…stays in Vegas. Clever ad slogan. The guts of it apply to lots of things. During the times I experienced intense church conflict in the past, the battles were weighted in my mind with what was eternally important: theological big stuff like the proper way to preach about repentance were freighted with far more spiritual…

I heard Dr. Ron Martoia speak last month at the Story Chicago conference (I mentioned him in #12 of my blog post about the event here). I happened to receive an advanced reader copy of Martoia’s new book a couple of days after the conference, and was really looking forward to reading it after hearing…

I’ve heard of church and community leaders coming together in the wake of a crisis (weather, violent crime) to serve and to pray. And I’ve heard of pastors coming together in small groups to encourage one another. Crisis or ministry affinity often brings together believers from different backgrounds and church traditions. But yesterday’s Catalyst Forum…

‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’ – Matthew 18:11-12 NLT It is oh, so obvious…

Read part one here. True fiction for church leadersPart 2: The board put the PR machine in high gear – the machine Jeff had painstakingly assembled in the name of Excellent Communication – to massage the message they’d be giving the congregation about Jeff’s impending departure. Frank made sure Jeff understood that his generous severance…

If you’ve ever been involved in church leadership, the following work of fiction might read like a true story… (Part 1) Jeff was parked in his ancient recliner, wearing a shapeless pair of gray sweats and an “In It To Win It” T-Shirt. Sections of the morning’s super-size paper surrounded his chair, forming a moat…