The Power of Repetition and Contradiction
When I served alongside Rick Blackwood as executive pastor of Christ Fellowship Miami, I was honored to preach/teach a third of the time. Because we shared the teaching, we would regularly compare notes to ensure we knew where each person was going with a text or topic. For a season, we worried about repetition. The […]
Two Sign Guys
When I am waiting at a red light where an “advertising sign guy/gal” is stationed, I tend to take notice of the person’s intensity and enthusiasm. At times I see a person really engaged in his role. He is flipping the sign, dancing, waving, and drawing attention to the location of the store that hired […]
When Vision Is Not Enough
I once heard Rick Warren wisely say, “People respond to vision, not need.” His statement resonated deeply with me, and I’ve seen it to be true in every ministry setting where I’ve served. “We need more small group leaders” never works as well as “God is calling us to launch 20 more groups and we […]
Experiences Not Toys
Today I am taking Eden (our oldest) on her first trip to New York City. She wants to see The Lion King. During our short visit, we will also take a carriage ride in Central Park, visit several toy stores (no purchases), and enjoy several meals together – including one at a famous Peanut Butter […]
When Football Is God
The report from former FBI Director Louis Freeh regarding the Penn State scandal is both shocking and sickening. Our hearts break for the victims and our anger burns against those who knowingly put children in the path of devastating danger. The report shows that key leaders at Penn State, including head coach Joe Paterno and […]
Some Amazing Research About Giving
The sample of the research I am about to share is very small. So small that this would definitely not be considered an appropriate enough research sample to make wide, sweeping claims. But the observation really got my attention; I place it in the amazing category. When I served as executive pastor, I was plugged […]
Budgeting Tension: Growth and Shrewdness
Budgeting is a great time to develop a plan, with the right leaders, for spending. I prefer approaching budgeting with a growth mentality. If you do so, your budget will be bigger than it was the previous year. A growth budget is a step of faith, but wisdom will require you to have a plan […]
Budgeting Blunders
There are some common budgeting blunders that plague many ministries, and these blunders are often associated with well-meaning individuals who unintentionally bring some bad budgeting practices to the table. Let me introduce you to Calculator Charlie, Sneaky Steve, and Sandbagging Sally. Calculator Charlie: Calculator Charlie appears to be really organized when he comes to the […]
Church Finances 101: Strategic Budgeting
Often budgeting can digress into a time of mindless regurgitation of last year’s budgeted amount, when a pastor/director simply slides the amount in each line item over to a new budget or does some slight rearranging. However, it instead can be a time for robust discussion around mission and strategy. After all, your budget is […]
Church Finances 101
We are in budgeting season at LifeWay for our next fiscal year, which begins in October. This is my first time going through the budgeting process at LifeWay. And while there are more zeros involved, I am finding many of the same principles I learned in church ministry to be true in this environment. I […]