Tim PriceGiving “experiences” instead of things has become a normal part of conversation. I hear about it from blogs, books, and family personal stories. It makes sense and I often think about it around Christmas and other times of the year. I recently read The Myths of Happiness by Sonja Lyubomirsky. The author several reasons why … Read more
In his book, An Autopsy of a Deceased Church, Thom Rainer lists the nine issues that he discovered while studying 14 churches that closed their doors. This list is a downer, but Rainer offers hope! The end of the book gives 12 ways to keep your church alive.
Though this book is for anyone, Everyone Communicates, Few Connect: What the Most Effective People Do Differently by John Maxwell is a must for anyone who stands to speak before people on a regular basis. As the book mentions, there are Four Unpardonable Sins of a Communicator: “being unprepared, uncommitted, uninteresting, or uncomfortable.” Here are some of … Read more
Doctors, dentists, sick leave, vacation time, weekends, news, books, washing machines, buses, cars, and planes enhance our lives today. Our hectic and difficult lives are nothing like what our ancestors lived through. Back in the 10th or 11th century, our ancestors survived with much less. The life span was shorter. Their stories were unreal. Daily … Read more
Ministry has three levels of calling: call to faith call to minister call to ministry Every Christian is called in some way. I’ve heard the phrase “called to ministry” through books, conversations, and in messages for as long as I can remember. In Preventing Ministry Failure by Michael Todd Wilson and Brad Hoffmann, the authors … Read more
We were packing the car and my daughter had her arms full with no possibility of opening the door. I walked out at the right time to hear her say, “I need help.” I’m not sure if it was her smile, her eye contact, her voice, or all three that made me eager to oblige. … Read more
Likability is a crucial attribute for success from the playground to US presidential elections. It’s difficult to pinpoint why some students start strong but don’t end well. Some students come into college with a bang – superior grades, high confidence, huge support, and disciplined ambition. When things go too well for them, it becomes hard … Read more
“When your values are clear, your choices are easy.” – Thad Allen When our values are really clear, the choices become more limited. A simple example might be our value to be honest. Because we value honesty, we don’t make the choice to cheat on our taxes, our timesheet, or other things in life. This … Read more
No organization or ministry drifts toward simplicity. Complexity is a byproduct of structure and systems. The more you do, the more you must fight to keep things simple. Now is a great time to get to the root of simplicity in your ministry. It Begins With You You have control to simplify your schedule and … Read more
Our minds are powerful. One of God’s greatest gifts in creation was the power to think. You may not know it by the way others (or even ourselves) act at times, but our brains and minds control our attitude. Attitude shouldn’t be based on on outward issues. Our internal response is what gives us a … Read more