I equip people to serve God and others in a way that is both fruitful and sustainable. I do this through teaching, writing, and coaching. This newsletter is part of that work.
|
|
|
|
|
1. Personal Update
2. New Seminar: Mentally Healthy, Mentally Strong: facing the internal struggles that define our lives
3. FEATURE VIDEO TEACHING: Four Reasons Why "Virtual Church" Doesn't Work
4. Quote of the Week
5. How to Share -- and Sign Up for this :-)
|
|
|
Lately I've been thinking about how people's spiritual lives -- and church ministry -- will change on the other side of the pandemic. One trend I'm already tired of hearing about is virtual church. The church is a local gathering, and we need strong in-person connections in order to stay mentally, emotionally, and spiritually healthy. Virtual church is part of the current larger trend in our society AWAY from these
connections, and it's a path that's leading us to spiritual stagnation and deeper into our mental health crises.
I have no doubt that more of what we do in our spiritual lives will move online, and churches will become more virtual ... to some degree. Some things will work well to move online, and online services will have their place in helping people stay connected ... but only as a supplement to a set of deep, personal connections.
If church is something you experience by yourself, in your basement, in your pajamas ... it's not going to go well for you. In the video, I explain some of the reasons why.
Have a great week!
|
|
|
|
Get "Rise Above" for free
"Rise Above" is a short book that will give you practical tools to deal with the challenge everyone faces when trying to live a life that matters:
- uncertainty about whether you're making a difference
- discouragement in the face of problems and disappointing results
|
|
|
|
Get "Leaving Your Mark without Losing Your Mind"
|
|
“If you feel like it's time to level up your game, and make a bigger difference -- this book will show you how. Mark is someone who knows what he's writing about. He's lived it, and he's helped equip leaders around the world to maximize their impact.”
|
- Paula Rizzo
Media consultant, former Fox News producer, author of "Listfully Thinking"
|
|
|
2. New Seminar: Mentally Healthy, Mentally Strong: facing the internal struggles that define our lives
I've put together a workshop that I'd love to give at your church or community organization. Up until now (prior to the pandemic), this kind of workshop has been important and helpful -- and I've led many of them. But now, in our situation today, this kind of seminar is paramount.
Quick Overview of the Seminar
I would focus on three particular aspects of this struggle, and depending on the audience, I could give more or less attention to each of these three:
- Struggles with Anxiety
- Struggles with Discouragement / Depression
- Struggles with Desire (sexual temptation, intimacy)
Contact me -- just hit "reply" to this email --
if you'd like to learn more.
|
|
|
|
3. FEATURE VIDEO TEACHING:
“Just as Christians should not be constantly feeling the pulse of their spiritual life, so too the Christian community has not been given to us by God for us to be continually taking its temperature. The more thankfully we daily receive what is given to us, the more assuredly and consistently will community increase and grow from day to day as God pleases”
― Dietrich Bonhoeffer
5. How to Share ... and Sign Up for This Newsletter
|
Please feel free to send this newsletter along to someone who might like it. Obviously you can just forward this email ... you can also send someone a link to the newsletter archive:
Or ... here's a link to a quick sign-up form:
|
|
|
I write and speak at events as director of Renew Resources. I also am leader and teacher at Bethel Church in Princeton, MN. If you're ever in the area, come join us on a Sunday morning! Places to find my writing:
The Recovery Journey
Check out my 90 Day program for starting (or renewing) your recovery from sexual addiction / compulsion called "The Recovery Journey". There's also a special program for the partners of addicts. Also check out my other Audio Product:
Read my latest book:
"Leaving Your
Mark Without Losing Your Mind"
This book focuses on the innate need we all have to make a difference with our lives ... and what gets in the way. Building a life of meaning and purpose is essential for our happiness, but many people get sidelined because of stress, overwhelm, and discouragement. This book will help you find strategies to overcome those challenges (and others).
|
|
