When Ministry Becomes an Idol

By Jeff Matas Seventeen years ago, I sat at my kitchen table writing out a plan for that night’s church board meeting. It was a beautiful July day in the Pacific Northwest. It was one of those days in the Puget Sound that people cherish, bright blue skies and as locals would say, “the mountain
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Throw in the Towel, Survive or Thrive?

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By Doug Talley One area COVID has rocked our world as pastors is in the area of self-confidence.  When the lockdown struck, no one knew what to do.  Things were changing so quickly that in a matter of hours we were making decisions and then retracting them after they had already been announced.  And as we did, we
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Expectations, Unhealed Wounds, and Karpman’s Drama Triangle

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By Doug Talley Expectations.  Ever since we were kids, we’ve developed expectations of other people, events, situations, and ourselves that led to disappointment when they weren’t realized.  One reason COVID has hit us all so hard is that it took our expectations for 2020 and much of 2021 and then beat them repeatedly over our
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Mission 120 Update

By Tom Planck Considering the events of this last year, there are more than a few reasons to expect evidence of a deceleration of impact in the Church.  While this may be the case on some fronts, it certainly has not been the case for the Mission 120 initiative. The Mission 120 initiative is a partnership that exists
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The Iceberg of Narcissism in Pastoral Leadership

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By Jeff Matas In the last two months, a well-known Christian apologist’s legacy and life unraveled before our eyes. He was brilliant, articulate, influential, and morally unhinged. We knew about the brilliant and influential part, what we didn’t discover fully until his death was the morally unhinged part. He follows a long list of celebrity
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Responding to People Who Think Differently Than Me

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By Doug Talley I decided to take a break from social media last Spring.  It was prompted by a preponderance of political and COVID related rants.  Though I probably rant at times, I don’t find rants helpful.  They are alienating, disrespectful of others, cause people to shut down, and do not foster understanding or progress.  They just make the
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Reality-Based Leadership Meets Self-Leadership

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By Doug Talley I enjoy reading because I love to learn.  At the end of 2020 I read The Resilient Leader by my good friend Al Ells.  What a helpful book, especially for pastors.   This past weekend I finished Reality-Based Leadership by Cy Wakeman.  As I write this article for the Indiana E-News, these two books are colliding in my head. Reality-Based Leadership begins by
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New Year, Same COVID

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By Doug Talley As the new year begins, at least for a while we are dealing with the same COVID pandemic and its restrictions.  This is not the way any of us wanted to start 2021.  Last March I couldn’t imagine the world being shut down for a few weeks much less over a year.  But we still
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Jessie

By Marcia Burns December 22, 2019 was the day that a simple pizza delivery would begin a series of events that would change two lives and influence many others. Weeks before Christmas Sunday in 2019, my husband, Pastor Denver Burns of Michiana Community Church in Granger, Indiana, began to challenge us as a church to
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My Hope

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By Doug Talley Though I practice physical distancing, wash my hands often and religiously wear a mask, ultimately, my hope is not in CDC protocols. Though I pray often and with fervent faith, ultimately my hope is not in circumstances and whether or not they turn out favorably. Though I am curious to see the
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