Dear Partner in Preaching, Do you remember what they called Harry Potter early on in the stories that bear his name? Folks called him “the boy who lived.” He wasn’t supposed to, you see. He had been struck by a killing curse from the dark wizard Voldemort and should have died, but he didn’t – he lived. And so that became his name. Names – especially nicknames that are given by others to describe something about us – can be pretty hard to shake. Whether they are accurate or not, whether we like them or not, whether they are flattering or not, the descriptors hung on us have significant power. Why? Because in naming one reality...

It’s been a while – maybe too long! – since I’ve posted anything from Kid President. And Friday seems like a great day to make that up. So here is Kid President’s “Letter to the Future.” As usual, it is incredibly upbeat and orients us to positive action – particularly the simple but profound act of believing in someone…and telling them that! But I’m also intrigued not only by the notion of writing a letter to the future – I probably think too much about the future already! – but also and even more by the idea a) that changing the future doesn’t have to mean...

Note: Each month I write a short piece for our e-letter, P.S. Portions. While I won’t  normally republish that here, I think the story I try to share in that space this month – that the best way to learn how to lead is by being given the chance to lead now – is worth repeating. More than that, I think the video below about some of the leadership roles our students are playing is really, really cool. So even if you want to skip the column (I get it, you’re busy!), at least watch the video. 🙂   Hold this question with me for a moment: What is the best way to educate leaders for the future church? I promise...