One of the side effects of growth is discomfort.

I’m challenging our church this year to be “Rooted in Christ” to experience growth in Him. But I’m also challenging myself. I want 2012 to be a year of growth in every area of my life.

Unfortunately, growth often involves the discomfort of change and the sacrifice of comfort.

It’s always more comfortable to maintain than to build or expand. This is true in any area.

It’s more comfortable to relax in your walk with God than to ask Him to search your heart and uncover your pride.

It’s more comfortable to keep the Rolos in your drawer than to change your diet and take care of your health. (more…)

January is a unique time of the year—one of my favorites. I love the momentum started on the first of the year and carried throughout the month.

As a pastor, I strive to take advantage of this momentum not only in my own life, but also in the lives of those I’m privileged to pastor. Here are a few thoughts from Hebrews 10:24–25 on how we can encourage and stimulate spiritual growth in the lives of others.

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I am an advocate of setting goals before the beginning of a new year. Philippians 3:13 encourages us to be constantly “reaching forth unto those things which are before.” In my experience, setting goals is crucial to this forward achievement.

Yet, we all know (by disappointing experience) that simply setting goals isn’t enough. If we are to see our goals realized, we must be guided by principle. I have found the following five principles to be crucial to success:

1. Principle of dependence upon God

It’s easy to coast into auto-pilot mode and forget our need for God’s anointing in all that we do (1 John 2:27). Even as Jesus admonished His disciples to bear fruit for Him, He reminded them, “without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5). (more…)

Every December, I set goals for the New Year. You probably do too.

Goals not only direct our efforts, but they stimulate them as well. As the adage says, “If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.”

Before you finalize your goals however, just one question: would your list change if you filtered each goal through John 5:30?

…I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

If we want lasting accomplishment from our goals, we must use Christ’s definition of success—accomplishing the will of the Father. (more…)

I am an advocate of setting goals before the beginning of a new year. Philippians 3:13 encourages us to be constantly “reaching forth unto those things which are before.” In my experience, setting goals is crucial to this forward achievement.

Yet, we all know (by disappointing experience) that simply setting goals isn’t enough. If we are to see our goals realized, we must be guided by principle. I have found the following five principles to be crucial to success: (more…)