Suffering, “What Good is it?” by Don Mingo
2/27/2016 0 COMMENTS Suffering, “What Good is it?” – by Don Mingo Just returning from an extended trip to Africa, my friend appeared haunted. Working in medical clinics and feeding centers to care for women and children, did not bring a sense of fulfillment. She shared in great detail what she encountered in the medical […]
Conflict – Let Go of Your ANYTHING – by Don Mingo
Recently, I asked a very successful missionary friend the key to his success. Without hesitation he responded, “Don, “You’ve got to let the ‘anything’ go in your life that weighs you down. It’s the ‘anything’ that causes people to overthink, hold grudges, encourage conflict, erect mental barriers, withdraw from relationships, and waste time and energy. […]
5 Critical Prayer-Needs of Missionaries
While speaking with a missionary not long ago, he shared his particular “issue.” During a pause I asked, “Have you asked anyone to pray for you or with you about this issue?” He immediately responded, “Oh! how could I ever do that?” A momentary pause ensued, and then he continued, “If they knew about my issue, they’d probably drop my […]
Missionary Loneliness – Benefits
Missionary Loneliness Just this week while meeting with several wonderful young missionaries, the troubling word “loneliness” surfaced. Having left her friends and family in the Midwest to live and serve in Africa, she begged the question, “What do I do with my loneliness?” Now that is quite a question; isn’t it? Missionary loneliness is […]
Dealing With Anxiety – Where You Going to Stay?
As a young teenage boy, a highlight of my summer occurred at great-grandma’s cabin. We called it such because great-grandpa long ago passed away, and only great-grandma was left. Going to great-grandma’s cabin was commonly referred to as “going up North.” Up North existed a plethora of lakes offering endless activities for summer fun. “Our […]
Is God Fair?
Sitting in the Saturday evening service, the speaker opened with a question. Introducing his topic he asked, “Is God fair?” No sooner than the words came out of his mouth more than just a few erupted, “NO.” The unexpected response caused some to burst into laughter. It caught the speaker a bit off guard too. Reshaping his question several times, he tried […]
10 Reasons Your Church Can’t Keep a Pastor
What marks most pastors who speak with us is their brokenness. In every case, pastors resigning from their churches are broken, beaten, and discouraged. Pastorless churches are a paradoxical development in the United States. While plenty of clergy abound in the US, fifteen hundred pastors leave the ministry each month due to moral failure, spiritual burnout, or contention […]
Look Down, Look Around, Live Life
Years ago living in South Africa, a friend of mine came to visit. At that time, both of us were young, fit, and strong. We decided to spend a few days hiking in the Drakensberg Mountains in KwaZulu, Natal. Having hiked this range a number of times I chose the beautiful Amphitheatre in the Northern […]
Relationships, Money, & Stuff
We called him “Pops.” He was a grand old man. He started his own auto parts store in Dallas, Texas in the 1950’s. He now enjoyed a comfortable retirement. Just out of college, he lived just behind us off Lindale Street in Mesquite in Dallas. Getting to know him was such a pleasure. Often, Kathy […]
“I Just Hate Christians!”
During a recent gathering, a friend dropped a bomb on us. What made this gathering so unique was that every person was employed at some level as a pastor in a church. From Youth Pastor to Senior Pastor, a large spectrum of clergy was represented among just a few individuals. While socializing, a question was […]