If You Have a Blurry Vision, You Have a Bleak Future

You’ve heard me say it before. If you’ve got to herd cats, you’ll need a bigger mouse.

Your church cats will chase the biggest mouse in the room, and if your Big Mouse Vision is smaller than someone else’s, you’ll lose their attention every time. The wise and successful pastor stays on his/her knees until […]

Dealing With Conflict in the Church: A Mission-Centric Approach

Conflict within a church, irrespective of its size, is an inevitable part of its life cycle. How the church navigates through these waters—whether through healthy disagreements that foster growth or unhealthy conflicts that threaten unity—can significantly influence its mission and community presence. This article focuses on a structured, biblical approach to managing conflicts, drawing […]

Why Your Church Mission Statement Isn’t Effective

A mission statement defines the purpose of an individual, group, business, or institution. Ostensibly, a mission statement defines the “end result” of the organization’s activities. “Shareholder profitability” may sound self-serving, but that is exactly the results expected of a publicly held corporation.

The reason so many churches’ mission statements don’t achieve the expected results is […]

The Heresy of Harmony at Any Cost

In today’s fast-paced world, churches face a myriad of challenges, from dwindling attendance to the struggle of keeping up with technological advancements. However, one of the most insidious obstacles to church growth and harmony often comes from within: the presence of bullies and their minions and enablers within the church board. These characters, each […]

The Secret to a Memorable, Life-Changing Sermon

Startling Statistic: By Wednesday afternoon, your congregation remembers 10 percent or less of what you preached. That’s according to an Air Force study some years ago (and I can assure you, our attention spans and memories have not improved since then).

Sad Story: I was having breakfast with a church leader on Monday some years ago. I was […]

Deepen Your Congregation’s Spirituality Quotient

Back in the mid-1980s, while I was an undergraduate at Florida Baptist College, my professor, Dr. LeRoy Benefield, shared insights that have stayed with me to this day. He recounted a statement from Billy Graham, who estimated that only about 10% of active church members were faithful, practicing disciples of Jesus Christ. This revelation […]

Why Today’s Churches Fail at Leadership Selection

Imagine stepping into a time machine and landing in the middle of one of the early church’s most pressing conflicts—a food pantry crisis that’s causing a rift within the congregation. This isn’t just any disagreement; it’s a pivotal moment that challenges the very fabric of church leadership and decision-making. This week, I want us […]

Inbox or Mailbox? Choosing Between Online & Offline Channels

To be a successful pastor or church leader, you have to be able to understand the needs of your community and personally connect with your congregation. You do this by communicating frequently and listening to what community members have to say—both at church and after they step outside of it.

But when you want to […]

AI: A Pastor’s Toolkit for Less Stress and More Bless

Imagine this: It’s early Monday morning, and you’re already feeling the weight of the week ahead. Your calendar is a jigsaw puzzle of meetings, administrative tasks, and pastoral duties. Somewhere between the budget review and the staff meeting, the heart of your calling—to connect, to bap all right screw it I’m doing here I’m just […]