• About me…

  

  My role as an executive pastor is something like a Chief Operations Officer and a Senior Associate Pastor. I love connecting high capacity people and getting them the resources they need to make a difference in our world through the local church.

  I also love working to develop creative solutions for communications, technology and ministry programs that reach our communities.

• Articles I’m reading

Shifting demographics. With new generations dreaming of their place at the table, churches must learn to share leadership with younger congregants.  Top-down leadership gets rejected by next generation believers in favor of team dynamics.  Thus, it’s critical to allow baby boomers to step sideways and share leadership opportunities at every level of church operations.

Technological advances. Social-media technologies provide churches the opportunity to gain greater exposure, but they also require church leadership to be comfortable giving more people a chance to speak out.  And we must accept the reality that conversation is going on whether or not we’re participating in it.  We’ve known for quite some time that the broadcast model is dead – dialog over monologue, conversation over one person megaphoning, etc.  The perceived threat of opening up the backchannel is now a moot concern – since most people have access to cell phone browsers in their pockets.

New ways to collaborate. With the advent of new technologies, churches (and parachurch organizations) can just as easily work with an individual located across the country (or world) as they can through their local parish or church.  And today, individuals would rather connect with those they share values with rather than those who are simply geographically close.  Furthermore, these connections often morph into movements, networks, alliances, etc. (formerly known as denominations).  Collaboration itself is seen as a fundamental value, so isolation / independence is viewed as a dead end.

Greater interest in service. There’s no doubt about it, the next generation speaks the language of volunteerism, but churches need to keep in mind that people have many different reasons for serving and ought to tailor their opportunities to individuals’ interests, gifts & talents.  In fact, if your church ministry philosophy is straight, rather than have people to get the jobs done, you have “jobs” to get the people done.  Serving is the key to each individual discovering their individual gifts & calling in God, so the fact that it’s en vogue right now to do so is a sure fire win.

Blurred lines between nonprofit and for-profit. There’s a greater emphasis on corporate social responsibility & justice and the emergence of organizations whose primary aim is to “do good”.   These groups are challenging the Church’s postmodern identity.   Formerly, it was the church who was to care about society.  But the Church fell down on it’s responsibilities in many people’s eyes, creating opportunity for other organizations to rise and take on some of the responsibilities that might have been the Church’s.   And, social justice & global environmental concerns aren’t just for rock stars anymore.  Masses of conscencious people believe these are stewardship issues.  Churches now have opportunities for new partnerships with these groups and can link with everything from recycling organizations to social services.  In fact, for many young people, feeding & clothing the planet, eradicating stupid poverty, ending the slave trade, etc. are considered the outward works of their faith.

Understanding these trends can greatly benefit the Church at large.  And, can often explain why rather than build a multi-million dollar building, young people are more given to using free technology to facilitate their ministry endeavours, networking and collaborating (even globally if necessary), tithing their time and working to improve the common good, rather than just the good of their own church facility or members.

I came across this post by Jon Bloom and wanted to share it.   It’s a great reminder about a prevalent sin in our culture and a great example of what I believe is a right perspective and response to it.   I have seen the emotional, spiritual and social wreckage that adultery causes and it grieves my heart.   My prayer is that if you find yourself tempted with an illegitimate relationship you will run – run as fast as you can – away – run away from that which will wreck so many things in your life!   And my prayer for anyone who finds their life wrecked by the consequences of adultery is that you will run – run as fast as you can – towards Jesus who loves you and can make all things new!

John Bloom writes:

In staff devotions recently we were in Proverbs 6. Solomon warns his son against the devastation of adultery. In verses 32-33 he writes,

He who commits adultery lacks sense;
he who does it destroys himself.
He will get wounds and dishonor,
and his disgrace will not be wiped away.

For Solomon, every warning against adultery must have been haunted by the memory of his father and mother, David and Bathsheba. Imagine what he must have felt. He was the product of a marriage that never should have been. And he watched the royal family, in the middle of Israel’s golden age, implode because this union that brought him into existence had come into existence. God “put away” David’s sin (2 Samuel 12:13), determining to bear its condemnation himself (Romans 3:25-26). But he did not remove from David its wounds and disgrace.

Yet, out of the wreckage that was David’s family, emerges Solomon. By choosing him, of all the sons, to assume the throne and to write holy Scripture, God is saying something stunning: he really can work all things, including devastating sin, for good for those who love him and are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

The destruction of adultery is very real. Its disgrace is lasting. It is to be avoided at all costs. But it still is not more powerful than the grace of God.

To those who, like David, have fallen, take heart. If you have repented and trust Christ, he has borne all your condemnation. And though you view with painful and appropriate regret the damage your adultery caused, keep your eyes open.  It is like God to bring something unexpectedly and amazingly good from it.  Because the grace of God is stronger than the sin of man.

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