Is There a Place for “Pastor” in our 21st Century North American Culture?
Pastor. What was once a highly esteemed position, given great respect and authority, has devolved into something that most people in our […]
Tag: mission
Possibly the BIGGEST Challenge of Our Work
Doing the work that we do — mentoring students within a wide-variety of contexts — comes with a whole slew of challenges. […]
(I’m Learning to) Never Say Never
Eight years ago, when I first started at BU, we had no chapel service. And the required convocation program that we had, […]
9 Bible Studies to Motivate Your Outreach Team Now and All Year Long
“Is your ministry geared more toward Christians or non-Christians?” If I drank a Red Bull every time I was asked this question, […]
Leaders of the Future
How does this fit with your own sense of calling? What about this do you struggle with?
MONSTERS UNIVERSITY: TAKEAWAYS FOR COLLEGE MINISTRY
I confess, I just ordered a Monsters University t-shirt.
As a College Minister, I was especially excited when I heard Pixar and Disney was releasing a sequel (or prequel more like) to Monster’s, Inc. As I predicted, the movie really resonated with me.
I thought about writing a review of Monsters University, but after reading the excellent review on…
The Power and Peace of “No”
“No.”
How often to you use this word? Do you feel the freedom to use it — to tell people no, to turn down a request?
My guess is the answer to that question is “no.” Or at least, not very often.
We feel called by God — to serve others. To be available. To make a difference.
“No,” just feels so unhelpful — even unChristian.
But is it?
Set A Compass
I’m a collector, of sorts. I collect compasses. It’s not a very big collection. I only have about six of them. And though some of them look pretty nice, none of them are expensive. But I do like compasses. I have a couple setting on my desk at the office. I have one on my desk at home. I have others sitting at various spots throughout the house.
A compass is different than a clock or a calendar. Clocks and calendars are about time. A compass is all about direction. It is not about where you are at this moment in time, but about the direction in which you are heading. It helps to answer the questions, “Am I going in the direction I want to be going? Will this path get me to the place you want to be?”
Staff Meeting For One
As I walk into a familiar local deli, I am greeted by a hostess who smiles and says, “Staff Meeting for one?” I smile and nod to acknowledge that it is, in fact, Monday morning and time for my weekly staff meeting…with myself.
Over coffee and a danish, I call the meeting to order, seeing that all are present, and I begin the process of getting on the same page with myself for the week. For the next hour, I will spend time in prayer and Scripture reading, then look over my week and begin to chart out the happenings of the next seven days.
This meeting is critical to the overall outcome of my week. The days of going into the week blind, only addressing the issues as they come, are over. If I am going to lead others, I must first lead myself.