My unscientific poll of churches suggests the vast of majority of us—church workers and volunteers alike—consider church meetings more obligation than joy. There are many reasons to blame, but frequently I field concerns over the need to address two issues: volunteer commitment and simplified church governance. You can read more...

Summer is a unique time for most congregations. While many members are checking out of their routines and going on vacation, seasonal ministries are also ramping up. As many congregations get ready to kick off mission trips, vacation Bible school (VBS) and service projects, they’ll also be seeking more volunteers....

This past February, 65 people from 20 congregations and mission stations gathered in Springfield to discuss mission opportunities in the region through ministry partnerships. They represented rural and city, small and large churches, pastors and laity, all putting their hands together in prayer seeking ways to engage their communities. The...

Pray for Bourbon! Do I have your attention? I’m not talking about “spirits” you can bottle, but the Spirit at work among the saints in the small town of Bourbon, Missouri, population 1601. About an hour southwest of St. Louis, I-44 zooms past their quaint community where Concordia Lutheran Church...

My “10:02 Prayers” this week have been for the Holy Spirit to stir up surprises in new mission initiatives among our congregations. In fact, I’m challenging all of us to use the month of February to pray daily at 10:02 (mindful Jesus’ call to prayer in Luke 10:02) for new...

Thanksgiving kicks off a great migration. This one holiday will generate a movement of over 54 million travelers for holiday gatherings. As Christmas nears, more and more will be added to their numbers. While we lament over the vanity overtaking the season, more people are led to take a step...

Our cell phones chime and buzz with many daily alerts. We have reminders from our friends and family, our calendar, current events, traffic, weather and news. In Luke 10:02, Jesus makes a big announcement. It’s a mission alert and a call to prayer:   “The harvest is plentiful, but the...

This past year, in the months leading up to the royal wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, one could access numerous magazine and internet articles on the training that Meghan Markle was receiving in order to become one of the royal family.  Among her many lessons she had to...