Minister's Toolbox

How does someone go from dabbling in drug abuse and various eastern philosophies to becoming the Sr. Pastor of a thriving church community? Listen to Dennis describe his journey. You can reach him @celebratethejourney.org

I interviewed Jan Nel in November of 2015. For those unfamiliar with his ministry, Jan has traveled the world for several decades equipping church leaders to meet the challenges of ministry. His insights have helped many thousands fulfill their destinies in Christ. Here is his testimony of how it all began.

Jack shares an amazing testimony of his recovery after a horrific accident left him as a paraplegic with no hope of regaining the use of his body. God had other plans. Currently, he is the pastor of Oasis of Life Christian Church in Rocky Hill, CT. If you wish to investigate whether physical healing is relevant to ministry today, this free download examines several scriptures with questions and commentary for your consideration.

Last October, I shared an interview I did with Pastor Ken Gray who shares his journey through dealing with depression. Church leaders don't want to admit that they struggle with this issue - sometimes often. Ken's raw honesty will encourage and strengthen you in your quest to serve God's people.

Fruits, Flakes, and Nuts are people who come to our churches with various problems and agendas. Each is unique and we need a strategy to address them once we identify their type. Unless we address them properly, they can damage our church's health and future. Transcript of Today's Podcast   Listen On: iTunes Google Play Spotify iHeart Radio Stitcher

Are all prophecies valid? What should leaders do with people who claim to speak for God but interrupt or behave contrary to your standards? What are ways we can promote legitimate prophetic ministry without yielding to people who don't manifest the character of Christ? Today, we talk about prophetic protocols of leaders in the church. This is part two from a seminar conducted for 60 regional leaders. Howard Renker is currently the Sr. Pastor (soon to retire) at Bethel Christian Church. Together with his staff, Bethel has been at the forefront of steering legitimate prophetic ministry toward the building up of the church for many years.  Listen On: iTunes Google Play Spotify iHeart Radio Stitcher

The gift of prophecy has the potential to be an enormous blessing or terrible curse for the church depending on how it is managed. God gave this gift for edification, encouragement, and comfort. In practical terms, how does this unique gift function? What are the protocols? Why is it mentioned separately as both a gift and a ministry? During this first of two sessions, Casey shares insights into how to cooperate with the Holy Spirit as a leader so that the church may receive the maximum benefit. Listen On: iTunes Google Play Spotify iHeart Radio Stitcher

What are the gifts of the Holy Spirit meant to accomplish? These misunderstood tools provide acceleration in our quest to reach people for Christ. Why do so many churches ignore or even attack these enhancements as a threat to the gospel? An important discussion on today's show. At the conclusion of the podcast, I offer a free download. Read the Transcript

In this third installment, I dig deeper into why speaking with tongues is much more important to the Church than we realize. Why do people treat their practitioners with such contempt? Why did God make it occupy such a central role in church history? Has it truly vanished as many attest? Scripture alone must become the final judge. During the podcast, I offer a free download.   Read the Full Transcript

Probably the most controversial subject the church has faced in modern times concerns gifts of the Holy Spirit. Speaking in tongues has been maligned, misapplied, misunderstood and misused for decades. Ironically, it played a central role in world history. Today, we begin a two-part series examining this curious gift and whether it is applicable for today. During the podcast, I offer a free download to help you prepare for Easter. You can also gain access to the transcript here.

Elephants are often kind and gentle creatures we admire unless they are traipsing through our living rooms! Today's church has an elephant in its collective room that we talk about during today's podcast. Unless we acknowledge the elephant and address it, we will continue to suffer the consequences. A special shout out to everyone who has contributed to Wells For Zimbabwe. We sent $2000 to complete the first well project and have received pledges of $3750 to start drilling in another rural area of that impoverished country. Thank you!!

Jesus said something unusual about humans. He said we were all untrustworthy! Does Christ trust anyone today? Fortunately, the answer is yes, but they belong to a very small group. On today's podcast, I speak about consecration; what it means and how to bring people in your congregation to a place of total surrender. During the podcast, I mentioned Wells for Zimbabwe, the ongoing project we created to help fellow believers there. Recent reports following the cyclone of last month, have made their situation particularly dire. Currently, we are $500 away from completing the first well project. Learn more here and thank you for praying!

What does Noah's experience with his three sons have to do with pastoral ministry today? How can we influence the culture of our churches to become more inviting to the unchurched? The answers may not be as complex as you might think. The church lady was a character Dana Carvey created in the 1980s which became famous for depicting how people see churches. Please consider leaving an honest review of Minister's Toolbox to help us spread the word.  To learn more about me or get information about my recent book, click here.

In both the Old and New Testaments, God reveals Himself through a cloud. As a leader, can you recognize God when He shows up? Are you able to follow the cloud and lead others to do so? What happens when leaders follow their own cloud? Unless leaders know where and how God leads, they cannot direct their congregations towards God's best for their lives. During today's podcast, I offered a free download, Following The Cloud Of The Holy Spirit. I also gave a shout out to a local church that has partnered with us for Wells for Zimbabwe, an initiative to meet a desperate need in the impoverished country of Zimbabwe. All donations are tax deductible.  My new book, Spiritual Abuse: How To Identify and Break Free From Toxic Churches Without Losing Your Faith is ideal for those in your church who have been hurt by a negative church experience. Help them get their passion back!

More than any other vocation, pastors are perfectly qualified to write books. So, why do most avoid the topic? Many still think it costs too much, but that is no longer true. You can publish a quality book without any cost via Amazon. Let me show you how. During the podcast, I share a special download for those wanting to get started. You can download it here.  I also mentioned my own book to help victims of Spiritual Abuse. This is perfect for those in your church who have lost their passion and tend to sit in the back pews without ever volunteering. 

Pastors always reply to inquiries from peers by saying, "I'm really busy." Sometimes we are, but are we busy fulfilling God's mandates for our lives or pursuing fruitless endeavors that only waste time? Today, one outstanding tool to help you get time under control. During the podcast, I mention three resources. First, the Productivity Planner, which I highly recommend and use. The second is episode 14 where I discuss another resource for managing your time. The second, is my first book, Spiritual Abuse: How To Identify and Break Free From Toxic Churches Without Losing Your Faith.

Someone once said, "Knowledge is Power." Is that true in ministry? How valuable is your study to both God and man? In today's episode, we discuss how knowledge advances or detracts from impacting your ministry. During today's podcast, I share an update about Wells for Zimbabwe and upcoming news about two new books. The first is now available on audiobooks.  

As a leader, can you see what God has placed right in front of you? If so, you are rare. Most pastors are so entangled with growing their church that they fail to recognize the resources God has given them. Some powerful advice that won't cost you a dime! During the podcast, I offered a free download of quotables from Skye Jethani's book, Futureville. You can download this free resource above or buy the book here. I also mentioned our ongoing project, Wells for Zimbabwe. You can learn more about his amazing initiative here.

Most of us have never heard of epistolic ministry even though it is a central theme in Paul's letters. In today's church, have we lost sight of who God has called us to be as leaders? How can we recapture the true essence of our calling? On today's podcast, learn how to become an epistolic leader. During the podcast, I also mentioned our progress building wells in Zimbabwe. If you would like to learn more about this vital project or consider helping us, go here.  

One key reason people do not follow many leaders is their lack of discernment. What is this important character trait? Can you learn it? What happens to ministries that fail to use discernment? During the podcast, I invited you to give us an honest review on iTunes or subscribe (for Android or PC) @ Google Play. Would you take just a few seconds to do this as it really helps us get the word out? I also mentioned that you can follow me on Quora, a new social media platform designed to help seekers answer important questions.