Mark 10:41-45

Why are we put into positions of opportunity and service? Being in positions of leadership and authority doesn't give us the right to be above the law, but instead should give us the opportunity to serve in love.

"So Jesus called [the disciples] together and said, "You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their..."

What is the heart of real ministry? Ministry is basically two things: giving and serving!

Dear God in heaven, we’d sure like to have a little bit of power to alter our irrelevance, lighten the burdens of others, and heal the wounds of the broken and despairing. Phil Ware writes out of the context of recent disasters and the loss of a mother and child to remind us that being a servant, offering ourselves in sacrificial love, is never a waste!

Jesus’ disciples were clueless. Even worse, they were unwilling to accept that the role of exaltation for Jesus and his followers involved the cross of Golgotha! Phil Ware continues his series on the Cruciformed disciple, focusing this week on the power of the small.

I will miss him! Some people make an indelible memory on your heart because they are servants.

The description of the Good Shepherd in John 10 aligns beautifully with Jesus' definition of serving and giving himself to bless us in Mark 10. Phil Ware continues his thoughts on becoming JesuShaped disciples, this week focusing on the horrors of the litany of spiritual abuse cases in the news and how different they are from Jesus’ definition of a JesuShaped leader and godly shepherd.

We must learn to be much more selfless and much less self-serving in our marriage relationships.

"When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked [about being given places of honor], they were indignant."

"[Jesus said,] "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.""

Is your thinking stuck in a rut? Tom Norvell reflects on Apple founder Steve Job's retirement and reminds us to think differently.

Come on, Jesus wouldn't want us to lay down our life like this, would he? While we don't like the thought of being a doormat, the example of Jesus teaches us some things about our need to serve others.

Jesus emphasized that the greatest in the Kingdom of God is a servant, and then defined his personal mission as serving those who are lost. Phil Ware continues his reflections on his gospel studies and shares how we can become JesuShaped by becoming servants like John the Baptizer and four friends.

"Dear Follower, The Father's role for Me when I came to earth as the Son of God shocked many people. They expected a warrior or kingly ruler who would..."

How our simply service makes a difference in everything! Phil Ware reminds us of an old story describing heaven and hell and how the difference between the two is whether or not people serve each other.

Will you take a moment and pause for this special kind of prayer? We need to pray for those who giving of their time, effort, energy, and themselves to be involved in the relief, recovery, and clean up in post Katrina aftermath.

The hands that would soon be nailed to a cross now reached for a towel to serve those that would abandon him while he hung on that cross, alone! Phil Ware continues his series on Seed, Towel, Promise, and Torchlight focusing on common elements in our world, our lives, that Jesus used to join our hearts to his love.

They're unsettling. They're uncomfortable. They're troubling. So, we don't ask, at least not out loud! Phil Ware asks a bunch of troubling questions as he looks at the story of Jesus and his call of Levi and the party Levi had at his house afterwords.

As much as we don't want to admit it, we often miss the way of the upside down Messiah as badly as his first disciples. James Nored and Phil Ware remind us in word and video how upside down Jesus' values are to the way we often do things in our world and in our churches.

Who is most like Christ in your world? Family caregivers are the greatest example of Jesus for many of us in our world today.

How could Jesus' 12 apostles be so clueless? O, yeah. I'm that clueless about half the time! Jame Nored and Phil Ware remind us of Jesus' example of being a servant and giving his life as a ransom to buy our freedom.

What, it's my fault? Rubel Shelly reminds us that the heart of leadership is not making excuses and helping others get the credit when things go right.

A King headed to a cross, the foal of a donkey, and a formerly blind man who followed along the way. James Nored and Phil Ware remind us that many were blind to Jesus as the Messiah because he refused to be the kind of Messiah they expected; he was the upside down Messiah.

Our groups and our churches must be the arenas where Jesus' upside-down kingdom comes to life. Phil Ware shares Jesus' teaching that is upside-down to the world around us in terms of status, wealth, power, position, achievement, and importance.

How can we so easily forget such sacrifice? Phil Ware shares some Scriptures on sacrifice, love, remembering, and friendship.

What are we to do with such great human need and such great risk? Phillip Morrison is back as our conscience asking us about how we sort through the refugee crisis in Syria and what are we going to do about it.

"Dear Servant of God, I love the way Mark begins his good news story about Me:This is the beginning of the good news of Jesus, the Anointed One, the....."

Right answers can never substitute for right living. Phil reminds us that having right answers means very little if we don't treat people like Jesus did.

How do you break down the strongest barriers? The secret is simple, watch Jesus! Phil Ware continues his series on building a culture of honor and focuses on Jesus washing his disciples' feet on the eve of his crucifixion.

