Blog

Shamrock Evangelism

By Bill Mowry March 7, 2024

Patrick of Ireland is one of my faith heroes. It’s unfortunate that the Roman Catholic church claims him as one of their own. Patrick belongs to the ages. His ministry to Ireland took place before there was an Eastern Orthodox Church or a Roman Catholic church. Protestants can claim him as one of their own. Patrick’s story began with a kidnapping. His teen years were spent as a slave to an Irish master. During his servitude he came to faith. Patrick’s time in Ireland allowed…

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It’s Not Too Late to Convert 

By Bill Mowry February 15, 2024

I was marked by the cross this past Wednesday. Peggy and I attended a Lenten service and received the sign of the cross in ashes on our foreheads. How did two Baptists end up at a Lenten service? I grew up attending a small rural Presbyterian church. Before I told God to “shove off”  in my teen years, I heard and participated in ceremonies called “Advent” and “Lent.” No one ever explained the meaning of these seasons; they just showed up in the changing color…

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It was 60 years ago today . . .

By Bill Mowry February 8, 2024

It’s Sunday night, February 9, 1964. An entire nation was glued to a Sunday evening television show, and I was no exception. Seventy-three million people watched one show that night — setting a viewing record. It was reported that crime dropped in New York City during this hour. After watching this show, my friend Dennis bought a guitar and grew his hair long. What made this hour so special? The Beatles appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show! This former club band from Liverpool, England captured…

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Putting the “W” Back Into Meditation

By Bill Mowry February 1, 2024

Meditation has permeated our culture.  Commercials and advertisements feature people in yoga classes practicing meditation. The New York City School System sets aside time at the beginning of the day for students to practice mindfulness and deep breathing to counter stress. The medical field promotes meditation as a “simple, fast way to reduce stress.” According to the Pew Research Center, 40% of Americans say that they meditate regularly at least once a week. When practiced in these settings, meditation is typically an intentional focus of…

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Four Leadership Rules to Break

By Bill Mowry January 18, 2024

Rule #1. Keep the conversation in the closet. As leaders, we huddle together to discuss needs, challenges, and new initiatives. We do the research, talk a lot, and collectively come to a conclusion. We keep the conversation in the “closet” of our meetings. We’re excited but when we announce it to a congregation or ministry group all we hear is “crickets.” When crickets happen, I quickly conclude that people “aren’t committed.” If I feel exceptionally spiritual, I frame the proposal with “The Lord led us…

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50% is Not What I Expected.

By Bill Mowry January 4, 2024

I’m a consummate goal setter. One of my sabbatical goals in 2021 was to read all of my journals since my last sabbatical in 2010. After reading three years of journals I put them aside. I was discouraged by the number of goals I set that were left undone. In reading these journals I discovered that about every four months I set new goals or revised old ones. I was struck at how few goals were ever accomplished; maybe 50% were left uncompleted. At the…

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We Wish You an AWE-full Christmas!

By Bill Mowry December 14, 2023

The promise of being filled with awe is present every Christmas. This holiday surrounds us with beauty —  festive lights, up-lifting music, and the art of the Christmas card. Even in an increasingly faith-less culture, Jesus is still present. But is the Christmas experience always AWE-full? I must be honest. Sometimes it’s not for me. If I polled everyone reading this blog, we would probably all agree: “We’re too rushed to enjoy the awe!” How do we slow down while checking off the gift lists,…

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The Disciplemaking Bee

By Bill Mowry November 17, 2023

We’ve all seen the headlines: bees are dying!  Bees and other pollinators are vital to life. Bees pollinate 80% of flowering plants. They account for $15 billion in agricultural products; bees shape our food chains. The good news is that commercial bee keeping has stabilized over the past decade. The bad news is that “wild” or natural bees continue to decline. Why are bees dying? The reasons are many but the bottom line is that when the environment around bees (the ecosystem) is changed then…

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Why write another book on leadership?

By Bill Mowry October 27, 2023

The Ways of the Leader: Four Practices to Bring People Together and Break New Ground is now available to order on navpress.org or amazon.com. “There’s no shortage of leadership books today. So, why are you writing another one, Bill?” If leaders are honest, they realize that most books on leadership do not address their local challenges. Too often leadership authors reframe the same subjects — how to create and cast vision, build teams, lead with a strategy, or demonstrate godliness.  If they’re not repeating familiar material, many writers…

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Wanted: Ministry Innovators

By Bill Mowry October 12, 2023

It’s coming! October 17 is the release date for my newest book: The Ways of the Leader: Four Practices to Bring People Together and Break New Ground Wanted: Ministry Innovators Navigators’ founder Dawson Trotman, was a master ministry innovator. When someone mentions “The Navigators,” one image often comes to mind. “You’re the people who memorize the Bible.” Scripture memory is part of our culture, the DNA of our movement. How did it get started? Early in his Christian life, Trotman’s life was transformed by memorizing…

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