Dr Paul Allen

If you have been on your journey for any time, you know you can find hurt, frustration, disappointment, and failure. Regardless, you cannot give in to the destructive practice of bitterness. It is famously said that bitterness is our poison, hoping it kills others. Bitterness is the result of losing what we need for the journey. We stop walking in hope, faith, and trust and resign ourselves to accepting the worst of all possibilities.  Walk His disciples were confused and distraught when Jesus ascended into heaven after His death and resurrection. But Jesus explained it was better for Him to go away so that the Holy Spirit could come and live in His follower’s hearts. What a wonderful development that God Himself would create a way to come and live in a person’s heart. Not just in a temple they could visit or among to be seen but not fully known. God moves in! Every believer becomes a connection point between the eternal God and the present moment. And Paul explains that God gives ...

Apostle Silas (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Regardless of position, leaders rarely find themselves satisfied by status quo. Except for the few who lead at the very top of an organization, the problems many see are outside of their control. Discouraged by their inability to make every necessary improvement, many church leaders choose to withdraw from the change process entirely. This “all or nothing” thinking places them in maintenance mode. Recently, a business professor introduced me to three simple questions asked by managers seeking improvements to their production processes. Applied by church leaders, they can be very revealing about the things we choose to focus on… What can I directly control? What can I influence? What is out of my control or influence? Unfortunately, the things outside of our control or influence often absorb the majority of our focus. We recognize that we cannot affect them yet continue to develop unvoiced solutions in our minds. Rather than d...