by Rick Warren  It doesn't matter how wealthy you are, how famous you are, how many things you have in life, if your relationships are bad, life is miserable. Very often, the reason why our current relationships suffer has nothing to do with those relationships, and instead, is rooted in problematic relationships from our past. And you will never be an effective leader if your past prevents you from fully engaging in your present. Your happiness, and your effectiveness as a leader, is largely determined by your ability to get along with other people. The Bible is the greatest book on relationships. The Bible talks about building a relationship with God and a relationship with each other. [ Read full article] The Role of Community in Fulfilling God's Mission
by Steve Gladen
 Why does it matter whether people gather in community and join God on His mission? The current goal of the mission of God (after the fall and before Jesus comes back) is to redeem a lost world. All throughout scripture, community is an integral component of accomplishing God's mission. God works through people to redeem His world. Why does it matter that we work on this mission of God together? Because there is power in "together". Community coincides with the beginning of time and is rooted in the Trinity. Genesis 1:26 reads, "Let us make mankind in our image". We see at the start ...
by Steve Gladen  The most successful small group ministries are composed of groups that are healthy and balanced. Here are a few tips for you to pass along to your small group leaders (or Hosts) to help them bring health and balance to their groups. Fellowship - To gain some insight into your group members, ask, "What three emotions do you feel most often?" You may even find in their answers some opportunities to offer them spiritual and practical support. Lists of options May help the conversation get started. Some positive feelings are: blessed, calm, capable, confident, content, eager, friendly, gentle, lively, masterful, optimistic, outgoing, peaceful, and safe. Some negative [ Read full article]
By Lance Witt
Your ministry is not your life. Jesus is. In Colossian 3:4 Paul said "When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory" (NIV). Notice the words "Christ, who is your life." Jesus is my life. He is the center of my universe and everything revolves around my relationship with him. My whole life has been surrendered to him as my king and Lord. He is my life. I was crystal clear about this when I went into ministry as a young man. But there have certainly been seasons through the years where I lost that clarity. My ministry .
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