At a gathering of pastors I attended in this last year, one of the liveliest topics discussed was whether a church should have a security team. I was intrigued that nearly every leader was in favor of it. In fact, most of them had specific situations as to how having a security team served them well. While these pastors led large churches, the situations they described are common to churches of all sizes.
Read MoreLooking back at 35 years of preaching, there were some themes that deserved an annual emphasis. Some of these were holiday-based – Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, New Year’s. But I also came to see that there was another theme that also needed to be addressed every year. Money. Surprised?
Read MorePastors traffic daily in books. Of course, we preach the Book and as such, it should lead any list. But beyond that, we are on an endless search for other books that will encourage and equip us in ministry.
Read MoreAs I have the privilege of talking to young pastors, one of the topics that always comes up is their children. They want to know, “How do I raise my kids in the fishbowl of the pastorate so that they won’t grow up to resent the church? Or even worse, reject the faith?”
Read MoreAt this time of year, many pastors recognize that in addition to the regular preaching rotation, there’s an added responsibility: Christmas Eve services. They have held their popularity over the years and continue to be a cherished part of people’s holiday celebrations. While it’s always a challenge to come up with a fresh way to share that familiar old story, the effort is worth it because of the incredible opportunity this service brings.
Read MoreFundamentally, effective leadership is based upon an invitation to relationship and a challenge to change. As seen in Jesus’ example, when skillfully calibrated, the result is transformation from the inside out. This is true not only for individuals, it’s also true for churches.
Read MoreMonty Roberts spent his youth in the western prairies rounding up wild mustangs. He observed the typical method of “breaking horses,” as they were ridden by “bronco busters” until exhaustion or tied to a post and beaten until the animal’s will was broken. Watching this happen, Monty began to think that there had to be another way…a less barbaric way…a more natural way.
Read MorePastor and author John Ortberg describes an interview he heard on the radio with a woman who ran the largest speaker bureau in the world. Her job was to identify and represent world-class communicators. She was asked, “What is the #1 thing you look for in a speaker?”
Read MoreI have worked with scores of board members during my 30+ years of pastoral leadership. In the early years, they were deacons who represented a particular area of ministry (missions, facility, finance, etc.). Later on, when we added staff to oversee those ministries, we moved to an elder board.
Read MoreOne of the occupational hazards of being a leader is receiving criticism. It just comes with the territory. Indeed, I believe that the leader who does anything different, worthwhile or visionary can count on criticism.
Read MoreThe old adage is still true: You never get a second chance to make a first impression. I’ve seen this in spades recently. As part of my new role, I am visiting more churches than I ever have before. I am experiencing first-hand what it’s like to be a first-time attender. I’m also discovering the insecurity and confusion that goes with that
Read MoreSuicide is a tragedy that is increasingly common in our day. It is the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S. for all ages and the 2nd leading cause of death in the world for those aged 15-24 years. There is one death by suicide every ten minutes. It takes the lives of nearly 45,000 every year. The loss of those lives is incalculable.
Read MoreWe’ve all heard of “worship wars” in the church. They’re usually about musical styles – those who want contemporary music vs. those that prefer the traditional. They can be contentious and divisive. But perhaps even more costly to the life of a church are the “worship wars” that often take place between the senior pastor and the worship leader.
Read MoreIt happens in every church and it impacts every leader. A long-time volunteer tells you he needs a break and wants to step down. Your most dependable leader in the nursery says she’s interested in moving to another ministry area. A faithful worker quits without any explanation.
Read MoreAsk any pastor about the importance of discipleship and you’ll get a vigorous nod accompanied by passionate words: “Absolutely what we’re to be about”… ”The bottom line by which to measure success”… ”Jesus’ marching orders couldn’t be clearer.” That being the case, why do we see discipleship languishing in the vast majority of churches?
Read MoreIn reflecting back on nearly forty years in the pulpit, I am painfully aware that there were many things I got wrong. Everything from preaching what was trendy to pleasing special interest groups. Or the occasions when I allowed my desire to be seen as “deep” overtake the need to be heard as “practical.” But I got a few things right. Here are some that come to mind:
Read MoreHere in Indiana, the NFL is big. To be sure, there are a fair share of Bears fans. And on any given Sunday you’ll see some Packers jerseys or Steelers hats dotting the worship gathering. But, by far, the dominant colors are blue and white. This is Colts country. And our “favorite son” is still Peyton Manning.
Read MoreIn a recent coaching group I asked the participants what topics they’d like to discuss. While there was much interest in addressing major themes such as casting a compelling vision and leading cultural change, there were also requests for the more mundane yet essential subjects. Things like hiring/firing, staff reviews, working with a board, and budgeting.
Read MoreI was asked in a recent coaching group about how to deal with the tension found in many churches between those who want to remember the past and those who want to dream of the future.
Read MoreIn my three-and-a half decades of pastoral leadership, I was blessed to witness a church grow from 50 to 2300. While in the early days I was able to lead the church with a staff of one (me!), it wasn’t long before I discovered that the demands and responsibilities of a growing church had moved beyond my capacity. That meant hiring staff.
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