The modern philosophy of church growth is speckled with flowery and vibrant colors of ambiguity.  Go into any contemporary church these days and you will find some basic tenets of welcome.  When I say “contemporary” I am not referring to a particular musical style or any specific religious movement.  From the progressively-liberal evangelical to the staunchly-conservative fundamentalist you will find some common denominators.  Neither group would easily agree that they have anything in common; but just below the surface their camaraderie exists.  What makes them similar is not necessarily what you see; it is what you DO NOT hear.

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Every parent I know wants their children to have the advantage in whatever it is they are doing.  We give our kids the best equipment so they can have an advantage in sports.  We give them the best education so they can have an advantage in the marketplace.  We give them the best resources so they can have an advantage in development.  Most of the things that seem advantageous however, are really temporal, inconsequential items.  Skinny jeans, iPods, baseball bats, and earphones may bring a smile to their face instantaneously, but they, in themselves, will never give an advantage over …

Walter Lippman said, “The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind in others the conviction and will to carry on.”  As spiritual leaders we extend our influence and legacy through the investments we make in others.  If we are not mentoring, training, helping, and serving the next generation, we are limiting our influence to the temporary terrain of today, the here and now.  But authentic leadership sees beyond the temporary moment, it understands the importance of leading for tomorrow.

Spiritual influence is rarely measured in the lifespan of a particular man; it is rather measured in the …

Spiritual growth is not the product of your age; it is the position of your heart.  It is sad to think that many people will live their entire lives and never grow in the grace of God.  At the end of the day all that really matters is your relationship with the Lord, and your relationship with others (you can hang the entire law on that premise).  Therefore, if we are not working diligently on those relationships we merely exist, we never expand.  Fred Smith said, “I don’t think God is as interested in our success as much as He …

Spiritual maturity seems to be a fleeting goal among modern Christianity.  In the pursuit of being relevant, we have left behind the virtuous attributes of spiritual formation.  Perhaps we shun such lofty aspirations because we fear what others will think.  We may believe that maturity is an objective too difficult to obtain.  Or possibly, and perhaps most dangerously, we are afraid of change.  Steve Farrar said, “Perpetual adolescence is the curse of modern culture.  Everyone wants to be young instead of mature.”

The apostle Paul told the juvenile church at Corinth, “When I was a child, I spake as a …