The songs have been sung, the message has been preached, the celebration is over… and the pastor is tired.  I know.  You definitely need to take some time off this week.  But here’s a short list of actions you should take to make sure that your efforts leading up to Easter Sunday don’t go to waste. 1. Follow up on spiritual decisions. If someone came to know Jesus, that’s of paramount importance.  Check in with them, confirm their decision, share your joy, communicate your av

Every pastor knows that Easter and Christmas are two Sundays that are most likely to attract the unchurched and the de-churched to attend. You probably have given thought to your Easter services already, since we’re just a few weeks away. Between now and Easter you’ll probably brainstorm ideas decorate the Sanctuary rehearse special music or programs recruit prayer warriors pray God does something great But have you built systems to capture what God does?  Or will your guests

I am loving Evernote.  I had an account with Evernote for a couple years, but I confess I didn’t see the benefits & uses at the time, so I didn’t start using it. Then I read a post by Michael Hyatt on how he uses Evernote, and it opened my eyes to the possibilities. Since then, Evernote has become one of my absolute favorite tools. It’s really useful on on a personal level — I keep my budget there, gift lists, etc. But in this post, I’ll talk about how I’m using it profession

I know that title is pretty broad — I can’t do anything about some of the frustrations in your life.  I can’t do anything about that guy whose trash blows in your yard.  Or the guy on the interstate who cuts you off with no blinker.  And you really can’t do much about it, either.  Just get over yourself and get over them. 🙂 But there are some larger, enduring frustrations that I’ve experienced that I bet you have too.  And THOSE, I can teach you something about.  It’s the fr

The Christmas season is wonderful — and incredibly busy.  The programs, the gifts, the family time, the sermons, the special events, the dinners, the last-minute details… it can all add up to a huge stress load.  What if you could take 15 minutes and lower your stress level — feel less overwhelmed, more in control, and ready to get something done?  Would that be attractive? I’m not talking about a massage, a medication, or the proverbial ‘stiff drink.’  Those are attempts to

Four years ago, my children’s leader came to me with an idea for an outreach event: A trunk-or-treat with a Gospel emphasis.  (Honestly, I had never been a fan of Trunk-or-Treat!) She called it “Candy Thru the Bible.”  Each trunk/station was a Bible story with a candy that went along with the story.  She shared her plans, and I was impressed.  We decided to go for it. We got started planning.  We didn’t really think it seemed like very many kids walked our street trick-or-tre

The bank teller yesterday laughed and called me OCD. (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)  She said that because I pulled out my phone, looked at my budget and asked for $232 back in cash.  And every week I get the same amount, in exactly the same denominations.  All the tellers at my bank know. I’ve been called (good-naturedly) “nerd” and a bunch of other things.  But here’s the thing: I’m not OCD.  I’m not that organized in a lot of ways.  I’m not really nerd…… OK, I am a little