Josh Hunt's Blog, page 280

How Andy Stanley and a whole generation of churches are exploding with doubling groups and the power of hospitality.

We can take our world for God by giving the ministry to laymen who are using their gifts to grow their groups, to double their groups every two years or less. A group of ten that doubles every eighteen months will reach a thousand people in ten years. It is happening. It is happening like […]

A chrysalis can teach us about spiritual growth

The chrysalis reminds us we must die to self. Scientists describe the process when a caterpillar turns into a chrysalis as a death of sorts. Most of the inside of the caterpillar turns into a slimy goo and is reformed into a beautiful butterfly. The caterpillar must die in order to ever take wings. Bernd Heinrich […]

How to learn to pay attention?

How do you learn to pay attention? Well, wearing a white coat can help. I am not making this up: If you wear a white coat that you believe belongs to a doctor, your ability to pay attention increases sharply. But if you wear the same white coat believing it belongs to a painter, you […]

It hurts when you ignore people

Sue Johnson has written an excellent book on marriage called Hold Me Tight. It represents the latest scientific findings on marriage and relationships. The old school model suggested we need to be strong and independent—only then could we come together in a happy, loving relationships. I have heard people say, “If you can’t be happy […]

Why we don’t pay attention

Modern science shows one reason we don’t love like Jesus loved. We don’t pay attention as Jesus paid attention. We are in too big of a hurry. Hurry is the enemy of relationships. Mark Batterson described it this way: John Darley and Daniel Batson decided to replicate the story of the Good Samaritan with seminary […]

The high price of not paying attention

The inability to register another person’s emotions is a major weakness in getting along. The key is to read the non-verbal channels—tone of voice, gesture, facial expression and the like. Goleman says: In tests with over seven thousand people in the United States and eighteen other countries, the benefits of being able to read feelings […]

Devastation doesn’t have to be the end

Devastation doesn’t have to be a dead end. It can be a doorway to a new life. Jeremiah said, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV) Jeremiah said these words […]

Free Christmas Lesson

I bought a half-dozen new books to supply you with some great material for a Christmas lesson. Best of all, it is free. Click here. If you like this lesson, you might subscribe to Good Questions Have Groups Talking. Church subscriptions are as low as $10 per teacher per year. Crazy, I know. Check them […]

You can learn a lot by paying attention

Marvin Karlins introduces Joe Navarro’s book on body language with the following story: The man sat stoically at one end of the table, carefully crafting his replies to the FBI agent’s inquiries. He wasn’t considered a major suspect in the murder case. His alibi was believable and he sounded sincere, but the agent pressed on […]

Discomfort can lead to distrust

Any Jew reading Verse 1 would see it as ironic because the word “Bethlehem” means, “house of bread,” yet there was no food in the land, due to a famine. In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in […]