9 Ways To Improve Search Team Results
Search teams are the most common method that churches use to find and hire new pastoral staff. Virtually all members of search teams are well intentioned and willing to sacrifice many hours for the privilege of playing a strategic role in finding the best person to be their next beloved…
Will God Provide?
In an era when the culture is already changing more rapidly than ever before, it’s amazing how quickly a virus can turn the whole world upside down in a matter of weeks. It has all happened so fast that we are still in the shock of reacting as best we…
70 Per Week
“…the pace of child-abuse allegations against American churches has averaged 70 a week (Christian Ministry Resources).” That was the shocking statistic that our Kids Ministry Director shared with me as we reviewed our Children’s Safety Policy. It was disheartening and sobering, pointing to the responsibility that each of us bear…
2 Inroads To The Community and The Principles That Made Them Successful
Earlier this year I stopped at the entrance to the church driveway only to be greeted by one of the neighbors. It had been four years since I first met her and the relationship had grown significantly over that time. She reminded me that she had no desire to attend…
Women: Forerunners To A Great Movement
When I was a youth, there was one individual whose life and legacy set the tone for my own calling in ministry. That person served in the children’s ministry at the church I grew up attending. What made her presence there unique is that she was there not because the…
3 Keys To Help The Next Generation Of Leaders Crush Giants
I was recently struck by the story of David and Goliath from a fresh perspective. I had just finished praying with an incredibly faithful follower of Christ. He was in the hospital and his days were numbered. I prayed that God would raise up a next generation with faith…
5 Reasons To Call A Timeout In Ministry
It’s fourth down on the 4-yard line and the team is down by 7 points with seconds to go. The clock is running down—so the coach calls the team’s final timeout in this very critical moment. This is the coach’s opportunity to put the overwhelming pressure of the moment on…
3 Tips For Cultivating a Healthy, Fruitful Team-Based Ministry
I believe it was Jethro who came up with the concept of doing team-based ministry first. You remember the unwise, all-too-familiar scene unfolding in Exodus 18 don’t you? Moses, with admirable motives and the greatest of intentions, was wearing himself out – working morning ‘til evening and frustrating all of…
The Two Biggest Challenges Of Multicultural Ministry
NOTE: This post was written right before COVID-19 shut most things down and we had to bank it in order to cover pandemic related content. With the backdrop of racial turmoil currently sweeping our nation, it serves to highlight the critical importance of tackling this challenging area of the church’s…
The Two Best Tools For Effective Pastoral Leadership
We’re all looking for shortcuts, secrets, and time-tested ways to accomplish what’s important. Having been in local church ministry for decades, I’ve come to learn that two of the most effective tools have been right next to me all along. I’m talking about my ears. Pastoral ministry often elevates…
4 Essential Ingredients To Build Effective Teams
Building an effective team provides a challenge for any pastor, regardless of church size. If you hope to build a team of effective leaders, your job continues way past hiring the right people. Regardless of your staff structure and who is responsible for the oversight of the team, you still…
How To Provide Pastoral Care Without Burning Yourself Out
I still remember the time I was snared by an article written by Carey Nieuwhof, “How Pastoral Care Stunts the Growth of Most Churches.” Carey writes, “If pastors could better handle the issue of pastoral care, many more churches would grow. Caring for 30 people personally is possible. Caring for…