A New Role? Consider the Push and the Pull
When leaders ask me about pursuing or considering a new ministry role, I ask them about the “push” and the “pull.” The “push” is those things that cause you to want to leave the role you are currently in. The “pull” is what excites you about the new opportunity. Lessons I have learned about the […]
10 Signs You Have a Silo Leader
Wise leaders are often repulsed by the idea of a ministry or organizational silo. A silo is, by definition, “a system or department that is isolated from others.” Silos can cause ministries or organizations to move in a plethora of disparate directions. Thus, a silo sucks funding from the overall mission, causes confusion as to […]
4 Reasons Great Leaders Struggle to Stay
Over the last several years I have had numerous conversations with great leaders who are struggling to stay in their current ministry assignment. Though not perfect, these leaders have faithfully led, have remained above reproach, and have enjoyed significant impact in their respective ministries. They are well respected, serve in churches that are generous to […]
Read or Get Out of the Ministry
John Wesley told young ministers to “read or get out of the ministry.” Those are strong words, but Wesley believed reading was essential for development. Of Wesley, A.W. Tozer wrote, “He read science and history with a book propped against his saddle pommel as he rode from one engagement to another.” Oswald Sanders, in his […]
3 Small Ways to Initiate “Roving Leadership”
Last week, I blogged about two common hindrances to empowering others: insecure leaders and unhealthy expectations. Great leaders empower others. They practice entrusting responsibility and authority to others, to people Max Depree described as “roving leaders,” who transcend title and make great things happen. Instead of leading and executing everything, wise and biblically motivated leaders […]
2 Barriers to Empowering Leaders
As the leader you are not the most qualified person on your team for every decision, every initiative, or every aspect of the team’s collective work. There are others the Lord has placed on the team who are more uniquely gifted and prepared to lead specific functions. For example, the senior pastor may not be […]
3 Ways to Implode as a Leader
We shouldn’t be surprised when great leaders implode, when their inner lives cave in dramatic fashion. We should grieve, pray, and love, but we shouldn’t think ourselves better and we shouldn’t be caught off guard. David, a man after God’s own heart, imploded spiritually, and this adversely impacted lots of lives in the process. Sadly, […]
How the Bible Defines Shepherd
“Shepherding” is an unusual term in our modern society. Most of us have only encountered sheep at a petting zoo. But shepherding is a term the Bible uses often in referring to leaders. Shepherds were a normal, common part of the culture in the Ancient Near East, and people who heard this term in Jesus’ […]
Knowledge and Zeal
Four kinds of persons: zeal without knowledge; knowledge without zeal; neither knowledge nor zeal; both zeal and knowledge. The first three condemned him. The last acquitted him, were excommunicated by the Church, and yet saved the Church. ~ Pascal In the above classic statement, Blaise Pascal divided humanity into four groups. Those who have zeal, […]
Burying a Program
Since writing Simple Church with my boss, Thom Rainer, a common question has been “How can we eliminate a program or an event?” Those who ask the question often know that a program on their church calendar accomplishes very little for the kingdom and is not aligned with the mission of their church. But they wrestle […]