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When Biblical Isn't Enough - The Word and The Way Episode 1

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  There’s a subtle tension in ministry and Christian leadership — one that doesn’t go away even with experience. It’s this: Am I becoming more biblical … or just better at talking about the Bible? We can exegete a passage perfectly and still fail to embody it. We can preach love on Sunday and rush past a hurting volunteer on Tuesday. Jesus said these powerful words to the religious leaders of his day: “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to Me — yet you refuse to come to Me to have life.” John 5:39–40: Jesus was speaking to Scripture experts. They were right about so much … and yet they missed Him. That verse still shakes me. It's disturbs me as a leader in the church. It’s possible to love the Book and miss the Author. Sometimes “being biblical” becomes a badge — a way to prove our orthodoxy — but it’s never meant to replace being Christlike. Truth Without Tenderness I remember early in ministry, a young man came to me w...
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When Sabbatical Reveals What You Built is Broken

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A funny thing happens when you go away on a four-month Sabbatical. You experience a time of rest and spiritual renewal. God speaks to you in new and fresh ways. You learn, you grow, and you lean into new rhythms of following Jesus. And while you're gone, your church grows, hears from other preachers, hears God in new and fresh ways, and continues many of the rhythms you created in your role as pastor. Then we all get back together and sort through all that God has done during the time of the Sabbatical. And then BANG! That's when it happens. As the pastor, you notice something in the ministry that you REALLY, REALLY don't like. And then you kind of have to smile and laugh, because what you don't like is something that you passionately created and built into the life of the church years ago! Maybe that doesn't sound all that funny to you. It sure does to me. I was warned about this possibility during my Sabbatical preparation. I spoke with several pastors to learn fr...
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The Sabbatical is Over!

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It's over! Four months of rest, reading, relaxing, praying, writing, journaling, sabbathing, fellowshipping—and everything else the Father led me into during this Sabbatical—have come to an end. I've just stepped out of one incredible adventure and into another. Same church family. Same friends. But now with a renewed faith and fresh excitement to serve my church and city! Last week, our family was blessed to spend seven days at a cottage on the Ottawa River, generously offered by a former elder who, nearly 19 years ago, helped send Danielle and me into pastoral ministry. It was a special time to reconnect as a family (which gets harder with adult children!) and to spend some quiet, focused time with God before reentering ministry life. During one of those quiet moments, I made a list of the ways I sensed God working, teaching, and healing during my Sabbatical. In the months ahead, I plan to blog in more detail about how I was challenged and the spiritual growth I experienced. ...
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Reset Leadership Retreat

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Last week, I returned to Ellel Ministries Canada for their Reset Leadership Retreat. This was the last event in my Sabbatical plan. My goal was to use this week away to meet with the Father and simply see what He wanted to say to me about all that I have learned and experienced over the past four months. And he certainly did not disappoint! I'm just in amazement at the Father's faithfulness! Back in January 2023, Danielle and I began a two-year course at Ellel called Explore. We originally signed up for Explore to care and minister to other people better. Little did we realize that God was going to personally care for us so much in this journey. During the week at Reset, I took time to go over all my notes from each of the Explore sessions. During the very first session in January 2023, I made a small note that simply said "Trust him!". At the time, I didn't know exactly what I was reminded of to trust. Was this just to trust God in the general sense, or was it in...
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Review: Anonymous: Jesus' Hidden Years and Yours by Dr. Alicia Britt Chole

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During this Sabbatical, I've been blogging and journaling different thoughts and feelings as I've quietly listened to God's voice. In devotions, prayers, worship, readings, and other pastors' sermons, it has been humbling to see how God is bringing various things together at this stage of life and ministry. One of the biggest works God has been doing is in my identity. Now, as followers of Jesus, we "know" that our identity is in Christ and not in what we do... what has been so good for me is to have what I do stripped away. As I've attended churches across our city for nearly four months, I was hit with an important truth: I'm not the guy! I'm completely and totally anonymous! No one knows who I am. No one knows about my spiritual gifts, my talents, experiences, and abilities. No one is looking for me, learning from me, expecting something from me, thanking me, or even talking to me. I'm anonymous. And if I were really, really honest, deep dow...
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The One Goal I'm Failing In

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I'm just finishing the third month of my four-month sabbatical. It has been a great journey of rest and drawing closer to God, my family, and the people around me. I have greatly benefited from this and am excited to complete the journey, seeing how God uses this time to bear more fruit in my life and ministry at Greenbelt Church.  Back in November, I shared my Sabbatical plan here on the blog. While I ended up reading very different books, most of the plan has stuck. I've seen great results in all areas... except one... My Fitness and Weight Loss Goals I've tried multiple workout programs, apps, and routines. None have given me the results that I've seen in the past from 2020 to 2023.  The reality is, the issue isn't the routine; it's me. I need to refocus and get back to some key basics.  If you've struggled with healthy living and exercise, then maybe these are questions you need to answer as well! 1. What is your "Why?" Why do you REALLY want ...
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Review: Replenish - Leading from a Healthy Soul by Lance Witt

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A healthy soul. That sounds great. But what exactly does that mean? The answer you get to that question depends greatly on who you ask. Most Christian leaders, hopefully, will answer based on what the Bible teaches us. After all, the Bible is very clear that we need to be healthy. The Apostle Paul instructed the church in Corinth:  Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. Our body and spirit can be pretty contaminated from everything our toxic culture throws at us. Our soul can also be toxic from the sin that lurks deep within our own hearts. Yes, even us Christian leaders and Pastors. An honest look at our hearts should QUICKLY tell us we all have work to do in this area of our lives. Sadly, most of us give priority to the wrong things and put our own spiritual health as a lower priority in our schedule. Lance Witt's book, Replenish - Leading fr...
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