ShepherdLeader.com

I think that one of the most affirming things for a Christian leader is the recognition of the presence of God in their lives. I used to think that the presence of God simply comes with the position, but after several years in leadership myself, I discovered that that’s not necessarily true. When ...

“I looked for a man among them who would… stand before me in the breach on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none.� In all my life, I have never encountered anyone who refused prayer… except one. He was a young man in Siberia who had essentially become so cyni...

I remember sitting with a couple who were on the brink of giving up on their marriage. It’s been only a year and a half. As they shared their stories, it seemed so apparent to me that they never really had a chance. Their relationship didn’t have a chance, but they themselves as individuals didn...

On too many occasions, I have seen churches ripped apart because of a handful of “wolves.� I used to think that this was isolated to Asian churches (particularly Korean!), but I discovered that it’s not. Apparently, the susceptibility to wolves is cross-cultural. Over the years, however, I beg...

During my first pastoral position, I noticed something very odd. It was our senior pastor’s office. It was on the upper level of the church, beautiful room, but also so far away… isolated. Within Asian circles, the pastor is revered, sometimes slipping into an unhealthy perception of them. It is...

“Some of us prefer mercy to justice, grace to law, the staff to the rod. Others prefer the opposite. But, as shepherds, we need to occupy both roles comfortably… shepherding involves our God-given stewardship in tangible expressions of nurture and protection. I’ve discovered this balance to be...

There are a number of occasions when young people approach me in the street greeting me as if I was one of their family members. The only problem is that I have no idea who they are. There could be a twenty minute conversation, quite engaged as a matter of fact, and I would spend that entire time wo...

As I was reading the description of the staff, I couldn’t help noticing how similar it was to the job description of the “church staff,� and for that matter, everyone actively involved in ministry. Two things absolutely fascinated me. First is how it was made. It wasn’t something that came o...

I remember a conversation that I had with a friend who is an investment banker. He makes more money in two weeks than I do in a year (sometimes more!) and his lifestyle shows it. He was going on and on about the kind of investments that he made recently and I casually asked him a simple question—â...

“I will gather those who have been scattered�—Zephaniah 3:19. One of the most alarming discoveries as we planted our church has been the large number of Asian American Christians who had left the church. I’m not sure if I would call them “lost� though. They seem more “disillusioned� ...

Lost. That’s the best way to describe my life until I was about 23. I had failed at just about everything. I got kicked out of school; wasn’t much of a son or brother; had very little motivation, but that was ok because I had absolutely no direction anyway. I wasn’t just lost. I was a loser as...

I never knew the kind of affect that our two year old daughter Sophia and her 2 ½ year old cousin, Lana would have on our young congregation. They definitely brought laughter and warmth to everyone. I did not expect them to be the way through which some would find healing. It’s not always the cas...

“Each night the sheep must “pass under the shepherd’s rod� to be individually checked for signs of illness, wounds, or weight loss.� Talk about accountability! This isn’t, however, just intense scrutiny born out of obligation. There is an overwhelming sense of meticulousness and responsi...

I was reading one morning when I heard my wife Michelle ask our daughter Sophia what she wanted for breakfast. I thought that it was amusing that Michelle asked our daughter who wasn’t even two yet what she wanted, but Sophia replied quickly, “Cereal!� I knew that they grow up fast… but not ...

I grew up a “closet� Boston Celtics fan. It was because of Larry Bird. He was my favorite. Where I grew up (crazy NY Knicks fans), we kept things like that to ourselves. But I did wonder what it was about the Celtic green that held such mystic (and hatred!). When I visited Ireland, I saw the rea...