Email: Friend or Foe
One of my most common ongoing battles with congregational leaders I work with is the effective use of emails/Facebook messages, etc. The age of less-is-more, microwaves, and 140-character communication hasn’t just arrived; it’s made itself at home in the church. And though it might be rather convenient, I’m seeing an alarming rise in misunderstandings and […]
How Good Is Your “To Be” List?
Over the years I have taught that it is more important to have a “to be” list than a “to do” list. A “to be” list is a list of people you are mentoring to be more than they are at the moment. I’ve found that it is best to keep the list to 10 […]
Your Investment Portfolio
Take the next couple of minutes and peruse your investment portfolio. How are things going? Is your stock going up or down, or is it stagnant? In your whole portfolio, which is the most important investment you’re making? Oh, wait. I’ll bet you’re thinking I’m talking about Dow Jones and the S&P 500. Nope. I’m […]
UMC Portal Report
My tribe just conducted a survey of 36,000 United Methodist Churches (UMCs) only to find what many of us have been teaching for over two decades. Here is a quote from the report from the UM Portal survey. “United Methodist congregations that are thriving have a few things in common—whether large or small, urban or […]
Why the Pastor Should Know What People Give
Recently I have been asked by a couple of people why a pastor should know what everyone gives. As one person said, “Doesn’t that cause you to play favorites?” It just so happened that the next day I was asked to read the galleys of J. Clif Christopher’s new book, titled Whose Offering Plate is It? This is […]
Heads Up about The Nines
This is a heads-up about a great event coming up on September 9 called The Nines. This is its second year. The only change is that every video will be under 6 minutes and they will be from some of the best church leaders in the country – and yes, I am one of the speakers. […]