3 Reasons Leading Volunteers Is a Great Test
I believe that leading volunteers is truly a great test of one’s leadership. In many ways, leading volunteers is the ultimate test of one’s ability to lead others. When I interview someone, I don’t only look for their work with “paid staff”; I pay close attention to their history leading volunteers. I have hired people […]
4 Essential Leadership Practices in Ministry
I recently spoke to a group of “emerging leaders,” and was asked to speak about essential leadership practices—areas of leadership where ministry leaders must continually focus. There are at least four essential leadership practices that transcend a role on a local church staff. Regardless of the ministry role, whether leading as senior pastor or in […]
3 Reasons You MUST Regularly Think About Succession
With the team I lead at LifeWay, I regularly discuss succession with those on my team. Props goes to Earl Roberson, the associate VP in our division, for encouraging me in this several years ago, setting the example, and operationalizing the practice with our team. We have discussions about who would be ready to move […]
Young Leaders, Believe in Your Church
Throughout history God has greatly used young leaders to challenge and lead His people, and the Scripture gives us the sense that a church should believe in young leaders. A church that does not believe in young leaders is a church that has drifted from our great history. Because of this, I have challenged churches […]
Church, Believe in Young Leaders
Churches often struggle with empowering younger leaders, with handing significant responsibility to the next generation. Yet the Scripture gives us the sense that a church should believe in young leaders. The apostle Paul encouraged Timothy to “Let no one despise your youth; instead, you should be an example to the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, […]
3 Reasons Some Churches Struggle to Empower Younger Leaders
Intuitively church folks know that their churches must empower younger leaders. Simply stated, if a church fails to engage new generations, the church will eventually die. Yet while people know a church must empower younger leaders, some churches struggle to do so. They struggle to hand significant responsibility to younger leaders, to empower younger leaders […]
3 Reasons Leaders Are Made, Not Born
People have often asked, “Are leaders born or made?” This is not a new debate, not a new opening discussion question, and not a new title for an article or section in a book. Wise writers often hedge with a “surely both” response, noting that there are certainly God-given qualities in leaders and yet also […]
10 Proverbs for Leaders
While the Bible is not a book about leadership (it is God’s self-disclosing story of His creation, pursuit, rescue, and restoration of a people for Himself), there are incredible nuggets of leadership wisdom within the Bible. Because our faith should impact every aspect of our lives, including our leadership, we find great truth within the […]
3 Shortcuts Leaders Should Never Take
In a culture that values instant everything and struggles waiting for anything, shortcuts are all the rave. Hack has even become a buzzword for taking shortcuts, maximizing time, and getting things done more quickly. “Hack your schedule.” “Hack your calendar.” “Hack your leadership meeting.” “Hack your life.” I am not against all hacking as some […]
Three Ways Millennials Make You a Better Leader
Some bemoan the inevitable—that millennials (those born between 1981 and 1996) are becoming a larger section of the workforce. If you Google “millennials and work,” a plethora of articles will show up. Some affirm traits in millennials that contribute to a healthy work environment: creativity, technological savvy, or altruism. Others point to millennials and express […]