3 Common Ways Churches Overcomplicate Their Calendars

A busy church calendar can keep people at church and away from the broader culture. Not only is mission thwarted but people also have a difficult time navigating what their next step at the church is. When there is a plethora of programs/events on the calendar, it is hard to know which ones are really […]

3 Ways to Crush the Idol of Innovation

In ministry, innovation can be a great thing when utilized to reach and serve people. But like all great things, innovation can become an idol—something that ministry leaders seek as an end in itself. When innovation becomes the goal, it has moved from tool for reaching people to an object of affection. How do we […]

4 Ways to Fight Being a Ministry Workaholic

Work is a gift, and work ethic resides in men and women of character, but in our idolatry, we can easily make work our god. Pastors have warned me, “Ministry can be a great place to hide out and a great place to burn out.” Ministry can be a haven for the workaholic. In most […]

3 Ways Ministry Leaders Must Live as Stewards

stewardship generosity church

In his letter to Titus, the apostle Paul called the overseer “God’s administrator” or “God’s steward” (Titus 1:7). Ministry leaders are stewards, not owners, as Jesus owns His Church. Jesus promised to build His Church, not ours (Matt. 16:18). The financial resources the Lord blesses a church with are ultimately for Him. The ministry leader, […]

5 Business Books for Pastors

I am asked fairly often what leadership or business books I think pastors should read. I sometimes hesitate to answer because some ministry leaders should not read another leadership book. If your devotional life is weak, if you are not addicted to reading the Bible, or if you want to treat the church like just […]

Martyn Lloyd-Jones and the Cure for Ministry Idolatry

Ministry leaders are often tempted to love ministry more than Jesus. For this reason, we must continually guard our hearts from loving the work of the Lord more than the Lord of the work. Ministry idolatry is common and it crushes ministry leaders as they run feverishly to achieve more and more in hopes of […]

3 Major Downsides of a Busy Church Calendar

Busy church calendar

Adrian Rogers is quoted with the pithy statement, “If Satan cannot make you bad, he will make you busy.” There is much wisdom in the statement, as cluttered lives are typically not Christ-centered lives. The Lord encourages us to “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). According to the Lord, there is […]

5 Things Pastors Dread Hearing After Preaching a Sermon

Preaching is simultaneously exhilarating and exhausting. Though I am not sure how it could be proven, some have articulated that preaching one sermon is as emotionally and psychologically taxing as an eight-hour workday. If you are like me, you know you should rest in the promise that His Word does not return void, yet you […]

5 Steps to Simplifying Your Church’s Schedule

Church over-programming

For many good reasons, church leaders often desire to simplify their schedules. They know too many programs is paralyzing for new people, as the next step is unclear. They know that it is impossible for their church to do everything well. They see leaders exhausted and they know activity does not equate with transformation. They […]