So who wants to go get a towel and a water basin? Phil Ware reminds us that the Jesus vibe is about being a servant and helping others, but he also reminds us that there are powerful memories in the Lord's Supper to help remind us of this thought.

As much as we don't want to admit it, we often miss the way of the upside down Messiah as badly as his first disciples. James Nored and Phil Ware remind us in word and video how upside down Jesus' values are to the way we often do things in our world and in our churches.

You never know who will give you a ride When the Creator of everything came to this world, he came as a servant. And he came to die on a cross so that we could have life.

Why being boss won't solve your problems! Leadership is not about being boss or bullying, but about motivating, serving, and equipping others to their full potential.

How can we know if our lives make a difference and truly matter? Phil Ware helps us to better understand both Mark's message about where true life is found and also his outline and organization of his gospel around the hinges to the story provided by the stories of two blind men that Jesus heals.

As Jesus journeyed into Jerusalem that last time, he had reached the point where he was going to gamble everything on the cross. Phil Ware continues his series of insights on living the CRUCIFORMED life Jesus calls all disciples to live on his way to the cross.

Can you think of a more noble vision or a more compelling mission for us, the Lord's people, than to be Jesus' bodily presence to our fractured and fragmented world? James Nored and Phil Ware challenge us through words and video to embrace God's mission for us as the bodily presence of Jesus in the world.

I wonder why that little nativity baby never seems to grow up We have to remember that the cute little baby in the nativity scene grew up to die on a cross. As Christians, we need the power of the risen Lord who is much more than a tiny baby.

Where does a giver find the perfect fit for their lifestyle? Jesus gives to the givers a gift that cannot be repaid. He helps takers move from selfish it selfless.

Can there be more than recipes in those cookbooks? Our offers of love and friendship enrich us and bless others.

Serving to bless is also the foundation on which we lead. Rubel Shelly reminds us of the real definition of a leader as someone who serves others because leadership is always for the sake of others.

Can you think of a more noble vision or a more compelling mission for us, the Lord’s people, than to be Jesus’ bodily presence to our fractured and fragmented world James Nored and Phil Ware challenge us through words and video to embrace God's mission for us as the bodily presence of Jesus in the world.

Jesus had many opportunities to walk away from the shame and pain of the cross, but he chose the Father's will and our need over his comfort. James Nored and Phil Ware remind us of the dark night that began the long, painful, and lonely journey of Jesus through his Passion to bring us to God.

Because we could not be James Nored and Phil Ware remind us that we all needed Jesus' redemptive death on the cross so we could find new life in the grace of God.

As Jesus' family, what are we preventing him from doing among us because of our lack of faith? Phil Ware reminds us of the dangers of limiting what Jesus can do among us and through us because we think we know what we can expect of him.

He knew that people were fickle. They could cry out, “Hosanna!” one day, then cry out, “Crucify him!” a week later. Phil Ware continues his series on CRUCIFORMED focusing on the events of Jesus' last week from his Triumphal Entry to his resurrection.

When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, James Nored and Phil Ware share the significance of Jesus' Triumphal Entry as they begin a special Holy Week series.

Jesus' trials focused on his true identity. James Nored and Phil Ware share in word and video the meaning of Jesus' trials before Pilate, Herod, and the Jewish Ruling Council.

There's a lot the disciples missed about Jesus, I wonder what I am not getting? Phil Ware thinks about the disciples not getting Jesus' repeated statements about going to Jerusalem, being rejected, being crucified, and being raised from the dead.

A genuine disciple, and especially an apostle, follows the path of Jesus who gave up his life to seek, serve, and save the lost. James Nored in video, and Phil Ware using the Scriptures, remind us of the beauty and the cost to God of saving us and forgiving us, and giving us a new life.

Jesus' trials focused on his true identity, although those who tried him didn't really want to know the truth. James Nored and Phil Ware share in word and video the meaning of Jesus' trials before Pilate, Herod, and the Jewish Ruling Council and how they helped define the way of Jesus through the cross to the empty tomb.

Jesus' trials focused on his true identity. James Nored and Phil Ware share in word and video the meaning of Jesus' trials before Pilate, Herod, and the Jewish Ruling Council.

Some of us have had good fathers. Others have had absent fathers or bad fathers. In Christ, however, we have been adopted into God's family, and we all have a loving, powerful, tender, and attentive Abba Father! Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in a virtual, DIY, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to help us honor and praise our Father in heaven on this Father's Day.

Jesus had many opportunities to walk away from the shame and pain of the cross, but he chose the Father's will and our need over his comfort. James Nored and Phil Ware remind us of the dark night that began the long, painful, and lonely journey of Jesus through his Passion to bring us to God and helped define the way of Jesus through the cross to the empty tomb.