The Ultimate Measurement
Have you ever wondered why the vast majority of growing churches today are out of the mainstream? In fact all of the mainline denominations are in decline. I have a theory on why. Well, it’s more than a theory; it’s what I have observed in working with both mainline and non-mainline churches for the past […]
Time Management for Church Leaders
One of top questions we’ve heard during the Only Four Things Grow Churches tour has to do with the allocation of the pastor’s time. When we suggest that a pastor leading a church of under 450 needs to spend between 70 – 80 percent of their time networking with the unchurched, the grumbling becomes audible […]
Firing a Person for Incompetence
The more I work with lead pastors the more I realize how hard it is for them to fire a staff person who isn’t performing or isn’t a team player or is just downright disruptive. Too many pastors put up with so much crap from one or two on their staff that they shoot themselves […]
The Use and Misuse of Power
I’ve met pastors who want their church to grow but don’t want to be the leader because they don’t want to exercise any power or authority. The problem is, this never works; growth takes a leader who is so convinced of the outcome that he or she influences others to jump on board and use […]
Curing Congregational Low Self-Esteem
Many churches I work with suffer from low self-esteem and a sense of hopelessness. There are many reasons for this malaise, a common one being that the congregation has come to believe their circumstances are insurmountable (they’re not, but that’s a post for another time). I’m working on a recommendation report from a consultation with a church […]
Preaching for Reaching
Let’s be honest. Most of us pastor-types were taught to preach primarily to a modern, well-churched or church-experienced audience. The target of our preaching was essentially “one of us.” We weren’t really taught preaching for reaching those beyond the walls of the church. I hear some of you howling in protest. “I was taught how […]