Walking through the cemetery, you will notice several headstones where a married couple is buried together. There will be a single name at the top, and on the left side will be the name of one spouse, and on the right side, the other. Often, one of them has already passed away, and under their name are their birthdate and date of death. The remaining spouse will have a birthdate under their name, possibly with a dash. The final date is missing.

This person knows when their life began and understands that it will one day end. But for now, they are, as one person called it, living the dash. They are living in those days between our arrival and departure.

For whatever reason, even when their beloved spouse died, their life continued. Their time on earth is unfinished. And I believe that means God has a purpose for their life.

I admit, sometimes that purpose is hard to see. As time has taken its toll on the body, and the faculties have failed, it is common to ask, “Why am I still here?” I am firmly convinced that God still has a purpose for each of us as we follow him.

Suppose you are wondering what you can do for God. My encouragement is to find ways to use your time for his glory. Praying for people can fill your time. Writing cards, emails, and letters can help you connect to people when travel is challenging. Visiting with others who are struggling is always needed. Offering kindness with a meal, a dessert, or a snack is welcome. These are just a few of the hundreds of things that can be done for God’s kingdom.

Our culture tends to push people whose lives are unfinished to the margins because they can no longer produce as others do. I believe there is untapped knowledge and resources for Jesus if we stop waiting for heaven and choose to finish this life strong.

Some blogs are written out of necessity. Here is one that Church people need to hear (at least the people that I lead).

Whenever you receive an instruction, whether in person or on a sign, what is your reaction?

Are you the type of person who does what it says while asking a few questions?

Are you the kind of person who ignores it and says to yourself, “I will do whatever I want.”

As a Church leader, I am continually asking people to do things. I do not mean in my sermons, where I have time to speak each week. No, I am referring to things that occur in the building. I ask people to open or close doors, adjust the thermostat a certain way, fill out this form, do this, or don’t do that. After years of doing this, I am still greeted by both types of people.

What most people do not understand from their limited perspective is the reason I desire compliance. There is always a reason behind the request. If you see a door open, leave it open; if you find it closed, leave it closed. It sounds meaningless. Who cares? But you need to know that, because of how the HVAC system is set up in our Church building, this one simple measure saves us money each month. That money can then be used for ministry.

Opening and closing doors, understanding how the thermostat works, filling out the building request form properly, leaving towels at the Church, taking old food home when an event is done, returning items to where you found them, picking up after yourself, and a hundred other things help us to do ministry and do it more effectively.

The staff and I are working to instruct people through print and verbal instruction, and your compliance is necessary for us to provide the best possible ministry.

Now, I know some of you will read this and think, “What is the big deal? I am an adult, and I think I know how to handle things.” If you are thinking that way, you need to go up and reread what I just wrote.

I am not a very “touchy, feely” type of person. I pride myself on being a thinker who depends on his brain more than his heart. No one would consider me overly emotional, and some might think me cold at times. So when I was first encouraged to be led by the Holy Spirit, I was understandably skeptical. It sounded like a person searching their deep emotions and making decisions that were counterintuitive and illogical.

After years of following Jesus and careful study of the scriptures, I discovered that following the Spirit primarily consisted of listening to the instruction of the scriptures, God’s word is the sword of the Spirit, and it gives us meaningful instructions for life.

Another tool I used in following the Spirit was the people of God. I would pray about an issue, then seek the wise counsel of mature Christians to help guide my decisions. Often, their advice pointed me toward God’s desire for my life.

Finally, I have become a student of situations. Often God will open a door of opportunity or close one to guide me in the right direction. If I prayed, seeking his will, the circumstances that followed would be the Spirit pointing me in the right direction once again.

Lately, I have been trying to listen to the Spirit’s inner voice in new ways. I have been attempting to dial into my emotions and feel my way along this journey. I do not mean I am following the selfish desires of my flesh. I mean, I will feel like I need to do something. Then I will pray about it and do it. Sometimes that has meant sending a random text of encouragement. Other times, that has meant going out of my way to visit someone. In my life, there are now these little gestures of love and encouragement sprinkled throughout my day and week.

Most of the time, I do not hear of anything amazing that God has done through these moments of yielding to the Spirit, but I know he is working. Even if it is not dramatically touching the other person’s life, it is shaping me. It is making me more positive and forcing me to spend more time encouraging others than wallowing in self-pity.

I know the Spirit will never lead me outside of God’s will found in his word, but sometimes he will work on our emotions to prompt us to do random acts of kindness. These small encounters are moments of grace. This is typically not within my nature to do these things, so I am sure it is God at work in the deepest recesses of my heart.

One of the hardest parts of pastoral ministry is watching people walk away from your Church.

The reasons vary widely. Some families relocate for work or to be closer to loved ones. Others face declining health that makes attendance difficult. Some experience a crisis that shakes their faith to its foundation. And then some move on because of differences in leadership style, community culture, or unmet expectations.

When people leave for personal reasons, it feels like a rejection of me or my ministry. It is a bitter pill I struggle to swallow. Doubt creeps in. I replay conversations and sermons, wondering what I could have done differently. The wound goes deep, and the scar lingers.

But here’s what I’ve learned through the ache: every time someone leaves because of a misalignment in vision or approach, God brings others who are perfectly aligned with where He’s leading us. People arrive who share our passion, embrace our mission, and strengthen our community in ways I couldn’t have orchestrated.

Letting people leave is painful, but it’s also an act of trust in God’s sovereignty and in His unique plan for each person’s spiritual journey. They need a community that fits where God is taking them, and we need people who are called to labor alongside us in this specific harvest field.

