The Average Pastor’s Achilles Heel
I’ve coached and consulted with hundreds of pastors over the years and I’ve noticed a common thread in the ministry of those pastors who do not do well. The sad thing about this common thread is that it could be eliminated with one simple word. But before I tell you what that one word and […]
It’s Nominations Time: Thou Shalt Not Settle
Here’s yet another excerpt from 21st Century Strategies for Church Growth. One of the missing ingredients in today’s church is accountability. As church leaders, we are often so grateful to have volunteers who serve that we’re willing to overlook poor attitudes, bad behavior, and even a lack of integrity. In other words, we settle for […]
Avoiding Planning Paralysis
I caught an article in an old issue of Entrepreneur magazine (Oct 2103) by Sam Hogg, a professor at the Michigan Business School, that got me thinking. He said that his students are always asking about entrepreneurism and he shared a couple of the most common questions he gets. It was the first question that sent me […]
A Quiet Mainline Rant
There are lots of things that frustrate church consultants. For me, at least lately, the biggest bang-my-head-against-a-wall issue is denominational distractions. Let me give you a real-world example. Last summer, my denomination (Disciples of Christ) took a historical vote on who’s welcome on which side of the Lord’s Table. We’re not the first mainline denomination […]
The Church Leader Mandate
This is a VERY brief excerpt from my upcoming book, 21st Century Strategies for Church Growth. A Note to Church Leaders: Church leaders have a different mandate than the average church member. At-large church members are charged with the care of one another (other Christians and fellow church members in particular). Church leaders, however, are charged […]
Setting Clear Expectations
I was talking with a pastor the other day who was having trouble getting what he needed out of his staff. I asked him if he had set clear expectations for them as to what he was expecting. He said, “Sure, I told them I wanted their area of ministry to grow.” Well, folks, that’s […]