Three Things I’ve Learned

I was speaking with a pastor in Iowa the other day and shared that I’d just completed forty years in parish ministry. He offered some generous congratulatory sentiments and thanked me for my service. But then he paused and asked me a really great question: “What has God been showing you during that time?”

I […]

Don’t be like Larry

Of all the commercials that aired on the last Super Bowl broadcast, one stood out to me.  Larry David, the famously crotchety actor known for Curb Your Enthusiasm and his creative partnership with Jerry on “Seinfeld”, plays his cynicism for laughs by mocking humanity’s great innovations. The wheel, he declares, is “a miss.” He […]

It’s Not About the Better Burger

At about the time I started my first church, I read a book targeted for the business world entitled, The E Myth by Michael Gerber. In it, the author states that 85% of new businesses fail in their first year and then over 80 percent of those that survived the first year will close […]

Time for Kids

With kids going back to school, now is a great time to think about reaching kids with the gospel of Christ by attracting them to your children’s ministry. I have long believed that attracting young families can be crucial to your church’s growth. I even dedicated a chapter of my new book Church Turnaround […]

Ramp Up Your Digital Media Presence

Over the last couple of years, we have seen a tremendous upsurge of churches going online. Even though thousands of churches were unprepared for the drop off in attendance due to a pandemic, many realized they had to begin implementing a plan to help bounce back.  I believe that by creating an effective digital […]

Hero of Faith

I’ve always been a movie buff and I am a big fan of those Steven Spielberg directed, Indiana Jones movies. My favorite one is Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. In it the Harrison Ford character is in pursuit of the Holy Grail, the cup Jesus used at the Last Supper.

Near the end of […]

Enlarge My Territory

I have a plaque on a wall in my office that I look at often for inspiration. On it there are two verses that can be easily missed from one of the least-read books of the Bible, 1 Chronicles.

“Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez,saying, “I gave birth […]

Three Key Characteristics of Effective Leaders

One of the greatest needs in the church today is effective leadership and I want to share three key principles that I’ve found formational in my own life.

What qualifies me to write on this subject? Fifty plus years of leadership learning and experience (My nickname in high school was “The General” when I […]

Preach Patriotism

On July 4th 2022, the United States of America will be 246 years old.  In relationship with many other countries like Egypt, China, or Greece, America the republic, this experiment in liberty, is very young and yet we stand tall among the nations of the world. We continue to stand because of the principles […]