I recently came across an article titled “The Top 10 Problems Facing Pastors Today.” I was not surprised by #1, which was “job-related stress,” or #2, which was “feelings of loneliness and isolation.” I was dismayed, however, at #3.
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Tucked away in the book of Proverbs is a verse that is unfamiliar to most of us, but oh so important to grasp. It’s Proverbs 17:9 – “Love prospers when a fault is forgiven but dwelling on it separates close friends.”
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If you’re a mariner lost at sea, triangulation is a very good thing. It’s a navigational technique that allows you to figure out where you are by measuring the triangle formed by two known points and your unknown point. But in the arena of relationships, triangulation is another thing altogether
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Back in 2021, as we were emerging from the long, dark season of COVID, I attended a gathering of leaders from my denomination, the first of its kind since the CDC had issued its new facemask guidelines.
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I’ve been struck by a consistent theme in the lives of several pastors I’ve spoken to recently. That theme is disappointment.
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One of the great challenges for pastors is deciding how much of their personal lives to reveal – whether in private conversations or in sermon illustrations. It’s known as “appropriate self-disclosure” and it’s a big deal.
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inter Gwen and I were privileged to share some extended time with a group of pastors and wives. While we were one of my fellow pastors gave a devotional that I found to be insightful, and I've been thinking about it ever since.
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Someone who shaped my life in my early years of ministry was the late Dr. Howard Hendricks, professor at Dallas Theological Seminary. I read his books. I listened to his sermons.
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Most pastors I know are inveterate bibliophiles. They know that great books can provide information, inspiration, and illustrations.
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Ever since Thanksgiving, I’ve been pondering an intriguing Scripture verse. Psalm 126:3 reads, “The Lord has done great things for us and we are filled with joy.”
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Some time back I came across a quote (sorry, but I don’t know where it originated) that really marked me. It read…If you never celebrate your wins, it will seem like you’re always losing.
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One of the most painful aspects of the post-pandemic church has been its numerical contraction. Attendance is down across the board. And with that, giving is down across the board.
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In his fine book, Canoeing the Mountains, Tod Bolsinger describes the outstanding leadership of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark as they led their Corps of Discovery in search of a northwest passage to the Pacific Ocean
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Nothing will slow down a growing church faster than a toxic staff member. What makes a person toxic? One definition is that it’s an individual who is unsupportive, negative, or even abusive.
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The best organizations have a clear sense of culture. The Apple way… the Chik-fil-a way…the Disney way. Having that stated culture sets the bar for expected behavior.
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As we emerge from the pandemic and all of its implications, many churches are looking to make strategic hires.
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One of the challenges of leadership is to know when an idea has buy-in from your team, be it a church staff, an elder board, or key team members.
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A few years back, Maria Konnikova wrote an article in the New York Times titled, “The Lost Art of the Unsent Angry Letter.” The idea is that if you’re upset at something or someone, you write a detailed, unedited response – and then you stick it in a drawer until you’ve cooled off.
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I was quite surprised to read that, according to a recent Gallop poll, 87% of Americans say they believe in God. This is not to say that they are religious, much less churchgoers. They probably aren’t.
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One of the most common questions being asked by church leaders these days is, “When will all of our Sunday morning attendees come back?” Put another way, “When will all of our scattered sheep return to the fold?”
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