How to Effectively Lead a Staff

How to Effectively Lead a Staff

This article is a follow up to the previous article on staff management. Learning how to lead a staff is one of the most important aspects of a pastor’s life if that pastor wants to be an effective leader. Every study shows that the vast majority of churches grow based on their leader and how […]

Management Skills

Management Skills

They didn’t teach me management skills in seminary.  I wish they had, because as the leader of a church, I needed them badly and it’s a shame I had to learn them on my own.  So I thought I would pass on some pointers. Pointer One:  If you can’t measure it, it will not succeed.  […]

How to Start Conversations – Even If You Live in New York

How to Have a Conversation

When I’m coaching or consulting and make the recommendation that pastors need to spend significant time hanging out wherever it is their targets are hanging out, it tends to raise a host of questions. Where should I hang out? When? What do I need to stop doing so that I have time? All those are […]

Don’t Be so Wordy…

Secrets to Getting Volunteers to Perform

I imagine that it’s no surprise that many (dare I say most) seminary trained pastors – and even business trained pastors – lean toward the verbose and the grandiloquent. In some writings, I suppose, that’s acceptable. However, when it comes to defining a church’s mission, vision, and values, our over-learnedness often gets in the way. In fact, I […]

Does Your Church’s Culture Honor God?

Does Your Church's Culture Honor God?

I was the pastor of a good church but, honestly, it didn’t honor God like it should when it came to new people.  We were very friendly to each other, however, guests didn’t seem to find us hospitable. Sadly, the vast majority of churches are like that.  What about yours?  What is the friendliness status […]

Do You Have the Courage to Lead?

Do You Have the Courage to Lead?

As a pastor, I wasn’t taught or mentored in how to be a leader.  So I have had to dig deep inside to prayerfully find and develop an inner leader or suffer the consequences. Perhaps you have been on that same journey.  You would understandably assume that being a pastor is about being pastoral.  But […]