Recently I shared four cultural changes that are impacting ministry leaders and thus should impact how we train and develop ministry leaders. The article came from a lecture I gave to professors at Biola University about preparing students and future leaders for the changing cultural context. Not only has the culture surrounding the local church…
Church Leadership
4 Cultural Realities Ministry Leaders Must Be Prepared For
I recently spoke in a faculty forum at Biola University on the changing cultural context ministry leaders who graduate college and seminary are entering. I did not speak from the vantage point of a scholar or educator (there were scholars and educators in the gathering) but from the vantage point of a pastor who observes…
Church Leaders Must Think Flock Strategy and Sheep Strategy
Over ten years ago, I worked closely with Thom Rainer and Ed Stetzer to evaluate the research behind Transformational Church—a book that came from a massive study across many churches where we sought to discover characteristics that God was using in the churches to bring about transformation in the lives of the people they served….
Strategy and the Local Church: What Must We Remember and What Can We Learn
In the book, Your Strategy Needs a Strategy, the authors evaluate different approaches to strategy and encourage leaders to employ the approach that matches their context. The five approaches to strategy, according to the authors, are: Classical: Build a plan and execute it rigorously. (Companies with robust strategic plans and operational excellence, such as Wal-Mart,…
When to Pull and When to Feed a Church Program (A Framework)
When I was consulted by other church leaders, I was often asked to offer suggestions about what church programs they should eliminate. “Hey Eric, you wrote Simple Church, what should we get rid of?” I often frustrated leaders because I would answer, “This is your context, not mine. I don’t know. But you should evaluate…
10 Problems With Church Programming and 1 Perspective Shift
Here are ten observations from my church resourcing days that I think most church leaders would agree with about church programming—the number of programs, events, and activities a local church offers: 1. More activity does not mean more godliness. While preachers have long said “if the devil can’t get you to sin, he will just…
A Discouraging Compliment to Receive After Preaching
One of the most discouraging compliments someone can give to me after I preach a message they loved is, “I am so glad you are preaching the gospel because you are preaching about __________ (insert a cultural issue).” The statement is typically delivered in a “it’s about time. I’m glad you finally got it together”…
The Work Behind Teaching on God’s View of Gender Dysphoria
When I first became a pastor, I never expected to teach a sermon on gender dysphoria. The term was not in my vocabulary and the subject was not on my radar. In all my seminary classes, it was never addressed, and we were never taught how to think or teach about the transgender movement. Because…
Kaye Geiger (My Wife): The Why and the How of Caring for Pastors’ Kids
If you follow me on Instagram, you have seen posts/pictures of activities Kaye and I have hosted for the kids of pastors at our church. From Christmas shopping to swim parties, Kaye, alongside my assistant, has put all these events together. Some church leaders have asked about the specifics of gatherings we have done for…
4 Qualities of a Leader Ready for Succession
Over four years ago I became the Senior Pastor of Mariners Church, succeeding Kenton Beshore who faithfully served our church with integrity and skill for 35 years as Senior Pastor. Over the last four years, Kenton and I have fielded many calls from Senior Pastors, elder boards, leadership teams, and potential successors—all asking important questions…