Read my stuff . . .
Alone
Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the human to be alone.” Have you seen Alone, the hit survival series on the History Channel, now in its eighth season? Ten people compete for who can survive the longest in harsh wilderness conditions. They have limited...
How Can A Church Witness Well in the Aftermath of Sexual Abuse
Imagine that a woman tells you she has been sexually abused by a leader in your church. What should you do?
Click on attached link to read an article about #Church Too that I wrote for Mission Alliance:
The Ripple Effect
I was lying flat on my back, left leg propped on pillows in pain, unable to reach full extension, waiting for surgery to repair a torn meniscus, the third surgery on my left knee in four decades. Lying there brought memories the first injury in 1977 . . . It was a...
The Long Defeat
We work with churches in conflict. I spend my time with people when they are at their worst, when they are most difficult, angry and ugly—sometimes enticing me to be the same. Some conflicts are ridiculous. A college student once told me her church was, “Always...
Leading Without Power
A pastor once told me, “I see myself like Moses. I go up the mountain, hear what God says, then tell the people what to do.” I responded, “That didn’t even work for Moses!” A call to radical submission Most churches fall into one of two leadership structures: top-down...
Revisiting the Dog House
Or, why leaders must confess A friend in California lives between two animal lovers. To the right of his house lives a man who owns three dogs. To the left resides a family that raises expensive Angora rabbits. One day the dog owner returned home to find his...
Death by Triangulation
How evil speaking can a kill a church. Each Spring for several years I helped lead a mentoring workshop for pastors and interns prior to their six to twelve month internship. I often spoke about triangulation, making a prediction such as the following: "Sometime in...
Follow the Fruit
How to tap discernment. I always wanted to make my own maple syrup. So when we moved to New Hampshire in 1989, I borrowed some old sugaring cans and tree-taps. I studied up on the art and science of sugaring. I learned, for instance, that the ideal time for running...
Church Repentance
Seven ways the American church must change its mind. Metanoia Ministries exists to help recover, restore and grow redemptive community in the church. Our mission is to critically engage the way Christians have come to think about and practice being the church in...
Harassed & Helpless
A call to shepherd leadership Of all the leadership models in Scripture -- prophet, priest, king, or judge -- God exhorts pastors and elders to be shepherds. Why? Why does Jesus say to Peter "feed my sheep?" Why does Paul commend the Ephesian elders to "keep...
About the author
Jim Van Yperen is a writer, speaker and consultant. He is the Founder and Executive Director of Metanoia Ministries