Necessary Skills
When I went to Bible School, I learned a lot of great things about Scripture and ministry.  However, since becoming a pastor, I’m finding out that there are many other skills that are necessary, and I’m trying to get a handle on those.  Is there a major skill you’ve had to learn for your personal well-being or in order to lead well?  What is that skill, and how are you implementing it to be more effective?  Can you describe it in such a way that will help me understand how I can be better equipped to live and to lead in ministry? Read the responses.

Shallow Faith - Myths About Spiritual
Maturity, Part 2
by Rev. Tony Cooke

Last month, we identified three factors that don’t automatically or necessarily make a person spiritually mature.  They are: Time (having been saved a certain amount of time), Proximity (having been around church or spiritually mature people), and Appearance (having an outward form or look of spirituality).  This month, let’s look at some of the other myths surrounding the idea of spiritual maturity.  Myth # 4 is... Read the article.

Vision Revision - What Are You Doing with What You Have?
by Pastor Mark Cowart

Several years ago I taught a series to our church entitled “The Power of Vision.” I went into great detail about the importance of having a clear and concise vision for every aspect of life and committing it to writing. I explained that after your vision has been written, there would be times that you would need to do a vision revision. This is simply a time for reviewing what you have written and a time for taking a fresh look at where you are in relation to your vision, so that necessary adjustments can be made. Read the article.

Are We There Yet? Musings from a Corporate Marketer
by Don Burns

We all like “more,” right? We want more respect, more followers on Twitter, more church members and more money. As I write this article, I want more coffee. The problem with “more” is it isn’t clear. “More” is too vague for successful project management. As leaders we must be specific. When setting goals use the S.M.A.R.T. method of goal setting. Read the article.

What is the Baptism with the Holy Spirit?
by Pastor Patrick Norris

Since to be baptized in water means literally “to be immersed in,” plunged under, and even drenched or soaked with, then to be “baptized with the Holy Spirit” can mean no less than that. In immersion no part of the body is left untouched; everything goes under. So with the Spirit baptism the whole being of a person – spirit, soul and body – is endued with the Spirit of God. Read the article.

The Geese and the Snowstorm

There was once a man who did not believe in either the virgin birth of Christ or the spiritual meaning behind it, and was skeptical even about God. He and his family lived in a farm community. His wife was a devout believer and diligently raised her children in the faith. He sometimes gave her a hard time about her belief and mocked her religious observances.  "It's all nonsense -- why would God lower himself and become a human like us? It's such a ridiculous story," he said. Read the story.