Jerry sat next to me (Bill) in church one Sunday in 2005. I didn’t know him, but he knew me as the Spiritual Formation Pastor. During the service he wrote me a note, “Can I set an appointment for spiritual direction to talk to you this week?” I learned Jerry was a retired pastor. “Imagine…
There’s so much life in the Word of God that some people have sacrificed their lives to put a Bible in people’s hands. Bill and I (Kristi) have been inspired by the stories of men like Luther, Tyndale, and Wycliffe who translated the Bible. They treasured Scripture and endured terrible persecutions, even death, in order…
Listen to this episode of Soul Talks In the Bible, the apostle Paul said to the people in his day, ‘Follow me as I follow Christ.’ We all need people in our lives that are clearly living out the true love and ministry of Jesus. We need a mentor to walk through life…
Yes, according to Jesus! He blesses you and calls you into ministry: “You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:13-14). We may think being salt and light means preaching sermons or trying to convert people to our faith. Actually, it’s more like what we call “Soul Shepherding.”…
In today’s world it’s becoming increasingly difficult to make space and give our attention and energy into organic relationships. Into deep, face to face connecting with people. Spiritual Direction relationships help to stir up conversations that are prayerful, authentic, meaningful, and encourage us in our discipleship to Jesus and our service to others. Bill and Kristi share an example of a chance encounter that turned into an organic spiritual direction conversation.
In Dr. Bobby Clinton’s study of 3,500 leaders for Christ, it was found that only one-third of leaders finished well. Many drop out (usually due to burnout). Some have a moral failing. The majority plateau (fade into a slow fail). In the Bible this same pattern holds true. Out of 49 leaders featured in the Bible, only 13 of…
Emotions get a bad rap in many of our Christian circles today. They’re vulnerable and get broken. They’re messy and don’t look right. We prefer thinking, analysis, doctrine, and three steps to a better life. “Believe and do what’s right,” is the typical message for how to follow Jesus and grow spiritually. “Emotions are the…
Henri Nouwen in his book The Wounded Healer laments that most Christian leaders are not prepared to be spiritual leaders for hurting people. “Our service will not be perceived as authentic,” Nouwen warns, “unless it comes from a heart wounded by the suffering about which we speak. Thus, nothing can be written about ministry without a deeper understanding of…
Who are the greatest entrepreneurs and leaders in history? What executive leader in business, government, or nonprofit has had the greatest impact on our world? In America we might think of names like Abraham Lincoln, Henry Ford, Martin Luther King, Jr., Steve Jobs, Walt Disney, John Rockefeller, or Estée Lauder. Many other world leaders might…
Officiating a wedding together for a ministry couple has Bill and Kristi reminiscing on life lessons they’ve learned from their spiritual mentors. They share wisdom for marriage and all relationships and inspire you to shine your light and pass on the blessing of spiritual mentoring.