Here are 5 pieces of advice about books and reading I would love to share with every Senior Pastor starting their very first pastorate… Dear friend, I want to congratulate you on your very first day of becoming a Senior Pastor. You will find, as I have, that being a Senior Pastor is the greatest job in the world. Occasionally though, it can be quite lonely. You’ll find that … [Read more...]
Why Consensus Is Killing Your Church
If your church has plateaued it could be because you have tried to lead everything by consensus. There’s a colossal difference between pseudo-leadership (leading everything by consensus) and biblically-based, godly, unifying, strong, decisive, servant leadership. The Consensus Trap In Smaller Churches I see this occur most often in smaller churches where a leader has … [Read more...]
How To Break The 100 Barrier
If your church has been stuck at 25, 45, or 75 for more than three years and God has laid it on your heart to reach lost people in your community, you have two choices that lay before you: take massive action or find another job. There is no third option. Trying to break the 100 barrier is more akin to making it through Navy Seals basic training than any other ministry … [Read more...]
How To Handle Critics, Complainers, And Mean People
The one thing all Senior Pastors have in common is that we are constant targets for critics. Sometimes we get criticized for very good reasons. We need to own that. While constructive feedback can often be delivered in misguided ways, too many of us mistake solid leadership feedback as backbiting. Many times its legitimate, helpful, and constructive advice that we need to … [Read more...]
Here’s To The Pastors
Here’s to the Pastors The ones you’ve never heard of. The custodians of 30 million secrets for 30 million heavy souls. Those worn down by time and place. Walking, no, limping besides those they are pushing towards glory. Here’s to the Pastors who with futures uncertain, mark their days by tasks largely unseen. To the ones who serve churches with stories rarely … [Read more...]
Sixty Things I Wish Someone Had Shared With Me Ten Years Ago
Years ago I had an opportunity to do a training event with Senior Pastors and Worship Pastors throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. I ended my morning session by sharing, rapid-fire, sixty things I wish someone had shared with me ten years ago. It’s a rag-tag assortment of things that has helped our church growth and has helped keep me sane in the process. Here they … [Read more...]
Why Senior Pastors Must Be Scholarly And Pragmatic
My very first ministry internship was with a pastor who, by his own admission, wasn’t really into scholarly study. “Brian,” I remember him telling me; “you’ll find that the guys out there leading the big churches are pragmatic leaders. That should tell you something.” When Church Fads Backfire What I remember most about him however was his penchant for getting carried away … [Read more...]
How Time With Another Church’s Staff Ahead Of Your Growth Stage Can Save Your Soul
When I was leading a church that was stuck, one of the most important things I did to find my way forward was spend time with pastors who had led through the stage that had me stuck. One of them was Charlie McMahon, Senior Pastor at Southbrook Christian Church in Centerville, Ohio. Charlie had led Southbrook from 150 to 1,500 and had been through some rough stretches and … [Read more...]
The Difference Between Amateur And Professional Senior Pastors
Amateurs wait to write their sermons until they feel inspired. Professionals work on their sermons on a schedule, focusing on creating consistent writing habits that lead to inspiration. Amateurs take criticism about various aspects of the church they serve personally. Professionals seek feedback, even if it is negative, and view it as necessary to growth as an … [Read more...]
Chuck Swindoll On Senior Pastors Being Themselves
17 years ago I wrote Chuck Swindoll, seeking his advice regarding preaching and church leadership. At the time Chuck Swindoll was one of the most popular and beloved Senior Pastors in the United States. I wrote him because I had become convinced that I was not cut out to be a pastor – I didn’t have the right personality, and instead of slick self-help sermons, I simply … [Read more...]
Advice For Aspiring Senior Pastors
I was recently approached by a sharp young guy who asked if I would be willing to coach him, even though he isn’t a Senior Pastor right now. Since there weren’t many doors open to him as a young, inexperienced leader, he took a job as a youth pastor. Our conversation took us to exploring what he could do right now, in his current role, to prepare him for being a Senior … [Read more...]
