I’m constantly asked what it takes to raise up more leaders or, to put it biblically, to make more mature disciples. And that’s good because leadership and discipleship multiplication are some of the most important ministries church leaders can undertake. So I’m going to brush stroke the basics of a leadership culture. If you want […]
I saw Ender’s Game on its opening day and fell in love with the movie. Not because I love sci-fi over all other movie genres (I do). Not because Harrison Ford is my favorite swashbuckling actor (he is). And not even because I thought it had a great plot, great writing, great acting, and […]
Confusion frequently abounds regarding the functional role of the official Leadership Team of the congregation. Congregations and leaders themselves seldom seriously consider the diversity of expectations surrounding the roles of church leadership. Think about the different perspectives present within a congregation regarding how leaders, whether that be the elders, council, pastor, session, board, or […]
For the week of March 07, 2005
Barriers to Effective Leadership Teams: Part 1: The Absence of Shared DNA
By: John Laster
There are three common, interrelated barriers to more effective leadership teams: the absence of a shared DNA, the presence of fear, and a lack of trust within the team itself.
The concept of “shared DNA” contains […]
The church had done all the hard work of building a solid foundation. They identified their mission, vision, and values and they developed both membership and leadership covenants. It looked like they were ready to move to the next steps of growth.
Enter the nominating committee.
There were several leadership positions that needed to be filled, but few […]
Again, this is a preview from our upcoming book, 21st Century Strategies for Church Growth
Streamline Decision Making with High-Trust Leaders
In most churches, the decision-making process is cumbersome at best and dysfunctional at worst. The solution to the issue is found in mission and vision alignment and in selecting only trustworthy leaders of integrity – and then […]
Following up on my last post, I want to consider further the importance of conviction for effective leadership. Consider this quote from Martin Luther: “Here I stand. I can do no otherwise. God help me.” Or what do you think allowed Nelson Mandela to give hope to the people from his confinement? Or what […]
The pastor was sharing his frustration about one of his executive team members during a recent consultation. “No matter what I do, Cyndi finds a problem with pretty much anything I suggest. She either tries to fix what’s not broken or she sabotages the idea completely. I wish I’d never invited her onto the team, but now […]
There are two components making up the “leadership system” in most congregations: the board and the operational management team. This cohort is the formal leadership group, or groups, that execute the two core elements of leadership:
1.) They discern the spiritual and missional destinations and/or establish boundaries within the congregation. Frequently this leadership element will […]
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