
Read moreLeadership Will Never Be Right if Your Heart is Wrong
As followers of Christ, we certainly thrive when discipleship and evangelism work synergistically in our lives. God created us for both! Sometimes, however, we misunderstand the relationship between discipleship and evangelism and therefore perceive them as mutually exclusive. I think …
I was in seventh grade when Mom and Dad bought a run-down cattle ranch about thirty miles northeast of San Jose. Besides the sprawling but neglected ranch house, there were acres of rolling hills, fenced pastures, and decrepit fruit trees, …
Advice (or Not): Advice about Advice At a women’s retreat, I open up for the first time about my illness. I talk about how I feel ashamed of it, how it redefines me. I speak about how I used to …