Blog
Transformation ...
Moving ahead ...
Looking more like Christ ...
Helping others to live it out
Here's a few thoughts. 
The Secret to Healthy Core Teams
The growing season was upon me. I was sure that, like every new year, it was going to be great. I had added a new raised bed. I had dug up the soil and added amendments. A tomato plant I had started from seed was properly placed in the bed. I couldn’t wait to get...
Three things I’m looking forward to this fall.
It has been a good summer of preparing for the fall. There is lots of items and events on the schedule. Here’s three I want to highlight for you. Akron Disciplemakers. Discipling others offers plenty of roadblocks. People are unique. What will propel them forward...
Help Wanted Signs
Have you seen all the “Help Wanted” signs that are popping up everywhere? It seems like every restaurant in my area has one up. In one way it is a good sign. It means the economy may be bouncing, Covid’s ravages are waning. There is a place that needs a “Help Wanted”...
Help for Gardening and Disciplemaking
My wife and I love gardening. We’re not alone. Across the U.S. it is said to be the most popular hobby. There are a bunch of reasons: seeing growth, planning how a landscape can be more beautiful, and enjoying the produce. Even though I love it, there are challenges....
A Rudy Moment
March 2011 was a tough chapter in my life. It was one of those times you wake up and say to yourself, “What the heck happened?” I felt like I had been hit by a two by four across the head. I was in a transition from my church to who knows what. What was I now going to...
Preparing for More Ministry
One of my hobbies is gardening. Helen and I love to dream what could be and start working towards it. Hope is a big allure for both of us in the garden. I’m probably a little crazy about it. God loves gardens too. I believe He has been planting seeds of big plans He...
Moving Ahead Amidst Challenges
When I was a kid my Mom and my Sister would read me "The Little Train that Could." It's a book about a little train trying to get up over a big hill. The train was lacking confidence in the daunting task of hill before him. The turning point was the little phrase he...
Good things in our new reality.
Hope this finds you well! We are all going through challenging times with: our first pandemic, our daily Presidential press conferences, global stay at home lockdowns, jobs furloughed, job cuts, long lines at the grocery stores, even more online shopping, watching...
Good things I am working at: Zoom Zoom
We have all needed to adapt to our new reality. One thing I cannot say is that I have so much more time now that we are staying at home. The nature of how I serve church leaders and congregations is done in person but also on phone and online video calls. Here's what...
Five Pushbacks That Hinder Leaders, Part 2
Five Pushbacks continued This is the second part to Moses' reluctance to follow God's grand vision. If you want to start from the beginning, follow this link. No one is immune for the challenges that leading God people brings. Once Moses hears of the enormity of the...
Five Pushbacks That Hinder Leaders, Part 1
I was recently asked to take a larger leadership role. Being asked to lead a new task no matter the size is energizing. It feels great to be asked to take on a new level of leadership. With a promotion we tell our loved ones and friends about the exciting news. We're...
Christmas 2019
December 5, 2019 - UPDATED Merry Christmas! This season is a wonderful reminder of God’s goodness to us. From the very first Christmas, the occasion was marked in special ways. The wisemen brought gifts. The angels brought worship. Shepherds stopped everything and...
Prayers for Embattled Leaders
We are all called to lead somewhere. Leadership comes with joys and challenges. One person who knew a lot about leadership is David. He certainly know of his great victories like bringing the ark to Jerusalem. He also knew great challenges, some very tough ones. These...
Dane’s Local Ministry
So how would you make one million disciplemakers? That the question we are asking these days in The Navigators. We have set ourselves on a course to build one million disciplemakers by 2030! The part I am playing includes both my national and local roles. Here's how...
Dane’s National Role
So how would you make one million disciplemakers? That is the question we are asking these days in The Navigators. We have set ourselves on a course to build one million disciplemakers by 2030! The part I am playing includes both my national and local roles. Here's...
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