Saturday Links

Links for your weekend reading:

What We’re Saying When We Don’t Mention the Gospel

My point in all of this is to say that all of us in ministry — as volunteers or paid pastors — have a duty to sufferers to take the message every week back to the Gospel, back to the message of the Cross. The Cross gives an accurate appraisal of the utter depth of the pain and brokenness in life, and it offers real hope.

10 Ways to Love Your Neighbor

You can’t love your neighbor well if you live an overscheduled life. The key is leaving margin in your life so that when the opportunity to love your neighbor arises, you’re available.

Five Realities Ruining Your Prayer Life

1. Self-Reliance
2. Busyness
3. Priorities
4. Ignorance
5. Doubt

On Fundamentally Changing the Expectations of Church Planting

In more and more parts of America and Canada we are no longer converting the children of Christian parents.  There are too few left to convert. We are in essence planting communities in mission. The goal is not making Christianity more relevant to dormant Christians. It is to be a new witness to the Kingdom in a place that lacks that fresh expression. This ‘shift’ fundamentally changes our expectations for what a church plant should look like.

12 Things TEDx Speakers do that Preachers Don’t

1. Present one great idea.
2. Set a time limit.
3. Collaborate.
4. Put time into visuals.
5. Practice.
6. Stay away from notes.
7. Avoid industry jargon.
8. Draw people into caring.
9. Show how it makes a difference.
10. Keep structure clear but invisible.
11. Stay planted.
12. Respectfully address arguments.

9 Stress-Reducing Truths About Money

1. You need less than you think.
2. Money won’t make you happy.
3. Money is not the greatest goal of your work.
4. Wealth has its own troubles.
5. The desire for riches robs us of life.
6. Boundaries are life-giving.
7. There is joy in giving money away.
8. The security found in money/possessions is fleeting at best.
9. Money, at its core, is only a tool.

4 Time Management Tips for Leaders

1. Stop
2. Sabbath
3. Set priorities
4. Save space

How Rituals Unleash Your Creativity

Rituals are important for several reasons.

1. First, they provide solid ground when facing the uncertainty of your daily work.
2. Second, rituals help you forge healthy habits.
3. Finally, ritual helps you achieve flow in your work.

The Slow-Writing Revolt

Write to raze hearts and inflame lives. Mean every word you say. Stake your life upon it. Make your words worth every minute of your reader’s time. Anything less is ashes you have no time for and the world has no need of.