Skip to main content
search
Category

Leadership

Oct 25
Love0

When Young Couples Are Afraid to Have Children

By Leadership, Marriage
Last week, I highlighted a common question. This week is another question I am hearing more regularly. What do you say to young couples who are afraid to have children? Let me start by saying, I can totally relate! After Sharon and I had been married a couple of years and we were thinking about children our finances were tighter than tight. We were paying off some debt and wanted to have children, but we were concerned about how much they cost. I remember asking some young dads, “How much does formula cost? How much do you spend on diapers?” And they…
Read More
Sep 20
Love0

Book Review of: How to Lead Your Family

By Book Review, Book Reviews, Family Discipleship, Leadership, Parenting: Childhood, Parenting: Early Years, Parenting: Teens and Beyond
As you know, our ministry seeks to encourage parents to disciple their children. Thankfully, there are many good like-minded brothers, sisters, and ministries in the world. Recently, one of those teachers, Dr. Joel Beeke, released a small book, How to Lead Your Family: A Guide for Men Wanting to Be More. I am grateful for this new resource. The following are some thoughts:Contents SummaryThe Westminster Catechism teaches that Jesus occupies and executes the offices of prophet, priest, and king. As our prophet, he teaches us about God. As our priest, he offered up himself as a sacrifice and continues to intercede for…
Read More
Jun 25
Love0

The Pastor’s Family – Brian Croft

By Church Life, Leadership, Marriage, Podcast
On this episode of The Disciple-Making Parent, we welcome Brian Croft to discuss the delicate balance between pastoral ministry and family life. We explore practical ways pastors can faithfully serve their church while prioritizing their spouse and children. Brian shares personal stories about adapting his parenting approach to meet each child's unique needs and how these family experiences have made him a more effective pastor. We discuss how receiving honest feedback from family members can improve preaching, and how explaining scripture to children helps create messages that connect with all ages. Brian also offers valuable insights on maintaining meaningful connections…
Read More
May 17
Love0

Pursuing Peace

By Christian Living, Family Discipleship, Leadership
A leader in the church or home must deal with conflict. I have been reading Pursuing Peace, by Dr. Robert Jones. And I recently had the opportunity to hear him conduct a seminar on this topic. Here are a few of my notes. I hope to get him on the podcast soon to talk more in-depth. - Chap God is a peacemaker, bringing us peace. Here are four different ways God pursues peace with references only from Romans. Many more verses could be cited. God pursues: First, vertical peace as seen in Romans 1:7, 2:9-11, 3:1,7 5:1-2. Second, internal peace as seen in Romans 8:6…
Read More
May 10
Love0

Let Your Progress Be Evident to All

By Leadership
I have noticed a phenomenon among young pastors that is a little too common for my comfort. Newly minted from seminary or an associate position, they settle into their first senior position with a sense of pastoral authority. Their job, they think, is to teach the Word. The church’s job is to follow.  But in the process they are missing the idea that their ministry training is not over. In fact, it has just begun. In Paul’s first letter to Timothy, he records sending Timothy as his apostolic representative with authority in the Ephesian church. But he also tells him that his…
Read More
Apr 26
Love0

What Can We Do as Pastors to Encourage Family Discipleship?

By Christian Living, Leadership
I was recently meeting with a group of leaders from a church the night before I would conduct a conference. In our time together, we discussed numerous topics. But at the very end, the senior pastor asked me this: “What do you think we can do as leaders to encourage family discipleship?”They really are several motivations for busy elders to create a strategy. First, positively, you are praying for a great legacy. You hope that as you look at all your church children, you will invest in families so these children will grow up to follow the Lord, expand the kingdom,…
Read More
Feb 03
Love0

Overcoming Blind Spots in Our Parenting and Leadership

By Leadership, Parenting: Childhood, Parenting: Early Years, Parenting: Teens and Beyond
I’m slowly getting used to the world of ChatGPT. If you don’t know, ChatGPT is an app that uses artificial intelligence to answer requests using information from all over the web.  For example: "What is a job description for an administrative assistant with job responsibilities of ….." Or "What should be covered in a six-week marriage study for middle-aged Christian couples?" Although it should not be used mindlessly, it nevertheless can be a helpful place to start.  But here is the key point: ChatGPT is of no use if you don’t ask questions. To gain wisdom, all you need to do is ask. But…
Read More
Oct 23
Love0

Thoughts on Biblical Hospitality – Jason Hsieh

By Christian Living, Church Life, Family Discipleship, Leadership, Podcast
On this episode of The Disciple-Making Parent, we welcome Jason Hsieh as we explore thoughts on biblical hospitality. We dive into the biblical foundations of hospitality, discussing passages from Romans, Deuteronomy, and Hebrews that shed light on this often misunderstood practice. Jason and I discuss the common cultural misconceptions about hospitality, emphasizing that it's not just about fancy meals or social gatherings, but a profound way of showing love to strangers and those in vulnerable positions. We examine how hospitality reflects God's grace towards us and how we can embody this in our own lives. Join us as we unpack…
Read More
Oct 15
Love0

Building Backbone as a Leader

By Christian Living, Church Life, Leadership
I am still working on a book that, Lord willing, will be published next summer. In it, I am arguing that many church leadership lessons can be learned in the home. We can learn to lead, communicate, and handle conflict in the smaller context of family. But we also need to learn character lessons. The following is one section from the character chapter.   Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. (Josh. 1:9)With sweating hands and a racing heart, I picked up the phone. An older woman had become dissatisfied with our church and left for another church. I accepted…
Read More
Nov 15
Love0

The Toxic War on Masculinity – Nancy Pearcey

By Christian Living, Discerning Culture, Family Discipleship, Interviews, Leadership, Parenting: Childhood, Parenting: Early Years, Parenting: Teens and Beyond, Podcast
On this episode of The Disciple-Making Parent Podcast, we explore the topic of toxic masculinity and its impact on society. In it, we engage in a thought-provoking conversation with bestselling author and professor Nancy Pearcey about her latest book, "The Toxic War on Masculinity: How Christianity Reconciles the Sexes." We discuss the societal pressures faced by men and the importance of understanding the difference between the good man and the real man. We also discuss the origins of the toxic masculinity narrative and how it has affected the younger generation. Join us as we navigate this urgent issue and discover…
Read More
Close Menu