10 Things Leaders Shape That Shape the Ministry/Organization (Part 1)

Winston Churchill is credited with the insightful quote, “we shape our buildings and our buildings shape us.” He was correct; the buildings we gather in shape the culture of those in the buildings. The statement can be applied to other influences as our ministries and organizations are shaped by more than the buildings we utilize. […]

6 Important and Impactful Quotes from Leaders

I recently offered my five most favorite leadership quotes. They are not from modern leaders, writers, or thinkers but from leaders, theologians, and philosophers whose writings and sayings have endured the times. This is not to say that only old, dead thinkers have the best quotes. And to prove it, here are six important and […]

Leadership in the Beginning: Watching Over and Working

With all the abuses we have seen by leaders, it can be tempting to reject leadership. But leadership was not always tainted by sin. God gave leadership to humanity before sin corrupted and tainted everything. We should abhor the sin that corrupts leadership, not the principle of leadership or God’s design for it. Leadership existed […]

3 Reasons You Must Have a Strategy if You Blog

As I shared recently, I never intended to become active on social media. My boss intended it for me and I am glad he did. It has helped me formulate thoughts more clearly, has pushed me to keep learning, and has broadened the types of people I can connect with. At first, I did not […]

6 Ways to NOT Waste Your Budgeting Process

Some people believe a budgeting process is a waste of time. I don’t mean the people who have a visceral reaction to budgets and strategy, but there are prudent and wise leaders who view a long budgeting process as bad stewardship. They say things like: We don’t even know how this year will end. “We […]

No Dashboard Is Better Than a Wrong One

What’s worse: Driving a car with no gas gauge or driving one with a gauge that’s incorrect? The answer is obviously driving a car with an incorrect gas gauge is far worse. When there is no gas gauge or one you know does not work, you know not to trust it. You fill up more […]

6 Questions You Should Be Asking Those You Lead

Great leaders ask great questions. Great leaders ask questions to learn but also to encourage those they lead to think strategically. Below are six questions leaders should be asking those they lead. They may not show up in a meeting agenda or on a questionnaire, but wise leaders are continually asking those they lead these […]

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 […]

Three Ways Ministry Leaders Think Strategically

Marissa Mayer, the CEO of Yahoo and former VP at Google, has told a great story about a phrase that greatly impacted her. The summer after her senior year of high school, she attended the National Youth Science Camp and was impressed by guest lecturer Zune Nguyen. As the students were discussing their awe of […]

Seven Ways to Fight Mission and Strategy Entropy

The second law of thermodynamics is about entropy: things move to disorder and chaos over time. This principle surrounds our daily lives. A well-ordered garage digresses to clutter; a cluttered garage never becomes an organized one without intervention. Our bodies, without exercise and care, experience muscle atrophy. Left alone our muscles grow weaker, not stronger. […]