1 Big Question Church Leaders Must Ask About Leadership Development
When ministry leaders start to consider an intentional plan for developing leaders, inevitably they get to this question. The answer to the question will dramatically impact how they execute leadership development. Here is the big question about leadership development for church leaders: What will be centralized? Some churches centralize everything. They appoint someone to oversees […]
You Love Ministry More Than God If…
Ministry is thrilling. Yes, there are deep and painful challenges, but we get to see the Lord change people’s lives. Ministry allows us to enjoy a front row seat to people grasping the gospel, to people being sent out on mission, and to the beauty of Christian community. Yes, there are plenty of people who […]
5 Types of Goals Ministry Leaders Must Avoid
“Should ministry leaders set goals?” is a question I am often asked. The question is about ministry leaders setting a target for something they want to see the ministry achieve collectively. “Yes, they should” is my typical response, but that response deserves an asterisk. Actually five asterisks. Here are five big mistakes ministry leaders make […]
Why Board Games Are Back and What It Means for the Church
In The Revenge of Analog, David Sax chronicles how a hunger for tangible things is causing a resurgence in many industries, such as print, vinyl, and board games. In the midst of a digital revolution where more and more people are joining social media platforms and electronic gaming is getting more and more impressive, board […]
3 Misconceptions About Joining Church/Ministry Staff
Often godly marketplace leaders have wondered what a transition to some type of ministry role would look like. In the last decade I have had countless conversations with these leaders who have wondered what their lives would look like if they transitioned to a church staff or other ministry role. When I served as an […]
What Are You Really Saying When You Call Something a “Sacred Cow”?
If you have been serving on the staff of a local church, you have likely heard and even used the phrase “sacred cow.” This was the topic of a recent Five Leadership Questions podcast, where I joined Todd Adkins and Barnabas Piper to discuss how to navigate “sacred cows” in ministry. As we began, we […]
A Helpful Framework for Teaching in Ministry
When you think about presenting or teaching or delivering a message, is there a helpful framework that guides how you structure the message? Preparing content is critical, but so is preparing how you will deliver the content. When I was serving as a student pastor and driving to seminary on my day off (long before […]
My 3 Goals in Preaching
In the last decade I have invested a lot of time in public speaking. With employee meetings, plenary sessions, breakouts at conferences, consulting ministry leaders, and speaking on books I have written, I have given hundreds and hundreds of leadership and ministry presentations. I have also preached weekly for the last several years as teaching […]
3 Ways to Recognize Workaholism in Ministry
Ministry can attract workaholics because working non-stop in ministry can feel holy and attract applause. But being a workaholic in any role is never holy, and it always leaves one hollow. Families suffer. Relationships are harmed. No one wins. Ministry leaders, like all leaders, are prone to either laziness or workaholism. On your worst days, […]
5 Truths About Great Ministry Leaders
Recently during annual reviews with my team, I asked each person who reports to me to offer me feedback through the lens of “start, stop doing, and keep doing.” What am I not doing that you would like me to start doing? What am I doing that you wish I would stop doing? And what […]