Tag Archives: ministry

Six-Pack (52)

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Missing last week’s Six-Pack has left me with a larger-than-usual pile of options for this week’s collection.

As a result, I’ve got an unusually strong offering for you today! Without further adieu, here are six of the finest posts I’ve recently enjoyed regarding faith, ministry, or who-knows-what.

If six feels steep, start with two. The *Picks of the Week* provide an easy entry point.

For a steady stream of such links, follow me on Twitter to the right of this post.  Sharp quotes and solid articles are tweeted 3-4 times daily.

Today’s edition:

1) Faithful to the End: An Interview with Eugene Peterson (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
 If you’re a pastor, it’s hard not to love Eugene Peterson. Far beyond his providing us with one of the liveliest modern Bible translations, he has poured himself (for years) into writing theologically-loaded, yet pastorally-rooted pieces that are like high-quality nourishment to many in ministry positions. Here, he offers some rich reflection on his decades of service.

2) The Number One Way Leaders Get Derailed
Michael Hyatt offers this observation for all leaders eager to stay on course.

3) Five Things I’ve Learned Since Leaving Full-Time Ministry
Jake Ray, for ChurchLeaders, offers five insights he had about ministry after leaving. Grab these now — they may save you grief. They may even keep you from leaving.

4) It’s You, Not Me: Why More & More Ministers Are Leaving Churches of Christ (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
This recent piece by Sean Palmer has generated a lot of buzz in my church circles.

5) Today, Just Be Average
HBR challenges the perfectionists out there to try something really hard: Settle down for a day.

6) 20 Encouraging Quotes to Level Up Your Life
Lifehack knows I love quotes, so let’s end there today!

May your week ahead be filled with life, as you seek the One from whom it flows!

leaveacommentYOUR TURN: Your input makes this post better!

  • Which link above was most worthwhile?
  • Why that one?

Direct others to the best of the bunch with a quick comment.

[You can subscribe to this blog via RSS or email, in the upper right corner of this page.]

A Week on a Tiny Island

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arrow logoOver the past two years, I have been part of the Arrow Leadership program. Briefly put, the program has involved a class of 23 people, under the age of 41, who are employed in non-profit organizations. I have nothing but the highest praise for the program–first-rate in all its work.  If you are the least bit intrigued, contact me; I would happily share more!

Barnabas-from-Above-288x288I type this post from my local airport, awaiting my flight toward Vancouver. Every six months back to September 2011, our class has gathered at the Vancouver airport, where we have been bussed and boated to beautiful Barnabas on Keats Island.  The location and hospitality leave nothing to be desired, and a powerful sense of community has been created over three separate weeks spent there together. Today marks the start of our forth and final residential.

So for good reason, I will break briefly from regular blogging. A week from now, the Canadian prairies will welcome me home, and at that point, I will meet you right back here for further Wandering & Wondering.

For today, may this Irish blessing be indicative of what God is doing in your life on this fine day:

May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields and,
Until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Saturday Six-Pack (31)

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Another weekend, another Six-Pack!

That sentence may be spoken with a couple different meanings as another work week ends. For the part of Wondering & Wandering, that phrase describes the latest serving of my web readings that I’ve deemed worth sharing.

As per usual, most articles are ministry-minded or faith-focused, with enough flexibility protected to cover some who-knows-what as well.

If six swamps you, start with my two *Picks of the Week*.

For a steady stream of such links, follow me on Twitter ( @JasonBandura ) to the right of this post.  Sharp quotes and solid articles are tweeted 3-4 times daily.

Today’s edition:

1) Why Are Churches of Christ Shrinking? (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
I am part of a currently shrinking fellowship; the statistics bear this out. Many theories exist, I am sure. This piece verbalized a number of my own fuzzy thoughts better than I have done myself. I also think there is much packed into the subtitle alone: “A Left-Brained Fellowship in a Right-Brained World”. The link above goes to part one of the article. The sequel post is HERE.  Thanks to James Nored at the Missional Outreach Network for sharing.

2) The New Tent-Makers
I am not currently a tent-maker pastor, but I have wondered often if far more ministry workers won’t be bi-vocational in the future, myself included. Leadership Journal follows two current church planters as examples of what it COULD look like.

3) Why Nice People Kill Churches
This week marked my first visit to the blog of Paul Alexander.  The piece that grabbed me is about staff movement which isn’t as much of a reality in my little church as in some larger congregations. More than anything, the title resonated with something I’ve long considered, and a few of the more specific points contain valuable insights if generalized just a bit.

4) How Minimum Targets Can Mean Maximum Impact
Trust Dumb Little Man to come up with something smart! If you’ve ever experienced frustration with your inability to meet goals or to chart progress, these four tips just might make the difference between another serving of failure and a fresh dose of success.

5) Uncommon Callings (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
Skye Jethani is a writer that I find myself really blessed by recently. His book “With” is one of my best reads in the past couple years.  This Jethani offering breaks down the struggle many pastors have with really grasping the “work worlds” of their church members. Some great insights here for all who work in churches.

