I was preaching the week after Christmas the first time I heard someone joke about the youth pastor preaching the week after Christmas. I was the student pastor. The person was joking that it was “national student pastor preaching Sunday” because many senior pastors take the week off and hand the responsibility to the student…
Church Leadership
The 4 Biggest Mistake Church Leaders Make with their Values
In 1992 the Dream Team played together in the Olympics and basketball fans went wild as Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Patrick Ewing, and others were on the SAME team! Previously only college players played on the Olympic teams, so when these players formed the Dream Team, it was complete domination. Twelve years later,…
3 Characteristics of Childish Christians in Your Church
We should aspire for a childlike faith and abhor a childish one. A childlike faith is a faith that trusts and a faith that is in awe. A childish faith is a faith that, according to Andrew Murray, creates division, is unable to help others, and display gifts without grace. Because we grow over time…
4 Reasons You Should Consider Teaching or Volunteering in Kids Ministry
Last weekend I was not scheduled to teach in our adult services at Mariners Church so I volunteered to teach Sunday morning in our kid’s ministry. I am so thankful for those who serve in kid’s ministry each week. They make a massive impact on children and their families, and I wanted to be a…
5 More Learnings From Serving the Church as I Go Back to the Church
As I have transitioned out of a role that served tens of thousands of churches a year and back to the local church, leaders have asked me what lessons I am taking with me. “What learnings from serving many churches are you taking with you as you go back to serving one church?” The first…
5 Learnings From Serving the Church as I Go Back to the Church
“What learnings from serving many churches are you taking with you as you go back to serving one church?” It has been a common question that ministry leaders have asked me over the last several months. While serving as senior vice-president of LifeWay, I was on a team that gets to serve tens of thousands…
5 Ways to Lead Effective and Inspiring Church Staff Reviews
Leading someone without offering feedback is cruel because you their hamper development. Feedback is like steroids for development. Over fifteen years ago I began the discipline of giving staff reviews to those who report directly to me. I have learned and grown a lot in that time. This insight from Vanderbloemen Search Group is very…
Unfinished Ministry and the Lord’s Finishing
Ministry is never done. You never really “clock out,” because ministry never ends. The work of the church is never going to be over. These are phrases all of us in ministry have heard. And all of us have found them to be true. A mentor once told me to enjoy cutting my grass because…
Blogging, Social Media, and My New Season
After announcing the transition from my role at LifeWay to Mariners Church, several have asked me if I will continue to write/blog and have encouraged me to do so. Here is the backstory… When I was serving Christ Fellowship in Miami as executive pastor and teaching pastor, I served the broader Church in “my spare…
A New Season of Ministry and Getting a “High Five” on the Way Out
Beginning in early September, I will be the new senior pastor of Mariners Church in Irvine, California. The last month has been intense, as I have continually held two emotions at the same time. In one hand I hold a deep excitement and anticipation for the new season of ministry the Lord has for us….