Holy Moments

by Grady King –   Seventeen men and women. HOPE Network retreat. Our friend and mentor, Lynn Anderson was absent. Not his desire, rather, his health. We miss him. A video call. Vintage Lynn. Someone said, “Lynn, give us a Psalm.” No hesitation, with supplemental required oxygen, in raspy genuineness, we heard ancient words from our […]

Severance and Minister Transitions

by Jon Mullican –  As HOPE Network Ministry Partners travel to churches across the country coaching them in various areas of ministry (leadership, vision work, governance, transition to new preaching minister), we have seen many different approaches to minister transitions.  By their own admission, some churches have transitioned ministers poorly.  Other churches have gained a reputation […]

Word Problems

by Amanda Box –  Traditionally, in math class, the word problems are tougher to solve. I’d say that holds true everywhere, not just in math class. On Sunday mornings this summer I’m co-teaching a class called Difficult Conversations. We are using James 3 as our anchor passage. Last Sunday someone in class asked, “If I […]

The Body of Christ is More Than the Preacher

by Grady King –  The church is the body of Christ (1 Cor 12.12.f).  What could be more direct that the words of Paul—“Now, you are the body of Christ and individually members of it” (1 Cor 12.27). The Corinthian church was admonished to function as the body of Christ in sacrificial love, serving according to […]

One Life Shapes Another

by Lynn Anderson Ted moves like an athlete and looks like one too. He is usually confident and assertive. But today, sitting in front of the counselor he seems different. Ted is a new Christian and the father of sons four and seven and he has hit a wall. “I don’t really know what a […]

SORRY, DR. STIENKE

by Amanda Box –  Steve sat down in my office and began to talk about his small group. He talked about the past year and shared one meeting in particular when the air was thick with tension as a result of some controversial church decisions. The tension had been building for weeks. The next meeting, […]

The Cumulative Nature of Ministry

Grady D. King –  Last week I had breakfast with good, long term friend in ministry.  He got me through a very difficult season in my young preaching life over thirty years ago.  As we sat down at the restaurant I asked him, “How are you? One word, “Tired!”  He asked the same of me. […]

How To Treat Your Ministers

by Grady King I do believe God called me to be a minister, but it was only after years of wrestling with the gospel; walking in the valleys and experiencing the mountaintops of ministry that I am comfortable saying, “God called me.”  The call of God is most assuredly through the gospel and belief in […]

Principles of Shepherd-Selection Processes

by Jon Mullican – Almost every church chooses leaders. Churches of Christ usually select “elders” to serve and lead congregations. Some churches also call them “shepherds.” Paul writes in Timothy 3 and in his letter to Titus (Titus 1:5-9) about the qualities a shepherd and his wife should possess. Most Churches of Christ use these […]

What Us Church Folks Need

by Grady King  –  Love God and neighbor… A young manager of a coffee shop overhears a group of pastors at their weekly coffee time. They discuss how to reach people—evangelize and spread good news. They are full of ideas and energy abounds. They, however, have not taken the time to know the manager. They […]

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