The hurt is real, and I don’t dismiss it. But I’m learning to hold the pain with open hands, to bless those who go, and to keep my eyes fixed on the One who called me to this work. He is faithful to build His Church, even when it doesn’t look the way I expected.

So I release them with a prayer, trust God with the outcome, and continue serving Him with the people He’s entrusted to my care today.

One of my goals for 2026 in the Church I lead is to build systems that help accomplish God’s desire for our people. That means having a clear plan to develop people into mature believers.

For example, our welcome system (often called assimilation) asks: What happens when a first-time guest walks through our doors? There should be a clear path from a warm welcome to gathering information to meaningful connections to a Starting Point class to service, and finally to becoming a contributing member.

We also need systems for volunteers, worship planning, small groups, stewardship, and leadership. For our Church to move forward, we must be intentional about helping people move from unbelief to becoming committed followers of Jesus.

Just as the human body depends on systems, skeletal, muscular, nervous, and cardiovascular, the Church needs systems that lead people toward full maturity in Christ.

Every Church is perfectly designed to produce what it currently produces. If we want a better outcome, we need better systems. And if we want fully devoted followers of Jesus, we must build systems that support that goal.

The journey of faith is never a straight path. It is always a winding road.

You would think that stepping out to follow Jesus would be like entering a highway. Once you are on it, you can travel directly to wherever you want to go.

That is rarely the case. God often leads us through dark valleys, down uncharted paths, and even into harm’s way. The journey of faith winds through terrain that builds character, strengthens our faith in him, and moves us toward greater compassion.

I firmly believe that stepping out to follow Jesus is the greatest thing anyone can do. But know that it will be an adventure and not a cake walk.

Imagine someone buying a gym membership. Once a week, they get up, drive to the gym, walk around looking at the other people using the equipment while they sip coffee. They might even hear a personal trainer explain how to use the equipment while helping someone else create an exercise plan. Then they say hello to a few people, head back to their car, and drive home.

What do you think of that person? They are part of a gym, but they are really not using it the way it was designed. It is not merely a social gathering spot; it is a place where you work out and develop your body.

Now, imagine someone joins a Church. Once a week, they get up, drive to the Church, walk around, and watch other people serve the Lord with their gifts. They might hear a sermon and wonder if someone else is listening, because they really need to change their lives. They sip coffee, say hello to a few people, and go home.

What do you think of that person? They are part of a Church, but they are not really using it the way God designed it. It is not merely for social gatherings, but a place where we can use our gifts, grow our faith, and learn ways to become more like Christ. It is where you can develop your heart and soul.

One question for Christians is, “Do I like visiting the Church each week or am I connecting to it in a way that makes me more like Jesus?”

I heard a pastor with a background as a hospital chaplain say that one of the most significant lessons he had to learn was that he did not have to offer his advice to families in crisis. Our opinions and instructions provide very little for people who are walking through unspeakable trauma.

He stated the best thing he had to offer people was his presence. There is enormous power in sitting in silence with people whose hearts are broken. Giving them the time and permission to vent, shout, or let out their hurt is cathartic. A shoulder to cry on, or a simple hug, or a quietly uttered prayer can bring oxygen into the room so that people can breathe again.

The beautiful part is that everyone has what it takes to provide this for others. You don’t need to be a Bible College graduate or have a master’s degree in counseling. You do not need deep Biblical knowledge or the ability to defend your faith. All you need to do is show up.

Today and this week, there is someone you know who could use your presence in their life. Not your words of wisdom, grand advice, or theoretical solutions. They need you, and that is all. And your willingness to go to them will speak volumes.

I was listening to a person describe what they had walked through in life. It ranged from a painful childhood, difficult teenage years, and numerous mistakes as a young adult. The pain bled through their voice from the years of struggles.

Then they said a line I wrote down: “This could have been a tragic tale.”

This person had overcome all their difficulties. They had not allowed themselves to be pulled into the vortex of pain, where they tried to escape through drugs and alcohol. Their story was not a tragic one; it was one of an overcomer.

The Church is filled with people who have pasts with trauma and shame, and through the power of God, their story does not have a tragic ending. Instead, they are a witness to the power of God when he steps into a life with forgiveness, power, and purpose.

I firmly believe that God can take any story and make it an “untragic” tale – even yours!

Our office administrator sends me the numbers from the previous week at worship on Tuesday afternoon. She adds up everything on the attendance count sheet and then compiles our giving numbers from the various places we use to collect money. Once everything is added together, she gives me two definitive numbers from the weekend.

Last week, she asked me what I did with those numbers. I explained it to her, and thought it might be helpful for you to know as well.

I keep a spreadsheet with the date, attendance, offering numbers, and a space for notes. Some weeks have few notes to add, but others include statements like, “Baptism with lots of family here, Temp was 8 degrees to start the day,” and “I was out of town on vacation.”

At the end of each year, I review those notes and look for trends. I compare them with previous years and look for patterns that might help in my ministry. Every Church has unique seasonal swings and disruptions. For example, while preaching in Alaska, our summers were packed with people from May to August, and Christmas was empty as people flew to see family in warmer climates. Where I serve now, we have sports in June, but I know the first week of July will be a ghost town. Then, because we have numerous teachers, we expect our numbers to return by the second week of August.

I use these numbers for programming, for the number of chairs I need in the auditorium, for evaluating sermon series topics, for starting small groups and holiday plans, and for my vacations. Every number tells a little story about the people I lead, their habits, and when they spend time away from worship. I then use those stories to lead in the most effective way I am able.