Before You Go, Check the Pull…
Leading in any context is challenging. You carry the burden of the people and the ministry or organization on your shoulders. Problems will hit your office. Not everyone will like the decisions you make. Or even how you make them. Not everyone will agree with the priorities you set, the direction you take, or the […]
Unfinished Ministry and the Lord’s Finishing
Ministry is never done. You never really “clock out,” because ministry never ends. The work of the church is never going to be over. These are phrases all of us in ministry have heard. And all of us have found them to be true. A mentor once told me to enjoy cutting my grass because […]
A New Season of Ministry and Getting a “High Five” on the Way Out
Beginning in early September, I will be the new senior pastor of Mariners Church in Irvine, California. The last month has been intense, as I have continually held two emotions at the same time. In one hand I hold a deep excitement and anticipation for the new season of ministry the Lord has for us. […]
5 Lessons in Seven Years of Serving the “Capital C” Church
Nearly seven years ago I stepped out of serving one local church and into a role designed to serve the broader Church, as one of the vice-presidents at LifeWay Christian Resources. Each year we serve 60,000 plus churches with some type of resource. It has been a deep honor to be in this role and […]
The Cure for Dysfunctional Families
Some Christians long for “the good ole days” when family values were celebrated in our culture. We complain about the shows on TV and wish there were more sitcoms focused on the perfect lives of nuclear families, whose problems can be resolved in thirty minutes or less. But the truth is families have always been sinful and dysfunctional. Because of sin, families have always shifted blame, reversed roles, and rebelled against God. It was true after the Fall, and it is still true today. Parents and the teenagers they parent both know this to be true.
If You Have to Choose Between Clarity and Creativity…
Clarity and creativity are both admirable qualities. People seek both when creating a resource, when delivering a message, when leading a team, and when designing ministry strategy. Authors, artists, song writers, communicators, ministry leaders, and a plethora of other people desire for their work to be both clear and creative. But if you have to […]
2 Reasons We Ignore Our Weaknesses Instead of Addressing Them
The common leadership counsel to focus on your strengths is wise, with one important caveat. Your weaknesses must be addressed and brought to an acceptable norm or they will overshadow your strengths. Yes, focus on your strengths, but your weaknesses cannot be so overwhelming as to debilitate your leadership credibility. In his book, The Leadership […]
3 Common Blind Spots in Leaders
One of my mentors, Brad Waggoner, has regularly quipped, “Most people struggle with self-awareness, so why would I think I am somehow different from everyone else?” He is right. Everyone struggles with self-awareness to a degree, and we are foolish if we think we are immune. Our lack of self-awareness in life and leadership is […]
How Being a Father Helps You Know the Father
In the Geiger house there is a moment on Father’s Day that is one of my favorite moments each year. Kaye started the tradition ten years ago when she gave me the “Daddy book,” a book each daughter gives me and adds to each year. They add pictures, list their favorite memories from the year, […]
5 Warning Signs of Moral Failure
Moral failure. For as long as I can remember people have used that term to succinctly describe a disqualifying behavior in a leader’s life, often some type of sexual sin. The leader has failed to live up to the expected morals and integrity of a leader and has lost the moral authority and credibility to […]