Tag: mission

The Local Church

Competing Missions

In a previous post I explored the question: Are we the local church OR an arm reaching on to the campus?

One of the big reasons I tend to believe that we are an ‘arm’, and not the local church, is because of the context — and more specifically — who controls it.

Campus ministry is, to a certain extent, subject to the academic institution. Unlike the local church, campus ministries will have to — again, to a certain extent — play by a certain set of rules… that they have no say in creating.

Leadership Development

3 Steps to More Satisfying Work

What does the word ‘assessment’ do for you?

My guess would be that it evokes one of two responses: 1) you become giddy at the thought of a deep and thorough examination of pertinent data, calculating results and determining important ‘next steps’ (less common – it has to be!), OR 2) your pulse begins to race, your stomach begins to turn, and you suddenly feel like you’re at the bottom of a 14,000 foot mountain with neither the equipment nor the expertise to attempt the climb (more common — especially for the relational-types that make up a large percentage of the ministerial population).

While I don’t think I’ll ever LOVE the idea of assessment, I do think it’s important.

Spiritual Formation

An Important Question

What does it means to “train” people in the faith.

Last summer I had the chance to sit with Dr. Jerry Sittser, Professor of Theology at Whitworth University in Spokane, WA.

As a church historian, Jerry shared story after story from the early church Christians, as well as the desert fathers and mothers, regarding how they engaged in spiritual formation — training to be spiritual athletes.

Big Ideas & 'Best Of'

Ideas for May

It’s May!

That typically means the end of the academic year… unless that came in April for you. Either way, it’s time to start thinking about saying good-bye to students and preparing for a different season of ministry life – the summer.