The Spiritual Leadership of the Board
Most churches underestimate the importance of the board members as “spiritual leaders”. Board members are often elected or appointed because of specific skills (teaching, finance, property management, etc.). However, as management responsibilities are delegated to a trusted, gifted few, it becomes more important that the board members be models for the spiritual life. They need to be […]
Think System, Act Program
Planners need to think about the overall flow of the discipling process, but make concrete the programs that will deliver the anticipated result of mature Christians and missionaries. Especially consider how individuals will be mentored into the next steps of spiritual growth, and how various programs will interconnect with each other for a comprehensive experience […]
Growing A Church
There’s an axiom in the consulting world that goes: “Only two things grow a church … and about a million things keep it from growing.” Of course the second part is an exaggeration, to a certain extent, but the first part holds true across our nation. Let me help explode a couple of myths that […]
How Can We Measure Congregational Effectiveness?
People are always asking me if it is possible to measure the effectiveness of a church. My answer is “Yes!” The problem isn’t – can it be measured – but, by what standard do we measure the effectiveness of a church. Too many people want to measure effectiveness around church health. I don’t think church […]
Some People Never Change
The Time- The 16th Century The Place- A monastery in Europe The Setting – Two monks discussing the Gutenberg Bible One monk says to the other one: “I don’t think it will ever catch on. It is too hard to use. I find the old scrolls much easier to read. I can roll it out […]
Ministry Is Distractions
I made a comment at a recent seminar that the only way pastors can reach the unreached is to get out of the office. Seemed to me like a no-brainer, but I repeatedly heard comments like, “Get out of the office and do what?!” The answer is to “Get out of the office and get distracted!” […]