3 REASONS I'M DONE CRITICIZING THE CHURCH

In some circles today it’s cool to criticize the church. Search social media and soon you’ll find someone upset because they say the church has failed them. Some have even walked away. In fact, most readers of this blog know at least one person who has decided to leave church altogether.

Obviously, the critics are not totally wrong. Attend church long enough and you’re sure to bump up against adultery, jealousy, lying, or just general unpleasantness among folks who are supposed to be redeemed.

I get it. Sometimes someone will say to me, “It must be wonderful to work at the church, doing God’s work all day every day.” Well, it certainly is gratifying to partner with God in his activity on earth. But it’s not for the faint of heart. Spiritual healing is like physical healing: sometimes it means cleaning messy wounds, draining ugly infection, watching for many months (or years) while disabled people slowly hobble along until their brokenness has mended.

So I could tell you plenty of reasons to criticize the church. But I’m committed not to join the critics, for at least three reasons.

Church, Leadership, LifeTrevor DeVageAugust 28, 2019church, leadership, hurt, bride, jesus, criticizing Comment

SERVE MORE, SAVE MORE, SUCK LESS

I’ve discovered my life will be richer and my ministry more effective if I set goals for myself. I’m talking about personal goals, in addition to the goals leaders are setting for our congregation.

But setting the goals is just the beginning. Checking myself against my goals is key, of course, and June 1 prompted me to look again at the goals I set in January. Let me share them with you and tell you why each one is important to me.

Leadership, Life, ChurchTrevor DeVageJune 12, 2019serve, save, money, people, life, family, suck, leading, serving, saving, generosity Comments

THESE DOGS LEAD TO HEAVEN

Jeffrey and Katelyn are recovering drug users. Each of them has been clean for almost 6 years. But some would use the word ugly to describe many of their years in their past. Jeffrey and Katelyn would probably agree. They’re very open about the seamy life they’ve left behind. They’ve even put it in print. But before you read the details, let me tell you more.

Church, Leadership, LifeTrevor DeVageMay 1, 2019dogs, great danes, pitbulls, recoveryComment

WE WILL GO WITH YOU

I answered my cell phone’s ring and heard a longtime friend on the line. He asked me, “Are you sitting down?”

“I’m driving,” I answered.

“Well, pull over. I have something to tell you.” I did, and he said, “My wife has taken our daughter and left me. I had an affair, and she just found out about it. I don’t know what I’m gonna do.”

I got on a plane the next morning, and when I saw him, I said, “Are you willing to do whatever it takes to restore your marriage?”

Church, Leadership, LifeTrevor DeVageApril 24, 2019Comment

WE ARE ALL TIGER WOODS

Everyone’s talking about Tiger Woods this week. Not only because he won the Masters golf tournament, not only because that was his 15th major win, but most especially because it was his first major win since 2008.

The years since then were marked with a series of dark chapters. Sex scandal. Divorce. DUI arrest. Debilitating back pain. At one point his world ranking dropped to below 1,000.

And while commentators hailed his victory as “one of the greatest career revivals in the history of sports,” I see something more. To me, the Tiger Woods comeback is a redemption story that shows all of us how to make our own turnaround. We are all Tiger Woods. He took at least four actions that will put anyone on the road to redemption.

Life, Leadership, ChurchTrevor DeVageApril 17, 2019golf, tiger woods, master 2019, masters championship, come backs, goatComment

Trevor DeVage

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