The Apostle Paul was an effective leader. He was the arguably the most successful church planter of all times; managing to plant churches and write books we are still using today.
There is an interesting story in Acts 19 of a time of crisis. I call it a crisis because […] Continue Reading…
There are two things all good leaders do for their team. These are vital if you want to lead a healthy team.
They help their team say yes.
Good leaders give their team the freedom to dream. They empower the team to take their ministry in new directions. Risks are encouraged […] Continue Reading…
Some of my best work is done when I can’t understand all that I’m doing.
When things are messy.My head is cloudy.I have more questions than answers.My faith is being stretched.I am unsure of my position.
If you wait until you have all the answers – where doubt is removed completely: […] Continue Reading…
I talk with leaders regularly who lead an organization struggling to grow. They are trying to figure out how to succeed again. It could be a pastor, a ministry or non-profit leader, or a businessperson, but they want to spur another season of growth.
I understand. Every organization experiences […] Continue Reading…
I am a fan of church mergers. It takes Kingdom-minded people to be willing to humble themselves and carry through with the blending of two separate churches. I am always impressed with the people involved. I believe we will see even more of them in the future.
Although I do […] Continue Reading…
The way you begin a leadership position often determines the success you will have in it.
That’s such a strong, but important word for new leaders to understand. Having begun new leadership positions many times in my career, I have learned the opening days always impact the effectiveness I have […] Continue Reading…
As a pastor, I have heard far more “junk” than I care to hear sometimes.
It always frustrates me to watch how gossip begins in the church about other people’s problems. Many times the hardest repercussion of any sin is the gossip which stirs about the people involved. It makes […] Continue Reading…
When I was growing up I frequently heard the phrase.
If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.
I’m not sure that’s a saying anymore, but either way, I love a good analogy to help me think through a topic. And I think the phrase applies in leadership. […] Continue Reading…
What is an intentional interim pastor?
That’s a question I’ve been asked so many times in the last month. Even Siri doesn’t know that term. Test her.
I didn’t see this one coming, but intentional interim pastor is another addition to where God has led Cheryl and me in […] Continue Reading…
You remember the cowardly lion from The Wizard of Oz, don’t you? He was supposed to be the king of the jungle, but he had no courage.
I’ve known some leaders like the cowardly lion. I’ve written in a previous post about courageous leadership. It seems a counter post is […] Continue Reading…
There are many courageous leaders in our world today. Certainly coming to mind are the military and emergency personnel who serve faithfully everyday. I’m living again in a military town (I grew up here) and their willingness to go into harm’s way to protect us always inspires me.
In […] Continue Reading…
I’ve had the privilege of ministering with dozens of pastors in other churches. Many of these were in person. Others were virtual, but I’ve been in large and small churches. I’ve been to big cities and small towns with only one stop light. (Or none at all.).
In the process, […] Continue Reading…
I learned in church revitalization that many times entrepreneurial type leaders disappear when things aren’t working well. People who like big visions and want to see progress around them don’t hang around when the church is holding on to status quo.
If the church wants to argue about paint […] Continue Reading…
Capacity: the ability or power to do, experience, or understand something.
Most leaders realize the capacity of the organization impacts the potential to accomplish its mission. When the organization begins to exceed its capacity for too long things eventually stall.
If you want to spur growth you have to increase capacity.
Therefore, […] Continue Reading…
I’ve often said good leaders never assume silence means everyone is in agreement. In fact, there’s a whole chapter on that principle and some good questions you can ask to assess the team’s health in my book The Mythical Leader.
Especially during seasons of change the leader can’t assume […] Continue Reading…
