GalleryAre You An Online Church?
I have a question for you … are you an online church or are you just doing worship online … ?
GalleryEssentials
This morning I saw a commercial for one of our local car
dealerships. It was a commercial as on any other day in any other week, as
though things are the same today as they were two weeks ago. Or a week ago,
before schools began their who-knows-exactly-how-long closures. Before our adult
children “sequestered” us. Before our County […]
GalleryLead Like an Old English Sheepdog
For years I’ve asked my coaching clients, “What’s your hobby?” (because, Church Leaders – including you minister-types – it’s critical we have at least one hobby). It’s been said, though, that “those who can’t do teach,” and so I was caught a bit off-guard when a cohort of ministers I was coaching turned the question back on me, […]
GalleryPrioritization: Where Do You Fit In?
My birthday was Sunday and for the first time I decided to give myself a gift. Not merely a present but, rather, a gift that will last the whole year. I decided to give myself the gift of “ME” – me first (okay, me second – but only after Jesus).
I can hear the gasps […]
GalleryHow Welcomed Are You?
Ministers and most (okay, many) church folk already know how important welcome is for guests and members. We know that welcome begins – or doesn’t – long before we get through the front or back doors. Everything from our parking lot to our signs and yard accoutrement tell folks – or should – what […]
GallerySlow… Steady… Strategic
[featured-img]One of the problems with high-functioning ministers is that our energy tends to always function quite highly, even to the point of dysfunction at times. Many of us score a high “P” on the Myers-Briggs Inventory (which, by the way stands for PANTS, as in fly-by-the-seat-of), so orderly doesn’t tend to be either in […]
GalleryWith Whose Reality are You Living?
But wait, pause, think for a moment before you answer that question with “Well, of course, with my own.”
Many, many years ago one of my mentors was pastoring a very conflicted congregation in which several members had no filters when it came to telling him about how things ought to be and how they […]
GalleryThe Fallacy of Outward-Focused Ministry
Whether we call it “Social Justice,” Social Action,” or “Mission-oriented” ministry, too many congregations are wearing themselves out and, worse, missioning themselves out of existence. What we need to do is find how we can start focusing our outward-focused ministries inside.
I know, I know: we talk all the time about the dangers of navel-gazing […]