Equipping

I was raised to never give up. An image was displayed on my family’s refrigerator door that I still remember. A heron is being choked by a mostly-swallowed frog who is gripping its predator’s neck in a desperate act of survival. The caption? Never give up. We love inspiring images like this. Every story worth telling involves a degree of …

Wherever you are as you read this, I want you to leave. I’m just joking—don’t actually leave! In your mind, though, leave this year (yes please, right?), leave your city, your work context, and if you are with other people right now, leave them too, just for a moment. In your imagination, go back to the time, however old or …

Church finance updates can sometimes do more damage than good. The message often feels the same and can sound something like this: church giving is behind but there’s a chance to meet budget by the end of the year if everyone can just pick up the slack. Have you ever considered how a message like this can be interpreted by …

Many questions have been raised since the Cannabis Act came into effect on October 17, 2018. Various resources have been developed within our family of MB Churches to provide guidance to those asking questions and looking for direction. Articles Waking to Legalization: A Brief Theology of Dope – Rod Schellenberg (Hepburn MB Church) Substance Use and Addiction: What Can the Church …

Whether it’s with a ministry team at church or with our own family, we regularly find ourselves trying to discern God’s will with others. In this blog, I will outline ten principles for helping us find God’s way together. 1. Encourage spiritual growth It’s important that we recognize that what people bring into a decision-making forum will influence the quality …

A life without hope is a life doomed. As 1 Thessalonians 4:13 tells us: “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.” Pollyanna Hope Mankind is looking for hope wherever it can be found. Some, following …

The God Who Loves Us Christians believe that God rules with love, justice, and gracious care over the humans he created in his image, and all of the created order. The Mennonite Brethren Confession of Faith (CoF) begins with this statement: “We believe in the one, true, living God, Creator of heaven and earth. God is almighty in power, perfect …

Hard work is not the same as smart work. Years ago, I spent a summer tree planting in northern British Columbia. One day, I decided that I would plant as many trees as fast as I could. I was flying across the planting area! At the end of the day, my boss checked my work. It was terrible! We were …

We all know a leader who has made a major mistake. Perhaps this very thought reminds you of the story of your former pastor. Or maybe the leader of a well-known organization. Perhaps you instinctively think of what’s happening in your church right now. Or you might consider the regret that you’re currently trying to make right.  Mistakes come in …

In biblical teaching about Christian discipleship, we are accustomed to hearing about the Great Commission (Matt. 28) and the Great Commandment (Matt. 22). These two great teachings identify the inner and outer directions of obedience to Christ. I’d like to introduce a third great teaching into your theological consciousness – the Great Collective. It is not a really new idea, …

I’m fascinated by the story of Jonah and it has nothing to do with the fish. Don’t get me wrong; I have nothing against the fish—it plays a critical role in the story. I just find that scene too hard to relate to.  Jonah, on the other hand, is easy to relate to. He’s more dramatic that I am, but …

Looking for a new pastor can be a daunting challenge. Many churches can feel overwhelmed by the urgent need and can easily forget critical elements in the search process. Here are a series of tips I recommend to help your church prepare for a successful pastoral search. Pray much We cannot underestimate the incredible importance of prayer in a pastoral …

Do your silent prayers sometimes get ambushed by your overloaded brain? For example, when you pray for your friend, do you suddenly think of his smile and it reminds you of how happy he looks when his mouth of full of his favourite candy? And this image then reminds you of the sweet taste of sugar and now your mouth …

I believe most small group leaders spend too much of their prep time on the study. I don’t say this because I don’t believe group studies have value, but because they don’t hold more value than other parts of a group meeting. Jim Egli and Dwight Marable’s research findings show that time spent preparing lessons has absolutely no correlation to …

Take a moment to imagine the ideal—dare I say perfect—small group. What does it look like to you? What do you hear?   I see a cozy living room with comfortable seats for everyone. My ears hear friendly chatter, my nose smells fresh baking, and my mind is energized by engaging conversations. Now think of this group’s leader. What sort …

A growth plan gives us a proven path for turning our goals into reality. As you consider a change that you would like to make in your life, I encourage you to channel that desire into the development of a personal growth plan for the next six months. These three steps will help you put feet to your desires: Identify …

Coaching and mentoring are a way of life. We can turn any conversation into a mentoring opportunity by listening, asking good questions, helping people focus on what’s most important, and empowering them to take next steps. However, there is also a place for using these skills in structured coaching sessions where we intentionally engage in disciple-making conversations during several planned …

How much time do you spend preparing a study for your small group?  In my experience, most small group leaders spend a disproportionate amount of their prep time on the study. I know I’ve done this—especially when I feel I’m short on time. I do it because the study time feels like the one time when I’m “on” as the …

Stephen Covey once said, “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” The main thing is what we often call a mission. Using a well-crafted mission statement provides churches with clarity about why they exist. It identifies their purpose and helps them ensure that future actions align with what they believe is of utmost importance—their main …

Most leaders of small group ministries have something in common: they believe their ministry will grow if it’s more greatly emphasized by their church. You know the kind of promotion I’m talking about: colourful banners, live testimonials, and the granddaddy of them all—sermon shout-outs! The only thing leaders of small group ministries dream of more than a small group plug …

Discover how to identify your life purpose and help others do the same.

I sometimes wonder if the urgency to identify our life calling has been lost. Perhaps people assume this process of discovery is a one-time event. Or maybe our churches think it only applies to people who feel drawn to positions of vocational ministry. A person’s call is simply a way of expressing their understanding of God’s game plan for their …

I’ve never heard of a church that has too many small group leaders. Too many ushers? Maybe. Too many musicians? Possibly. Too many small group leaders? Highly unlikely. And yet, I know many churches that have grand visions for their small group ministry. Statements like, “our vision is to be a church of small groups” or “we want everyone to …

It’s been just over a decade since YouTube launched (2005) and Apple released its first iPhone (2007). It didn’t take long for social media to explode—Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, WhatsApp—which only increased the attraction of the online experience. Face-to-face interactions were quickly exchanged for messaging by devices. Daily events began to carry the weight of needing to be captured and …

Without trust, it’s impossible for a team to be healthy and effective. The absence of trust is used as the foundation for Patrick Lencioni’s well-known leadership parable called The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. In this book, Lencioni outlines five problems that many teams face, and every dysfunction grows from the root cause of distrust. If your team has any …

New research shows a significant contrast in church engagement and beliefs among students who attended a Christian institution versus those who were educated at mainstream schools.

I was 24 years old when I sat down in a counseller’s office for the first time. My fiancé was seated next to me and I remember studying the room in nervous anticipation for what would happen next. What do you talk about during premarital counselling? The counsellor greeted us warmly and asked some questions that didn’t require much thought. …

Many questions have been raised since the Cannabis Act was implemented in Canada on October 17, 2018 (refer to the legalization and regulation of cannabis for more details). However, the predominant question is this: how can pastors and church leaders provide leadership and care to people who are wondering about the use of non-medical cannabis?  In response, MinistryLift has produced a video …