2 Ways Boredom Destroys Ministry Leaders
Before King David committed adultery with Bathsheba and attempted to cover his sin by murdering her husband, boredom settled into his heart. He was bored the night he was on the roof, bored and looking for something else other than God. Earlier in his life, while on the run from Saul, David woke up at […]
5 Ways Exercise Helps the Leader’s Mind
I recently read Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain and walked away from the read more convinced in the importance of exercise. While we often think of exercise as critical to a healthy body, it is also essential for a strong mind. In his book, Dr. John Ratey offers a compelling […]
4 Ways Hurting People Help People
A popular cliché, and one I have used, is “hurting people hurt people.” It is often true. People who are in deep pain can lash out at others. People who struggle with insecurity can pull others down in an attempt to elevate themselves. People filled with bitterness over how they were mistreated can bitterly mistreat […]
10 Signs You Are More Prideful Than You Realize
Though all of us struggle with pride, we often don’t recognize pride in our own lives and leadership. C. S. Lewis called pride the great sin and the sin we see in others much more easily than we see in ourselves. Following are ten signs leaders are more prideful than they realize. I wrote the list […]
5 Lessons from Fallen Pastors
Pastors and ministry leaders are not above character implosion and wandering from the Lord. In time, their wandering manifests in a variety of self-destructive and disqualifying behaviors. In the last several years, I have thought a lot about “fallen pastors.” My role at LifeWay provides a painful view of the fallout. As pastors are removed […]
4 Reasons Ministry Leaders Don’t Get “The Real World”
I was 27 years old, serving as an executive pastor and working with a team of people in the church on updating our personnel policy handbook—a necessary thing to do but not one that will change the world or breathe life back into your soul. One gentleman recommended we change the church office hours to […]
Take Responsibility for Your Own Feedback
Feedback fuels your leadership development. It helps you adjust what needs to be adjusted, builds confidence, and confirms areas of strength. Without feedback, your growth as a leader is stunted. But what if your boss or leader does not offer feedback? Or not enough of it? This was a recent conversation with a group of […]
Defining the Problems Leaders Must Solve
Without problems, there would be no need for leaders. Without problems, there would be no need for leaders to rally a group of people around a vision for a better future. Every effective change initiative and every compelling vision is a solution to a problem. Even in daily leadership, not only big organizational directions, wise […]
5 Mistakes Church Leaders Make in Their Preschool Ministry
A church’s ministry to preschool children is extremely important in building a strong foundation of faith for the children and in reaching and ministering to young families. Preschool ministry is a mission-critical ministry of the church in that it invests in families at a critical juncture in the lives of both parents and children. Because […]
3 Types of Problems Leaders Face
John Maxwell has noted, “There is a difference between problem solving and problem spotting.” While we need people around us to point out problems, we benefit for them being on the solution side of the problem and not merely ones who make it their mission to uncover problems for other people to solve. People who […]