It would be easy to get into conversations about “what counts as a great work.” I walked that line closely enough yesterday. (See “What makes a work great?”) However, here are some examples of what seem to me to be “great works.” Don and Janet spent fifty years living in southeast Asia and learning a language […]

We’ve been talking about Nehemiah’s work this week. And it makes me say, “So what makes a work great?” Here are some suggestions: Something about it makes you weep. When Nehemiah hears about the condition of the walls of the city of God, it breaks his heart. It’s bigger than you. Hugely so. Rebuilding a […]

No one is indispensable. As Jim Collins said, “Your organization isn’t great if it cannot be great without you.” Making disciples is about equipping people to go themselves and make disciples.  We hear all the time about not thinking of yourself too highly, of learning to be humble and part of a team. I agree. But I also am […]

We talked about Nehemiah’s “great work” yesterday. He was rebuilding the walls of the city of God. He called it “a great work.” Because it was a great work, he told his distractors, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down.” I cannot come down. Nehemiah knew better than many of us, that sticking […]

Nehemiah was leading a team that was rebuilding the walls around Jerusalem. 24 centuries ago, this meant a lot of heavy lifting.  It also meant, as it would mean now, a lot of intimidation from the people who would lose influence when the walls had gates to keep them out. They were mostly bullies, these […]