Pop culture is the known world for most people today. By definition, it is the “popular” and dominant culture, heavily influenced by mass media, in America and in much of the world. At Christianity Today, I worked with a colleague who was extremely bright and working on her doctorate in English. One time, she and…
The Power of the Sermon Checklist: Why You Need One, and How to Make Your Own
In his best-selling book The Checklist Manifesto, surgeon Atul Gawande makes the compelling case that the best way to ensure quality is something simple, old-fashioned, and overlooked: the checklist. In fact, he argues, we need the checklist more than ever, because today, information is so abundant and complex, it overwhelms our ability to process. To ensure…
Four Creative Constraints of the Preaching Life
This post originally appeared at LeaderWorks on January 23, 2018. Preaching may be more than art, but it is certainly not less. It is a craft and a skill. An individual may have certain gifts given by God, but those gifts are diminished if not stewarded by effort and practice. Excellence deceives us. When we…
Learning from Giants: 3 Authentic Ways to Learn from Gifted Preachers
This seems like a safe support group, so I’ll just say it: “My name is Kevin, and sometimes I have preacher envy.” When I hear great preaching, part of me appreciates the clarity and beauty of the Gospel; another part of me thinks, “I wish I could preach like that.” I remember listening to lectures…
Ten Novels Every Pastor Should Read
This post originally appeared at LeaderWorks on April 17, 2018. You are not a robot. When someone asks why they should bother to read novels, that’s my answer. And when I’m asked this question by someone in ministry, I bold and italicize it. Because behind this question is an ugly utilitarianism: What will these books…
Funny You Said That: Stewardship and Humor (Giving, Part 3)
From LeaderWorks: helping leaders do their work. Normally, you wouldn’t find a blog post on humor mentioned in a series on Stewardship, Giving, and Generosity. The topic of stewardship and giving is not an easy one to speak about. It makes some people feel very uncomfortable. Both speaker and listener share long moments of angst when…
A Rector’s Preaching Summit
Over at LeaderWorks, I wrote a short blog about the preaching role of the Rector. Read it here. And buried in the last part of the article is a small link to a HUGE opportunity for Rectors of congregations. LeaderWorks and the American Anglican Council are sponsoring a “summit” at The Cove on December 3-6,…
Five Reasons Why You Should Focus on Your Pulpit
Anglicans love liturgy. This has always been true, but in the past couple of decades, I’ve seen more and more young clergy who are especially enamored with the formational impact of rightly ordered worship. I would imagine this phenomenon is due mostly to a generation of young priests drawn to the Anglican way from a…
Yanny vs. Laurel and Tongues of Fire
Lots of amazing things happened on the Day of Pentecost, recorded in Acts 2. Earth was overcome with Wind and Fire. Chaos ensued. Rushing. Falling. Power. Roaring. Speaking. Hearing. Wind. Fire. Pow! What a day. The promised Gift of the Holy Spirit did not come gently to soothe. He is NOT that kind of comforter. …
Yanny vs. Laurel, Pentecost, and What People Hear
For the record, I hear Laurel. I can’t not hear Laurel. My wife hears Yanny. I’ll let you know how that works out. This latest viral sensation, similar to ‘The Dress’ before it, plays on the maddening subjectivity of human perception. Whether it’s sight or sound, we take our sensory perception as bedrock and when…
10 Ways to Preach the Easter Sunday Sermon
Talk about pressure—the Resurrection is the biggest event in the history of the world. Individuals and families who rarely darken the doors of a church will find their way into your sanctuary on Easter. While our culture has morphed the moment into lilies, butterflies, eggs, and bunnies, people still desire to hear this story. And why not?…
Announcement: Giving Up is Coming Soon!
It’s Ready After years of gathering ideas, studying Scripture, preaching “The Money Talk”, collecting three decades worth of wisdom…and months of writing and re-writing, the book is finished. We took our final pass at it with our red pens and now it lives with the publisher and then onto the printer…and then I hope…to you!…
