The 8 Stages of Leading Good Change in the Church
I am honored to lead the Resources Division at LifeWay and serve with a team of leaders who are passionate to serve the Church in Her mission of making disciples. Each Wednesday, I share the heart behind one of the resources our team has developed and give an opportunity for you to register to win a free copy of […]
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 […]
Darkness, Being Anonymous, and Church
Does darkness and anonymity impact one’s behavior? Researchers from the University of Toronto conducted a series of experiments to discover the impact of darkness on one’s perception of being anonymous. In one experiment, the researchers placed participants in two different rooms and instructed them to complete math problems and reward themselves with allotted money each […]
Four Common Errors in Church Strategy
A church benefits from both spiritual and strategic leadership. The latter must not overpower the former, as spiritual leadership must trump strategic leadership—but both serve a church well. When a ministry leader leads well, the ministry will receive strategic direction, even if a different term is used. As ministry leaders seek to organize the work […]
Two Common Hiring Mistakes Churches Make
Every hire is a risk. Every time I have hired someone or have been hired, there was a risk involved. Some argue that proven track records eliminate the risk, but in reality a great history only minimizes the risk. Even when hiring someone who has a proven track record, it is hard to separate the […]
Three Types of Accountability Every Leader Needs
Who a leader listens to shapes much of what a leader does. A leader who surrounds himself with wise counsel is a leader who is much more likely to lead well. A leader surrounded by fools is a leader who is doomed to fail. The story of Solomon’s son Rehoboam illustrates this reality well. The […]
Three Common Mistakes in Designing a Church Discipleship Strategy
Every church should embrace the mission of making disciples and implement a strategy to accomplish that mission. Because the mission of a local church is to make disciples, a strategy is how the church is designed to make disciples. If a church’s strategy is not grounded in making disciples, the church has abandoned the mission […]
Three Common Idols in Churches
Hezekiah is affirmed in Scripture as doing “what was right in the Lord’s sight” (2 Kings 18:3). The next verse details what Hezekiah did: “He removed the high places, shattered the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake that Moses made, for the Israelites burned incense to […]
Two Opposite Errors Committed by Church Staff
If you lead a ministry (kids, students, groups, connections, worship, etc.) in a local church, you are given responsibility for a significant ministry in the church, and yet you are also part of a larger body of believers. You steward a part of the whole, and in this, you must care deeply for that which […]
Ministry Makes You More Holy or More Hypocritical
Ministry will make you more holy or more of a hypocrite. Ministering to others will drive you to the Word, to your knees in prayer, and to a holy dependence on God OR ministering to others will confront you with the opportunity to pretend to be someone you are not. Ministry will develop you or […]