The Real Deal or No Deal

Sociologist Erving Goffman drew from the theatrical metaphor when he helped us understand that life involves front-stage and back-stage actions.  The presentation of self in everyday life occurs differently when we are in public and around certain individuals/crowds (front-stage) and when we are alone or in private situations (back-stage).  The manager of a restaurant presents [...]

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What do we do when we don’t know what to do? This is a question we ask often. “I am fasting, praying, reading the Word, seeking wisdom in a multitude of counselors, but I am still not certain what to do.” Great! Keep up such practices! Such are wonderful disciplines of disciples! “Yes, but how [...]

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Proverbs is one of my favorite books.  Each year I have the habit of praying through this book two or three times, and committing several passages to memory.  After reading each verse, I pause to confess sin and ask for provision related to what I just read. Wisdom is extremely important for living a life [...]

Read More About - Proverbs: A Key to Living and Leading Well »

Few churches in North America are involved in church planting.  I want to be involved in changing this unfortunate reality. Today, I am releasing my latest e-book Leading Your Church in Church Planting: Taking the First Steps.  This 62-page work is designed to encourage and provide some guidance for pastors considering such missionary work. While [...]

Read More About - Free E-Book: Leading Your Church in Church Planting »

I have known Neil for several years.  I first met him when I invited him to Louisville several years ago to lead a church planting conference.  I first encountered his writings through Bob Logan–the two of them co-authored Raising Leaders for the Harvest, way back in 1997 (I think). BTW, Raising Leaders is a excellent [...]

Read More About - Neil Cole on Journeys to Significance »

One of the disciplines that I have attempted to develop over the years is that of thinking.  No, I am not referring to the dilemma that I experience when trying to decide what to get at the Krispy Kreme counter.  But thinking on a much greater level.  A macro-level-type of thinking. All great leaders are [...]

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While the concepts of mudding and truck and tractor pulling are prevalent throughout the United States and Canada, there’s a part of me that wants to say that those recreational activities developed near my hometown.  Growing up in Corbin, Kentucky, I had a few childhood moments when I was honored to participate in these up-and-coming [...]

Read More About - No More Muddin’ and Pullin’ for Jesus »

I am going back to my series today on Leading Your Church in Church Planting.  While I have additional posts coming on Cape Town 2010, I felt that I needed to return to the present series.  You can find parts 1-3 listed below: Part 3: Some Resources to Get You Started Part 2: 7 Reasons [...]

Read More About - Leading Your Church in Church Planting: Part 4-Avoiding the Nestea Plunge »

Last week, I kicked off a series on leading your church to plant churches with a post “How Churches Grow-The Other Wing of the Airplane.” Today, I want to provide you with seven reasons for leading your church to be involved in church planting.  Now, I know some of you are already convinced of the [...]

Read More About - 7 Reasons for Leading Your Church in Church Planting »

And now critical issue #2–the need for leaders to assist in the work.  Of the 190 participants surveyed, leadership development came in as the second most critical issue in North American church planting circles. Church planters are finding out that it is very difficult to locate solid leaders who are willing to assist them in [...]

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