If you are like most leaders, you tend to judge yourself very hard, and you are inclined to take it quite personally when things don’t go well. For example, if someone leaves your church, you assume it’s a failure on your part. If someone doesn’t receive the help you offer, certainly you are to blame. If your church is not overflowing with people, it’s obviously your fault These types of self-imposed expectations and assumptions can create enormous frustrations in the life of a pastor, especially when the results we all desire are contingent not just on our efforts, but also on the response of those to whom we minister. …read more

The Bible has much to say about good and bad leadership. It is unfortunately true that both secular and religious history have demonstrated repeatedly that—if allowed to— power can have a very corrupting influence upon an individual. It has been said, “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” …read more

I was recently re-reading what I consider to be a classic book, Ordering Your Private World, by Gordon MacDonald. As vital as outreach is, our personal internal health is also essential. The author refers to a natural phenomenon we occasionally hear about: sinkholes. Periodically we hear in the news about a house that is swallowed up, or a section of a street that collapses and disappears. …read more

I grew up in a tradition that emphasized more of the transcendence of God… His over-arching, enduring, unchanging, and eternal reality. We acknowledged that “God was with us” in a general sort of way, but I don’t ever recall any expectation conveyed that He would ever doing anything significant in our midst. We knew that God ruled in yonder heaven, and everyone seemed content with that; we didn’t know to expect anything more than that … read more

The good news, though, is that we can truly base our identity on who we are in Christ, not based on our performance or the opinions of others. It was Eleanor Roosevelt who said, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” It is vital to keep in mind that when other people don’t act right—when they are ugly or indifferent—it is typically a reflection of who they are, not a reflection of who you are. ...read more

A philosopher once observed, “The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated.” We might dispute his conclusion, arguing instead that man’s need for God is the deepest need of human nature. However, I think we would all agree that people—including ourselves—have a need to feel valued and appreciated. Mark Twain expressed how much the affirmation of others meant to him when he said, “One compliment can keep me going for a whole month.” …read more

Leading in the Midst of Adverse Circumstances A couple of years ago, I was in an auto body detailing shop in Tulsa. Like many businesses, they had a sign above […]

I first saw this piece in “A Contemporary Handbook for Weddings & Funerals, by Aubrey Malphurs and Keith Wilhite (Kregel Publications).  I’ve updated it slightly in a couple of places. […]

Who’s Trying? I heard about a critic who had visited various churches and listened as preachers made such statements as: “Don’t try to earn your way into heaven.” “Don’t try […]

What Killed Lincoln’s Mother (And Why it Matters to Us)? Tony Cooke Click here to see a full picture of Nancy Hanks Lincoln’s gravestone. Click here to see a picture […]

Weak Leaders Rev. Tony Cooke There’s a lot to be said for strength.  Given the choice, I think most everyone would say they prefer strength over weakness.  Everyone wants their […]