Jeff MacKay showed up at our Hermosa Beach church looking like the last guy you’d tap for leadership. Blond surfer hair falling in his face, wire-rimmed glasses sliding down his nose, mild dyslexia. We hired him to run our print shop. We fired him for sloppy work. Two weeks later, he asked if he could…

My dentist had me pinned in the chair, mouth propped open, when he delivered the line that would name a book I eventually wrote, “You’ll never let go of the ring, Frodo. They never do.” Ken was right to be skeptical. I was leaving a church of 2,000 people-during a time when the Associated Press…

Why Do People Give? It sounds like a simple question, but the truth is, the answer is different for everyone. Some give to make a difference. Others, to feel connected to something bigger. Many give because they believe in a mission, a person, or a vision of a better future. Whatever the reason, giving is…

I’ve been reading a fascinating book called The Search for God in Guinness–A Biography of the Beer That Changed The World. What caught my attention was learning that the founders were believers who, for generations, made a real difference in their culture. They pulled people out of poverty, made sure communities were well-nourished, and tackled…

At some point, you have likely sung the words, “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it; prone to leave the God I love…”[1] Though the soothing melody softens the blow, it’s a frighteningly true statement for Christ-followers-especially those in leadership. In fact, one study of Christian leaders found that only 1 in 3 finish well.[2] Aware…

C.S. Lewis once described God as a “tragic redeemer.” By this he meant that God takes even the worst tragedies of human life and turns them toward redemption. He works good out of what was meant for harm. The cross itself is the ultimate example: humanity’s rejection of Jesus became the very means of salvation…