4 Benefits of Developing Position Papers in a Ministry Context
Throughout 2022, I led our church staff and elders through an intentional process of ensuring our positions on several topics and cultural issues were documented for the sake of consistency and clarity. We already had a statement of faith that captures the core doctrines of our church, a beautiful statement that originated with John Stott, […]
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, […]
10 Axioms About Leadership and Feedback
A leader’s relationship with feedback will greatly impact the leader’s effectiveness and the growth of the team. While it is natural to resist receiving feedback, and some struggle to offer feedback, both receiving and giving feedback are critical in leadership. Here are ten axioms or truths about feedback and leadership: 1. Your growth is hampered […]
5 Steps to Plan Annual Training for Your Team
Teachers have a plan for what and how they will be teaching their students this year. Coaches have a plan for the play packages they will immerse their teams in. Leaders should have a plan for how they will use meetings with their teams to develop them. Meetings are not the only or the best […]
Wise Leaders Know Who to Ignore and Who to Instruct
All people are created in God’s Image and worthy of dignity and respect. And at the same time, people have different postures towards God and others and we are wise to respond accordingly. Both of these statements are true at the same time, meaning it is possible to treat people with respect and respond according […]
The Importance of NOT Equating “Painful” with “Difficult” in Leadership
Just because a decision is painful does not mean that the decision is difficult. A person on your team displays a lack of moral integrity. Indeed, it will indeed be painful to act and remove the person from the team, but the decision is not. It is clear. Someone you work alongside consistently displays a […]
The Great Resignation and 3 Reminders for Leaders
If you search the phrase “Great Resignation” online, you will see a myriad of articles about the reality that people are leaving their jobs at a staggering rate. The stats are unprecedented: 4.4 million Americans quit their jobs in September, 73% of Americans are considering quitting their job right now, 50% of Americans want to […]
Seeing People and Three Types of Leaders
Leaders are typically driven. They have a deep burden and that burden becomes a vision that compels them to consistent action. But conviction towards a goal without deep love for people can ruin a leader and result in people not being cared for. At the same time leaders will be hurt as leading others is […]
When to NOT Ask Your Predecessor to Stay on the Team
Over three years ago I made the decision to ask my predecessor, Kenton Beshore, to stay on our staff and teaching team. While there are many reasons to consider asking your predecessor to stay, there are times when it is unwise to do so. There are times when it is best for the new leader, […]
10 Reasons to Consider Asking Your Predecessor to Stay Involved
When I became the senior pastor of Mariners Church over three years ago, I made the decision to ask Kenton Beshore (my predecessor and long-time pastor of Mariners) to stay on staff and to be on our teaching team. One of the most common thread of questions I receive from other ministry leaders is around […]