Suppose someone from 1914 had the ability to travel in time 100 years and sit in a modern worship service?  It’s safe to say they would be absolutely shocked by the spiritual climate and change in our churches.  Everything is different, radically different. The technology, the music, the facilities, the delivery style, and in some cases, even the message would be almost unrecognizable to someone from this era.

This is not to say that everything was perfect 100 years ago.  On the contrary, the church has, in every decade, been riddled with challenges and complex issues.  There has never been …

I love technology, but when it comes to reading books, you can call me old-fashioned.  There is something about holding a book in your hands, turning the pages, highlighting and making notes that just satisfies the ol’ codger in me.  Occasionally I will read a book on my iPad, but I really don’t enjoy it that much.

The Hidden Life of Prayer just may have changed that (at least temporarily).  I recently downloaded this free resource through my Olive Tree App, and to my surprise, I couldn’t stop swiping the pages, ahem… screen.  David MacIntyre, a Scottish preacher and educator, …

Albert Mohler said, “The careful reader is not reading merely to receive data.  The leader learns to invest deeply in reading as a discipline for critical thinking.”  One cannot effectively learn if he is not consistently reading.  As a Christian, I read for spiritual growth.  As a husband and father, I read for influence.  As a pastor, I read for ministry.  As a preacher, I read for sermons. But as a human, I simply read for pleasure.  There are other hobbies that I frequently enjoy, but none so much as  reading.

I like to read in variety and diversity.  Some …

John Maxwell is the consummate guru of leadership, hands down.   His influence is felt wherever leadership is required.  From the church world, to the corporate world, to the sport worlds, to the world at large, anyone who is anyone has probably read a book by Maxwell.

I have read all of his material; and rarely does he disappoint.  Maxwell is practical, honest, simple, and just plain interesting.  He keeps my attention with his sensible insight, provocative storytelling, and biblical principles.  His point is always given in candid and sometimes comical style.

To me, he is at his best when he …

In his book, The Top Ten Leadership Commandments, Hans Finzel documents the leadership principles that are exhibited through and in the life of Moses.  The burning-bush believer seemed to experience every possible angle of leadership during his tenure.  From his failed attempts to his frustrating angst to his final admonishments, Moses was a man who knew the ups and downs of being out front.

Finzel cleverly engraves Moses’ experiences on tablets of stone, and lists the top ten “commandments” one might glean from observing his life and ministry.  Finzel does more than just offer another leadership list of qualities …