I smell fear when I walk outside these days. And I hear discouragement. We’re all in a mess over the election and the dawning realization that the culture wars are shredding the United States. But inside my house, we have joy in the midst of the turmoil. It doesn’t make sense, except for Christ. I’ve been thinking […]
Be a Better Leader
How to Lead Change in your Church When it Hurts [Free Download]
We changed our service times last weekend. We had bounce houses in the parking lot. And a continental breakfast. And attendance nicely spread across all three services. No fuss. No one left the church over it. I wish it were always that easy. Why We Hate Change We may say we like change, but what we […]
How to Lead People-Friendly Change in Your Church [Free Download]
We’re changing our service times this weekend. And so far the only bombs going off are over in the impact area at Camp Pendleton. We’re shifting from a Sunday morning service line up of 8:00, 9:30, and 11:15 to 8:30, 10:00, and 11:30. I’m sure you’re faced with making changes. Some go smoothly, while others blow up […]
The Best 21 Truths I Learned from Rick Warren
I went to Rick Warren’s “New Hope for Your Church” Conference in Orange County last summer. It’s the Purpose Driven Conference version 2.0 and Rick taught his heart for the local church. Here are 21 truths, lessons, insights and ideas from Rick that will help you as you lead your church. 1. A big church is not […]
How to Do Easy, Effective Leadership Development in your Church [Free Download]
Ever felt the weight of your ministry responsibilities was a little more than you expected? Have you wished for more leaders around you to share the responsibilities? I have. I memorized Galatians 6:9 to encourage myself not to become weary in doing good. I prayed Matthew 9:38 asking Him to send more workers in the harvest field. […]
Why Pastors Should Get Away Every Summer—and How to Make it Work [Free Download]
Every Senior Pastor should get away from their church for more than ten consecutive days every summer. It might not be practical, but it’s a wise decision for the long haul.
10 Ways for Pastors to Be High Capacity Leaders
What do pastors have in common with CEOs? Quite a bit when you think about it: casting the vision, making hiring decisions, setting strategic direction, and innovating, just for starters. These high level leadership abilities don’t come out of thin air. How does a willing servant of the Lord become a high capacity leader? You learn about leadership and […]
Do you Know the 3 Unspoken Promises Church Leaders Make?
Stepping into leadership is exhilarating. And daunting. As a new leader, these questions made themselves at home in my head: “Will people follow me? Will they like me? Will I be able to accomplish anything?” Little did I know, followers have their own litany of questions. They want to know: “Is this person trustworthy? Do I want to follow […]
How to be a Church Leader who is a Better, Faster Reader [Free Download]
What’s a guy to do when a family member, friend, or church member asks what you would like for Christmas or your birthday? You may not want to give them a look at what’s really on your wish list. Gift cards, then? Cold cash? Maybe. Here’s the million dollar answer: a book, please! Leaders are […]
Why your Success will Follow your Faithfulness
3 Reasons Why Faithfulness is More Important than Success As a teenager, my pastor introduced me to 1 Corinthians 4:2: “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.” According to Paul, faithfulness isn’t an option for God’s people, it’s a requirement. On the other hand, while there’s never […]