Think of the name of a person who recently told you they’re unhappy and thinking about leaving your church. Would you believe me if I told you that that person is not an outlier? What if I told you that that person kicking up dust, threatening to leave, folding their arms in services, talking behind your back, etc., is actually following a well-established pattern of … [Read more...]
The Lie We Tell Ourselves
This is a picture of Tom Brady as he was preparing to be selected in the 2000 NFL draft. I want you to look closely at this picture. Brady was picked in the 6th round. He was picked #199 by the New England Patriots out of a total of 256 possible picks drafted that year. It was obvious that nobody, including the Patriots, had high expectations for Brady. Then, in what … [Read more...]
The Unintended Consequences Of Sleeping In
Leaders grossly underestimate the price they pay when they continually hit the snooze button on their alarm clocks. In fact, I always wince when a Senior Pastor tells me they're a self-proclaimed "night owl." To me, that's always code for a lot of things, and none of them are good. Historian Nial Ferguson said, “The law of unintended consequences is the only real law of … [Read more...]
The Senior Pastor Checklist (5 Things To Master Before Starting ANYTHING New)
Senior Pastors are notorious for starting new initiatives without fully shepherding into reality the ideas they've previously put into motion. Why does this happen? Sometimes we get bored. But more often than not, we’re grasping for anything that will move our churches forward, so we’ll “throw things out there” in hopes that something will work. Many are visionaries … [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...]
Why We Procrastinate On Writing Sermons (And How I’m Trying To Fix It)
I procrastinate on writing my messages. I plan lots of time at the beginning of my week to study and write my message but inevitably something arises leadership-wise that causes me to take the time I planned for sermon development and devote it to some other worthy cause. Why do I keep doing that? Let me pull the lid off this thing and examine it. The Cause of … [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...]
11 Ways Senior Pastors Can Re-Ignite Evangelism In Their Congregations
It’s not by hiring staff. It’s not by starting building projects. And it’s definitely not by doing direct mail and advertising. I believe in advertising, but in the same way publishers know that great marketing will only make a bad book fail faster, evangelistically passionate Senior Pastors know marketing will only give a false sense of excitement and growth. … [Read more...]
