A leader’s effectiveness in ministry is not so much measured on the basis of their skills or knowledge but by the depth of their spiritual vitality. The Bible is filled with examples of leaders’ failures, because they neglected to cultivate a deep, transforming relationship with God.

You know the old adage, 80 percent of the work is done by 20 percent of the people. Honestly, sometimes that even feels generous. Those of us who have pastored churches know the feeling. There always seems to be more to get done than people willing to do it.

Recently, we commissioned two cross-cultural missionaries from West Bradenton. They are friends. They are family. We’re sending them to work among a hard people in a hard place. With God’s mission, we should celebrate the sending, even when the leaving hurts.

Historically, a variety of Christian denominations have used words like “giving” and “support” to describe the funds they contribute to missions-related endeavors locally and globally. Currently, we live in a time that questions whether we have taken the concept of “giving freely” too far. Meaning, have we become too lax in how our giving is used to make deep and lasting differences?

If you asked me, “How did you know that your parents loved you?” I would answer immediately, “Because they listened to me.” As a child, I was quite a talker. My grandfather called me MotorMouth.

Summer is here, and with that comes exciting camp possibilities for kids. Trinity Pines Conference Center is hosting several camps this summer for you and your church. Here’s a snapshot of information you need to plan and to engage children in your church and community with the Gospel this summer.

I sat in an empty conference room going through church files. One box contained hundreds of leads from a long-gone Tuesday night outreach program. I called in a couple of deacons.

“What should we do with these?” It may be the dumbest ministry question I’ve ever asked.

We live in a desert. No matter what part of the planet you consider home, you were born in a desert. We walk a scorched path. The place we call home is the wilderness, a dry and weary land where there is no water. It is possible, even probable, that you do not even realize it.

Missions is changing.

Our great-grandchildren will read about this moment in church history textbooks, if the Lord does not return first. Global changes are taking place that will forever affect the way churches fulfill the great commission, and our generation is standing at a major turning point in the history of the church.

In ministry, while a vision or idea may originate with one person, the work most often cannot be accomplished without the cooperation of other individuals and churches. A cooperative mindset believes that more can be done together than can be done apart. This has proven true in the story of Lynette Francois and International Ambassadors for Christ.