Men of Action
Seven months ago I sat with a group of men at a men’s event in Sioux Falls and shared about God’s heart for the vulnerable and poor. We read scripture, discussed the meaning of some verses, shared our hearts in [...]
Why Churches Make the Best Partnerships
I remember visiting an orphanage in Haiti about 18 years ago. This was my first real cross-cultural experience so everything was intriguing and I asked hundreds of questions. One afternoon I was walking around the compound where we were staying [...]
A Church in Action
Entry six of a six-part seriesOver the past five blogs we have answered the question: “Why it is critical for the church to be involved with the poor?” (If you are just joining this discussion and want to get caught [...]
Learning Through Serving
I once befriended a pastor who told me a story of how he desperately wanted to get the people in his new church plant into small groups. He wanted the group leaders to be well-equipped, so he embarked on a [...]
Grasping the Power of Servanthood
Entry four of a six-part seriesWhen I think of the word servant I think of a cupbearer, someone kneeling at the side of the king ready to meet his every thirsting need. Or a farmhand, shoveling manure or cleaning off [...]
Because Discipleship Matters
Entry three of a six-part series Discipleship. What images or phrases come to mind when you hear this word? As someone who has been deeply involved in church ministry for over two decades, my understanding of discipleship has gone through several [...]
For Our Spiritual Health and Growth
Entry two of a six-part seriesHave you ever read one of those self-help books? For those of you who haven’t or aren’t familiar with the term a self-help book is a book written with the intention of instructing you, the [...]
Overcoming the “Me First” Mentality
Entry one of a six-part series “Imagine for a moment how you would feel if you were in their shoes…” It was a phrase I heard many times as a kid. I remember vividly the birthday party that really helped [...]
When Helping Hurts: Closing Thoughts
In seminary I had a professor that compared our course work to that of drinking from a fire hydrant. You catch what you can and let the rest flow by. To some degree, that is how When Helping Hurts, was [...]
From Paralysis to Relationship
In the second half of chapter 11 of When Helping Hurts, the authors give some practical advice for effectively partnering with communities in the majority world. We love their suggestions. We asked our friend Celeste Brown de Mercado to add [...]