Tweet I’ve worked with a lot of church plants. And, I’ve been involved in two church plants as the planter. Every planter goes into the process hoping to see lives…
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Tweet People talk. People gossip. People love to share what they hear. That’s true about what they hear from a pastor too. If the pastor talks about his personal life,…
Tweet Some pastor excel in church revitalization better than others. Nothing wrong with that. The ones that do seem to have certain commonalities. I am somewhat unique to have done…
Age and maturity has helped me get better at discerning what I can do and should do based on my strengths, weaknesses, passions and dreams. It’s freeing when we become more certain in who God has wired us to be and who He has not.
Still, I’ve learned (through many different seasons of life) that there are often more opportunities than time in life…even God-honoring, seemingly good opportunities. Recently, I have had to say no to some great opportunities. These were things that I would have clearly thought had to be “God appointed”, but as much as they line with my strengths, passions, and dreams I have for my life, I said “no” to them.
How do you know when to say no to what looks like a good thing…perhaps initially even like a “God thing”?
Here are four things I look for in examining my heart before responding. I say no when:
This week I had two people email through my blog asking for suggestions when interviewing with a church for a staff position. I am thinking it could be an issue worth addressing.
Having sit on both sides of the table, here are 7 suggestions:
Tweet I was coaching a group of pastors and was asked a question I’ve encountered, but never really answered. It’s a question, which seems to come up frequently these days….
I suspect if you are in a growing church, that you and your staff feel stretched to accomplish all there is to do. You have probably said aloud that you are “understaffed”. I know, because it is part of being a growing church….and I’ve said it many times.
What if you could increase the size of your staff without spending a dime?
You can. You may not hire for a new position, but you could:
In my first management position, I was a 19 year-old college sophomore working full-time and leading a small staff of four people in the men’s clothing area of a major department store. I was placed in the position almost by default, because the previous manager left unexpectedly and I was there and eager to lead. Everyone working for me was older than I was, including one man who was in his sixties.
Today, even though I have aged considerably since then, I continue to be in a position where people older than me, with more experience than I have in many areas, report to me by position. Since I work with many pastors and church planters who are starting out in their ministry and will likely encounter the same experience with either volunteers or paid staff, I am hoping this will be helpful information.
Here are 7 tips for leading people older than you:
If a pastor is not careful, the weight of everyone else’s problems will take precedence over the issues and concerns of his immediate family. I see it frequently among pastors I encounter. There have been seasons of my ministry where this is the case, especially on abnormally stressful days.
I decided years ago when I was a small business owner, serving in an elected office and on dozens of non-profit boards that my busyness would never detract from my family life.
Here are 7 ways I attempt to protect my family from the stress of ministry.
Tweet I love pastors. Through this blog and my personal ministry, God has allowed me to partner with dozens of pastors, helping them think through life and ministry issues. I’ve…