The Trade-Off Discussion: On-Campus and Off-Campus Groups
Michael Porter is a well-known expert on strategy. Porter has articulated “strategy is about making choices, trade-offs.” An effective strategist thus understands the landscape and deliberately chooses a path with awareness and understanding of the trade-offs. A leadership team that is strategic is able to say, “Here are the potential benefits and the potential pitfalls […]
Programming and Your Church Strategy
Your church has programs. Or environments. Or whatever it is that you call things where people gather/attend/meet together on a regular basis. Many church leaders struggle connecting strategy or discipleship process with church programming. It is common for a team to gather to discuss discipleship process or strategy and fail to see implications of their […]
3 Disadvantages of “Non-Traditional” Theological Education
Because I often get questions from young leaders considering seminary, I recently shared three advantages for attending seminary in a “non-traditional” manner. I went through seminary the non-traditional way in that I took classes on the side at a slower pace while serving full-time on staff at churches. I found that studying while serving constantly […]
3 Advantages of “Non-Traditional” (Formal) Theological Education
Young leaders often ask me questions related to pursuing formal theological education, attending seminary, and the different ways one can do so in our modern age. I am extremely grateful for how the Lord used seminary in my life. I found the disciplined and systematic approach helpful. I met and studied alongside lifelong friends who […]
3 Things the Leader Must Not Delegate
Earlier this week, I wrote a quick post on the difference between delegating and dumping. I noted that delegating differs from dumping in that the leader is still available, still engaged with the heart, and deeply concerned with who receives the delegated responsibility. A wise leader delegates and an effective one delegates well. But there […]
Delegating or Dumping?
A wise leader delegates both responsibility and authority to others. Doing so broadens the reach of the organization or ministry and helps develop the people within it. In Exodus 18, Moses was confronted by his father-in-law (seldom an enjoyable experience) because of his unhealthy approach to leadership. Moses was feeling the burden and the weight […]
5 Emphases to Help You Go from Hating Capital Campaigns to Loving Them
The following is a guest post by Todd McMichen. Todd serves as the Chief Campaign officer for Auxano. Auxano helps churches navigate the challenges of growth with vision and mission clarity. Coming right out of seminary I found my way onto the staff of some amazing churches. We grew rapidly, constantly added services, purchased land, and […]
6 Ways to Shift Responsibility
A team of people who shift blame from one person to another, who do not embrace ultimate responsibility, will never accomplish anything great. And a team who collectively tolerates the shifting of responsibility will never fulfill its mission as fully as it could. Of course, no one wants to admit that he/she is not taking […]
Your Role Is Changing
I have heard that there was a time when you could enter a job and stay in the same role as long as you wanted. You could, if you desired, essentially perform the same tasks in the same way every day and every year. Supposedly, you could find an unchanging rhythm and live in it. […]
Breaking Up with the Groups/Discipleship Pastor
One of my mentors, Brad Waggoner, recently told me that he noticed a major shift in church ministry in the early ’90s when “senior pastors of churches broke up with their discipleship pastors/ministers of education and ran off with the worship pastor.” Of course, a senior pastor does not need to choose between the two. […]