When trouble comes—and it will come!—faith in the God who is at work in the world must be at the center of our attention.
All tagged leaders
Spaghetti, Marshmallows, and Ministry
While there are lots of lessons to be learned from this research, for us as church leaders, the big take-away here is that what matters most is group interaction.
Stop, Look, and Listen
Although we say we are practicing obedience to God’s voice, we may be practicing something else altogether.
Onboarding on My Mind
Your new hire isn’t just starting a new job, they’re joining your outpost of God’s kingdom, and we want to take intentional steps to help them succeed.
We Buried a Bible in our Foundation
As spiritual leaders, it is important that we stay firmly grounded. After all, we do not want our people being led by someone who is blown sideways by every sly or crafty doctrine that comes along.
How to Be Pastoral in a Rancorous Political Season
In the current election season I have felt a pressing need to address the people of God and urge them to speak and act in a way that represents Jesus.
Flying Like an Eagle
Have you sometimes been humbled by a pastoral situation, entering or exiting in a clumsy or awkward way, or struggling to get a sermon or initiative off the ground?
Leadership in Complex Times
What sort of leadership is needed in this time of complexity and uncertainty? I want to explore some implications of Complexity Leadership Theory (CLT) for congregational life.
Thinking About Church Leadership in a Different Way
Many of us talk to churches about how to rethink our approach coming out of the pandemic. This is a chance to do things differently.
Too Many Prophets, Not Enough Pastors
The message of Jesus is prophetic enough as it is. Ministers must obviously retell that message in a faithful manner. That act of proclamation is prophetic enough on its own. Given the difficulty with hearing who Jesus was and was really about, the story doesn’t need much additional help beyond that.
Praying Without Ceasing
Where does prayer fit in? Is it simply the customary thing we do at the beginning or end of a meeting? Or is prayer something more?
Integrity Is Integral … and Gritty (Part 2)
Integrity is gritty – it is hard, it takes effort, it’s often a chore. And integrity is a never-ending process: it takes a lifetime to build, yet mere moments to destroy.
Unleash the Awesome
I’ve promoted myself from the communication evangelist to the unleasher of the awesome. The promotion is well deserved, not because of my awesomeness, but because of yours.
Reflection Roundup: Beyond Language
Music, poetry, the vulnerable submission of our blind spots to the examination of trusted others, and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to breathe it all in. These are my prayers as we camp in new perspectives and different rhythms for a bit.
On Reading the Bible
What I am about to say will sound so elementary that I risk losing you, my reader, before I even get to the end of this paragraph. But here goes. I want you to read your Bible.
Turning Toward Resiliency
Sometimes being faithful is the order of the day. And for those of us who practice leadership in congregations, we may need some different practices.
The Importance of Operational Pauses
In a world that values productivity – doing more and more – Jesus reminds us that faithfulness is greater fruit than fame. There’s always work to do … so we must begin in prayer.
God Talks About Sex, and So Should We
I wonder if some of the problem is that church leaders do not share what God says about sex.
Leadership for Innovation
We have spiritualized or prioritized the methods over the mission to the point that we think they are one and the same.
Reflection Roundup: We Really Are Better Together
We, the people of this common space of earth, were created by a communal God. Who do we think we are, so often going it alone?