I have had many mentors who have invested deeply in my life. The person I am is in great part because of others pouring into my life. They have made me a better leader, better husband, father, friend, and person.
One of my mentors was a godly businessman who […] Continue Reading…
One way my coaching and consulting is unique in that I don’t come to you with a script. I can create a script, but have never found that as helpful when someone does that for me. Therefore, I coach like I lead, which means I let you write the […] Continue Reading…
This post originated after I received the following message from a pastor friend:
“I have a new full-time associate pastor starting next week. What suggestions would you give for getting such a person off to a great start?”
What a great question!
Through the years I have hired hundreds of people. I […] Continue Reading…
The Scriptures are clear that as believers we are to be different.
Dear friends, you are foreigners and strangers on this earth. 1 Peter 2:11
Pretty clear, right? Fellow Christian, uniqueness should be our goal.
But how? Are we to be weird? I don’t think we are to be weird in a […] Continue Reading…
I was talking with someone about the early days of church planting. We had not yet officially formed a core group and the initial staff members had not committed. As I told my story, I kept using words such as “our” and “we”. Towards the middle of the conversation the […] Continue Reading…
Clarity is often king in organizational dynamics. Words do matter and clear communication is vital for healthy teams. As hard as it is for me to zero in on one idea, I know a huge part of my job as a leader is to help people understand our vision […] Continue Reading…
The Psalmist said, “I have hidden your word in my heart so I might not sin against you.” God’s Word can be a protection for our heart and soul. It can teach us, convict us, and challenge us.
The same is true for Christian leaders. The best leadership book is […] Continue Reading…
Many times a leader can be clueless about the real health of the organization they lead.
The best leaders avoid what I call the leadership vacuum.
I once watched as a church crumbled apart while the pastor thought everything was wonderful. He always had an excuse for declining numbers and never welcomed […] Continue Reading…
I was coaching a pastor trying to help a church grow again. The previous pastor left town after a series of bad decisions – some decisions the church is still finding out about each new day.
I was happy to help the new pastor, but I also had concern was […] Continue Reading…
Numerous times throughout my more than 35 years leadership career I’ve been the new guy.
Navigating those early days in a new leadership role is critically important. Much of our future success as leaders is determined by how well we start. It is more difficult to regain momentum for […] Continue Reading…
I spend a good amount of my ministry investing in younger leaders and I love it, because it fuels me to know something I’ve learned – often through trial and error – might help another leader avoid my mistakes.
This is one of those type posts.
Here are 5 […] Continue Reading…
In my world, the word team is used almost on a daily basis. Most of us want to be in a team environment. However, in my experience working with churches – and it was true when I was in business also – more people claim to have a team […] Continue Reading…
As a leader, I am forced to make dozens of decisions every day. During this pandemic that has only multiplied.
Thankfully, years ago I learned the secret to making better decisions faster.
When I’m pushed for a quick answer – when everyone knows a decision needs to be made now, […] Continue Reading…
I was talking with a pastor that I coach recently. He asked me how I handle difficult people in the church. I assured him I didn’t know what he was talking about. I’ve never encountered any difficult people in the church.
After a good laugh, I explained my “system” for […] Continue Reading…
(This is a guest post written by my friend Matt Lombardi. Matt has launched a new company called Shaar that I believe has great potential to help churches and ministers, by providing freelancers for every area of ministry. Check them out HERE.)
If you’re a pastor, I’m positive you’ve been […] Continue Reading…
