Ordination is a big deal in the church/pastoral world. It is the means by which a Church or Denominational body certifies and approves a person for a pastoral office. In another post, I will explore the biblical, theological, and historical reasons for a thorough ordination process, and I will also explore how I go about preparing a man for ordination. But for now, this is the questionnaire that I use when bringing a man to his ordination council (you can pick up on my personal theology in...

Are pastors meant to be visionary leaders? Are pastors supposed to be innovative, vision-casters for the church? A brief scan of today’s churches might lead us to answer those questions with a “ yes .” Visionary Leader : “A visionary leader is someone who looks beyond the immediate “how” of a business or project and focuses intensely on the “why” and the “what if.” They aren't just managers; they are architects of the future who can see a potential reality that doesn't exist yet...

Captain Jack Aubrey Master and Commander is one of my all-time favorite movies. Captain Jack Aubrey of the British Navy is tasked with hunting the French ship, Acheron , in the seas off South America. It’s a tense time, as Napoleon has conquered much of Europe, and England alone stands against him. In one of the most famous lines from the movie, Captain Aubrey movingly says, “ England is under threat of invasion, and though we be on the far side of the world, this ship is our home. This ship...