Get Un-Stuck

When I was growing a healthy effective church, I would often seek out advice from other successful churches to see what they were doing to grow. One of those churches was North Coast Church in Vista California, a suburb of San Diego. The senior pastor is Larry Osborne, and he has positively influenced me […]

Longevity in Monarchies and Ministries

At the time of this writing, I have just watched on television the beginning of four days of celebrations honoring Queen Elizabeth ll’s Platinum Jubilee, commemorating her 70 years on the throne. The 96-year-old queen is Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and the first to reach the milestone of seven decades of Royal service.

It got me […]

Re-New

When I talk to pastors a common phrase I hear is ‘getting back to normal’. That is never going to happen. Because of the very nature of change, things are never going back to whatever you think normal was. I also hear pastors mention ‘a new normal’. Forget about it. Churches should never conform […]

Find an Accountability Partner

Throughout the 30+ years I served in pastoral ministry I have witnessed too many church pastors in America lose their positions of church leadership because of financial or sexual indiscretions coming to the light of day. This long list of ministry tragedies might have been avoided had there been accountability relationships in place.

Accountability can […]

Grow Your Church Easter Sunday to Summer

The time between Easter and the beginning of Summer is a critical time in the life of your church.

Whether Easter is early or late in the calendar, the time between what will probably be your best attended Sunday and the beginning of a time when church service attendance traditionally slumps is short. This year […]

Easter Evangelism Outreaches

With Easter coming soon there are some unique opportunities that you and your church can do to serve your community while promoting your Easter services.

Servant Evangelism is a term I learned from Steve Sjogren whose book, “A Conspiracy of Kindness” pointed me in the direction of seasonal missional outreaches. According to Sjogren, “servant evangelism […]

Strengthening Your Church’s Structure

So many of the commercials I see on T.V. are for prescription medicines or vitamin and mineral supplements directed at me for the wellbeing of my body. It seems to me that I am in the target market of the 55 + million Americans who suffer from stiff and achy joints. These advertisements warn […]

Say NO to what will not grow your church.

If your church, through the vision God has given you to serve is beginning to effectively grow, you will inevitably be approached by leaders within your denomination or community to serve in some capacity.

Local civic organizations like Kiwanis, Lions Club or Rotary are good groups to help you connect with other community leaders.  Being […]

Be a Mentor and Be Mentored

The word “mentor” is defined as “a wise and trusted counselor or teacher.” Throughout my over 30 years of pastoral ministry, I have had many trusted teachers who have counseled me, encouraged me, corrected me and redirected when I had made some poor decisions. In similar fashion I have made it a point […]