The Caves We Run To…
David prayed Psalm 57 while hiding in a cave from the egomaniac Saul, who was seeking to kill him. Saul had kept a jealous eye on David ever since people declared, “Saul has slain his thousands and David his tens of thousands.” Because his name and fame were his refuge, Saul was miserable. Because his […]
3 Thoughts on Delivering Bad News Well
Because we live in a fallen and imperfect world, a world subjected to futility, leaders will face difficult and trying seasons. Budgets won’t be met. Teams will struggle. Strategic and tactical decisions will prove not to be the best. Plans won’t be executed as well as they should. Contexts will change. Some of the difficulties […]
10 Wise Leadership Lessons I’ll Never Forget
The following is a guest post by Faith Whatley. Faith serves on our team in the Church Resources Division at LifeWay and is the director of adult ministry. She is an incredible leader and it is an honor to serve churches alongside her. While some of her articles on our leadership channel are directed to women […]
4 Essentials in Ministry to Men
Not every healthy church has a formalized “men’s ministry,” but every healthy church ministers to men. Ministry to men must be a priority and a passion, not merely a program. If a formalized “men’s ministry” works best in a specific context, then the leaders should implement it, but it is possible to minister well to […]
Surely Not I, Rabbi?
Judas, one of Jesus’ twelve disciples, was filled with information about Jesus, but he proved to have never truly been transformed by Jesus. In Matthew 26, Judas admitted with his own words that he had never been transformed. When evening came, He was reclining at the table with the Twelve. While they were eating, He […]
5 Current Church Views of “Discipleship”
I have been in many settings with church leaders where the question was posed, “What is your church doing for discipleship?” I am grateful that church leaders are asking questions about the church’s fundamental mission—making disciples. After all, a church can excel at anything and everything else, but if the church fails to make disciples, […]
3 Reasons Many Leaders Receive Too Much Credit/Blame
Most leaders receive too much credit for the good things that take place during their tenure and too much blame for the bad. If the results are good, typically a leader, even if he or she attempts to deflect the accolades, receives credit for his or her stellar leadership. And if the results are bad, […]
Repenting of Our “Goodness”
One of Jesus’ strongest rebukes is given against the towns where “most of His miracles were done because they did not repent” (Matthew 11:20). Perhaps when we read, “they did not repent,” we think of overtly wicked people who failed to turn away from their immorality. But Jesus was speaking to a group of people […]
3 Reminders About Students from “Youth Camp”
This summer I was honored to serve as camp pastor at Fuge Camps for a week. Fuge is one of our summer events for students and student ministries, alongside Student Life, World Changers, and P2 Missions. We are grateful for the opportunity to serve student ministries in their mission of making disciples. Student ministry is […]
5 Ways to Develop a Great Relationship with Your Senior Pastor
The following post is a guest blog post from Jim Law. Jim is the executive pastor of First Baptist Church in Woodstock, Ga. It’s my joy to serve as executive pastor of First Baptist Church in Woodstock, Ga., going on 23 years now. One of the most distinct privileges of this position is the opportunity […]