Advocate to Propitiation (A Short Story)
Today, you stand on trial. Your nerves shake your body to the core, as you sit in the hard wooden chair behind the defendant desk. You are alone. No attorney would take your case because the evidence is stacked against you. Behind you sits no one; the courtroom is empty. In front of you, behind…
A Letter to My Children about Church Stuff
To my children, All I really want is to see you in heaven. I want you to be successful in this life, but so much more in the life to come. Success in this life is determined by human standards, but success in the life to come is determined by your life with Christ…
Fantasy Football, My Bible and Winning
Over the years, fantasy football has become a rising fad among many armchair quarterbacks and I am among them. After winning my league in crushing defeat eight years ago, my fantasy football teams resembles the heritage of the Detroit Lions. We are simply awful. I am gladly holding down last place in our league…
34 Ways to Encourage Your Minister
October is “Minister Appreciation Month” and over the next few weeks I would like to share a few posts with you regarding minister and encouraging your minister. Many times, it is difficult to understand ministry because of the aspects of ministry which are cannot be shared and without walking in a ministers shoes. Let…
VBS is Coming! (VBS Plans Ahead)
I know, it is only September, but very soon Vacation Bible School will be upon a majority of churches. I publish this article every year and it yields tremendous results because everyone has a connection to Vacation Bible School (VBS) and everyone wants VBS to be a successful part of the congregation. From my experience,…
Possible Signs of Marriage Problems
Got a few minutes? If so, take this quick quiz to see if your marriage might be in trouble. While the age of busyness and technology is upon us, sometimes we forget to communicate in the simplest ways with your spouse. As people have come to me over the years for marriage coaching, I notice…
Free Weekly Newsletter
Tomorrow is the re-launch of the newly redesigned Preacher’s Pen Newsletter! This free email newsletter will arrive in your inbox each Tuesday filled with information to motivate you in your spiritual walk. There will be articles, links, pictures, quotes and much more. The purpose of the newsletter is to strengthen others in Christ every…
Five MUST NEEDS of Congregational Leadership
As the leadership speaker and guru John Maxwell says, “Everything rises and falls on leadership.” While John Maxwell usually says this to a business crowd, the concept also applies to a congregation. Consider for a moment the congregation who hires a new minister and the work, as well as the membership, takes off…
Robin Williams, Jokes and Depression (Church Edition)
Last night, the comedian side of me was tearful. A man whose antics, voices and expressions brought my home a thousand laughs was suddenly gone at the young age of 63. He had just celebrated his birthday a few weeks ago and now, he is gone. He brought our family laughs in Mork and Mindy,…
The Hummingbird Morning
This morning as I read the words of Proverbs 2 and 3 and Ecclesiastes 1, the sound of the rain falling on the earth provided gentle background noise as the words of God filled my mind. The sound of the rain was perfect – constant drops falling on the house, the tree and the ground.…