6) 12 Amazing Life Lessons You Can Learn Through Science
Here’s Dumb Little Man with his second offering of the week! Taking the discovery of penicillin as an illustration, here are a dozen encouraging tidbits that might provide you direction or inspiration on how to take a step upward and forward in whatever venture you’re currently part of.

Blessings on you, my friends.  May your weekend be refreshing in rest, play, and worship.

YOUR TURN: Direct other readers to the best stuff above by making a comment below, or weigh in on what you read.  Your input makes this post better!

[You can subscribe to this blog via RSS or email, in the upper right corner of this page.]

Sunday Six-Pack (29)

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Welcome back to the Six-Pack, my friends!

After a couple weeks of family vacation, and one additional Saturday (plus one extra day!) to get myself back up to speed, here is the latest installment of internet keepers.

As per usual, these articles are typically ministry-minded or faith-focused, with enough flexibility to toss in the occasional who-knows-what.

If six is more than you can handle today, begin with my two *Picks of the Week*, and move from there.

For a steady stream of such links, follow me on Twitter ( @JasonBandura ) to the right of this post.  Sharp quotes and solid articles are tweeted 3-4 times daily.

Today’s edition:

1) Recommended: A Diary of Private Prayer
This quick book review is getting the first slot this week because of the value that could be discovered by following. I have used Baillie’s prayer guide on and off over the past few years–what a gem of a book! If your prayer life could use structuring and support, read this post. And then do some online shopping for a used copy of potentially life-shifting book.

2) Why You Shouldn’t Have a Position on LGBTQ’s (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
How does your church handle discussions surrounding homosexuality and gay rights? Less than comfortably, I imagine.  The following article sprung out of a Facebook post that opened with this: To the question, “What is your position on LGBTQ?” I think the best answer (in these times) is “we have no position” The question itself misses the point of any other answer? Agree?

3) We Wait Too Long to Train Our Leaders
A recent piece from the Harvard Business Review raises the corporate equivalent of what I’ve long thought about churches.  To my ministry friends, what do you think your church has missed out on, as a result of under-developed leaders?

4) Uh Oh, Canada!
Nearly six months ago, Leadership Journal’s blog published this short piece summarizing the results from a study that indicates that young adults are departing from churches at some unfortunate rates. One of the major reasons has nothing to do with Young Adults Ministries.

5) The Myth of Human Progress (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
Some have posited that postmodernism’s birth sprung from such catastrophic events as the two world wars, in which humanity’s confidence in itself and in its inevitable escalation upon the evolutionary ladder were cracked beyond repair. Living squarely within a generation labeled “postmodern”, I am not certain that the illusion has dissipated at all.  This article, from TruthDig spells out some such thoughts quite poignantly.

6) Ministry Lessons From the Good Times and the Bad
Ministry is certainly an “up and down” experience on multiple levels simultaneously. Wrapped into any graph of a pastor’s journey are facets of personal life, inner journey, and societal dynamics, not to mention the unique and multiple-layered movements occurring within a given congregation or denomination. Don Carson, for TGC, recently highlighted lessons he’d gleaned in the highs and the lows of decades of ministry.

Blessings on you, my friends.  May your weekend be refreshing in rest, play, and worship.

YOUR TURN: Direct other readers to the best stuff above by making a comment below, or weigh in on what you read.  Your input makes this post better!

[You can subscribe to this blog via RSS or email, in the upper right corner of this page.]

Saturday Six-Pack (5)

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Welcome to the weekend, and thanks for spending some time “Wandering & Wondering”.

This week’s “Saturday Six-Pack” shares a smattering of the best things I’ve recently read online.  Typically, these articles are be faith-focused or ministry-geared, but I reserve the right to live up to the “disorderly pile of who-knows-what” tagline at the top of this page!

Today’s line-up:

1) Why the Church is Losing a Generation and What We Can Do About It
 Jonathan Pearson is noticing a disturbing trend, and he isn’t the only one.  Why are so many young adults turning away from “church as they know it”?  Here are a few theories, along with an invitation into this important conversation.

2) To Get Ahead, Do 21 Things that Others Don’t
This very practical, potentially inspiring, list comes from the Time Management Ninja.  If you’re looking for ways to “get ahead” in whatever way you define that, this short read will be worth your while.

3) An Interview with a Pearl
Great dialog here between blogger Jamal Jivanjee and a woman he identifies as Kat.  Some great insights here from the layers of one life into the layers of your own, as you strive to courageously follow Jesus.

4) Ambidextrous Ministry
However you serve, wherever you lead, you likely have a dominant hand.  Eric Geiger suggests that the next step forward might demand some skills from the other side.  A brief read, this one will likely get you considering at least a few possibilities within your church or life.  Dare to dream… and go left!

5) Want a Better Life?  Read a Book.
Pscyhology Today offers this piece.  The title seems obvious to any word-lover, but you may be challenged here on how you could maximize the impact of the words you choose to consume.

6) How Introverts and Extroverts Can Benefit From One Another
Michael Hyatt asks, “Do introverts or extroverts make the best leaders?”  Along that line, here are a few things worth considering.

Have a great weekend, friends–renew yourself and reverence God.