One of the phrases I often use when working with church staff is: “The staff exists to equip volunteers to do ministry.”  This simple...

“The friend of my enemy makes my friend an enemy.” You may have to read that twice. Sadly, I’ve seen this kind of thinking play out in...

The late summer into early fall often means one thing in many parts of the USA: the beginning of the football season. Whether its NFL,...

We have all heard the phrase “spoiler alert.” Someone is about to give us information that we don’t want to have yet: the score of a...

Fear is a crippling emotion. Fear leads to an amygdala hijack. Fight—flee—freeze. Fear keeps us from listening.  This is my first blog...

From the hospital to the ministry, I’ve learned the same lesson: knowledge matters, but it won’t carry you when the weight hits. True...

Pastor Jeff Cloeter is my friend. I was a 23-year-old first-year student at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, when we met. Jeff was a wise...

I am so grateful for our partnership in the Gospel through the ULC. Following my 10-week sabbatical, I am fired up for our next season...

If you missed Part 1 of this series, here’s a quick summary: I shared about meeting J.D. Greear at a Summit Church leadership conference...

I met J.D. Greear at a leadership conference hosted by Summit Church. As we chatted during a break, I joked that I must be the token...

Over the past two decades, I’ve had the privilege—and challenge—of walking through profound transformation in the Church. At Christ...

May through early June is a time of many celebrations—Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, weddings, and of course graduations. This year, like...

“For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” — Romans 7:15 (ESV) If you’ve been...

Call Day is an annual event in the Lutheran Church Missouri-Synod (LCMS). It takes place at our two Seminaries in St. Louis and Fort...

Many theologians and historians consider C.F.W. Walther (1811-1887) to be the godfather of confessional Lutheranism in America. He was an...

As ministry leaders, we often feel the pressure to pour ourselves into the people we serve: the congregation, the community, and the...

You have the clearest vision. You cast mission statements with passion and precision. But if your day-to-day communication with your team...

Shared with permission.  A friend of mine recently came to me heartbroken and confused, looking for advice. He had reached out to his...

To read Parts One and Two in this three-part blog series, click here: Following Jesus: Wrestling with Bonhoeffer –  Part One & Following...

To read Part One in this three-part blog series, click here: Following Jesus: Wrestling with Bonhoeffer – Part One . There’s a shift...