10 Reasons You Are Ready to be a Senior Leader
In looking for another file recently, I stumbled across a note I had shared with my son a few years... Read more
What You Communicate When You Don’t Communicate as a Leader
Leader, do you realize what you communicate when you don’t communicate as a leader? I was talking... Read more
4 Reasons to Hate Policies – 4 Ways to Improve Them
I’m not a huge fan of most policies and a majority of them, in my opinion, need someone to... Read more
“This Inviting People Thing Really Works!”
One of our worship leaders shared a great line in an email to me. He and his wife met a couple... Read more
3 Ways to Help Creative People Flourish On Your Team
There are some lessons we only learn the hard way. One of them for me has been ways I help creative... Read more
The Number One Change for Effective Church Revitalization
Do you know the number one change needed for an effective church revitalization? It’s not... Read more
Common Reactions When Growth in an Organization Slows
A young pastor was battling the leadership of the church to make changes. He felt part of his call... Read more
Developing Patience in Church Leadership
In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father... Read more
Why There Has Never Been a Better Time to Be a Leader
There has never been a better time to be a leader than today. I have been a student of leadership... Read more
4 Limitations Pastors Unknowingly Set For Their Church
I often say, “You limit what you control”. There are limitations pastors unknowingly set for... Read more
Thoughts on Managing Conflict as a Leader
As a leader, there are many times I feel like the mediator between opposing viewpoints. I’m... Read more
5 Words of Encouragement for Church Planters
Having been a church planter twice, I understand the unique challenges facing planters. They are... Read more
3 Ways Change has Changed
Change has changed. Have you noticed? Of course, you have. It’s all around us. You might not have... Read more
5 Bad Reasons to Plant a Church
There are some bad reasons to plant a church. Please understand, I love church planting. When I... Read more
A Leadership Lid Leaders Can Never Avoid
There is a huge leadership lid leaders can never avoid. I have witnessed firsthand. In fact, it’s... Read more
You Must Do THIS if You Want to Attract Leaders
If you want to attract leaders to your team there is one thing you must do – above everything... Read more
7 Ways We Make People Feel Unwelcome At Our Church
Over the years, I have seen signs like the one in this post and the first word that pops in my head... Read more
When I Allow It to Fail or When I Step in to Rescue
I try to create a leadership culture where failure is considered a part of the learning process.... Read more
7 Suggestions for Pastors When You Lose a Good Team Member
I have some suggestions for pastors (or leaders) when they lose a good team member. This post came... Read more
7 Ways to Lose Favor with Leadership
There are some common ways to lose favor with leadership. Now before that sounds arrogant, please... Read more
The Life of an Idea on a Healthy Team
A healthy team gives the potential for life to every idea. Every idea has a chance to live.... Read more
7 Misunderstandings of the Leadership Vacuum
Many times a leader can be clueless about the real health of the organization they lead. The best... Read more
Phrases to Ban When Developing Ideas
The best ideas in an organizational setting often come by getting a group together and throw out... Read more
5 Ways Leadership Can’t Be “Normal” Anymore
Leadership is so much different today than when I first started leading almost 35 years ago. To... Read more
7 Suggestions to Successfully Lead Change
Every organization — whether a church, business or nonprofit– needs change in order to continue... Read more
7 Dangers for the Isolated Leader
I was coaching a pastor trying to help a church grow again. The previous pastor left town after a... Read more
4 Suggestions for Finding the Right Mentor
I have had many mentors who have invested deeply in my life. The person I am is in great part... Read more
3 Things That Are Often Unclear On a Healthy Team
Clarity is often king in organizational dynamics. Words do matter and clear communication is vital... Read more
My “System” For Handling Difficult People in the Church
I was talking with a pastor that I coach recently. He asked me how I handle difficult people in the... Read more
7 Things I Know about People with whom I May NOT Agree
I have learned I don’t agree with everyone. And everyone doesn’t agree with me. I could say... Read more
A Huge Reason We Can Expect Smaller Crowds Upon Church Reentry
One reason we can expect smaller crowds upon church reentry is not the virus. That’s part of it... Read more
7 Phrases to Ban When Trying to Discover New Ideas
The best ideas in an organizational setting often come by getting a group together and searching... Read more
7 Ways To Make Really Fast Leadership Decisions
here are those moments in leadership when you have to make quick decisions. If COVID-19 has taught... Read more
3 Questions Every Church Leader Needs to Ask NOW
As churches begin to prepare for re-opening our buildings, I think there are three important... Read more
5 Positives for the Church after the Coronavirus Crisis
I think there are some positives for the church that will come through this Coronavirus crisis.... Read more
5 Ways a Leader Responds as a Crisis Begins
Leader, how should we respond when a crisis comes? I love the leadership displayed during a scene... Read more
7 Essentials in Facilitating a Church Merger
I am a fan of church mergers. It takes Kingdom-minded people to be willing to humble themselves and... Read more
One Sure Way to Attract Leaders
I learned in church revitalization that many times entrepreneurial type leaders disappear when... Read more
4 Types Of People Who Give Anonymous Criticism
As a leader for over 30 years, I’ve received my share of criticism. It comes with leadership. If... Read more
7 Personal Disciplines: A 90 Day Challenge
I’ve always been considered a fairly disciplined person. There are certain disciplines that have... Read more
7 Helpful Skills for Pastors Who Want to Grow Churches
I came close to titling these “essential” skills, but I knew that was unfair. God grows... Read more
5 Reasons a Pastor May Not Be Leading Well
I remember talking with a concerned man about his church. He was concerned the church was wasting a... Read more
7 Everyday Tensions Every Leader Faces
Being a leader isn’t easy. With every decision a leader makes someone is happy – and someone is... Read more
A Leadership Experiment – The Little Things Matter
In making the first impression, the little things matter. When a visitor shows up on one of our... Read more
8 Things I Wouldn’t Do Again if Planting Another Church
I have been involved in church planting for most of my ministry career – whether as a planter or... Read more
The Quickest Way to Spur Organizational Change
Do you want to know the fastest way to encourage change? I have practiced this one for years, and... Read more
After a great day of teaching, Jesus faced the critics
And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there, and coming to his hometown he... Read more
Don’t Agree to Be the Senior Leader – Unless
Here’s a warning I want to give to those who are currently not in a senior leadership position,... Read more
21 Ways to Keep a Church from Growing
Here are 21 ways to keep a church from... Read more
7 Things the Church Can’t Do for the Pastor
Pastor, there are some things your church can’t do for you. They simply can’t. Please... Read more
7 Life-Giving Statements Everyone Needs to Hear
Words are powerful. As leaders, the words we use make a difference. A huge difference. In my post... Read more
8 Potential Reasons a Church Plant May Not Grow
I’ve worked with a lot of church plants. And, I’ve been involved in two church plants as... Read more
7 Potential Barriers to Sustained Church Growth
In church planting, we defied the “rules” of growth for several years. By rules I mean things... Read more
4 Risks of Attempting Risk-Free Change
As leaders, we all want to limit the risk in the hard decisions we make. Personally, whenever we... Read more
8 Ways to Finish a Ministry Job Well
Some of you may know, I’m in a season of transition again. When I got to my previous church... Read more
3 Options When the Church No Longer Reflects the Community
I was coaching a group of pastors and was asked a question I’ve encountered, but never really... Read more
Serving Outside the Local Church
As a pastor, I had a strong conviction about staff members in regards to one way they should spend... Read more
5 Shared Characteristics Needed to do Church Planting or Church Revitalization
Church planting is a difficult, but rewarding assignment in ministry. So is church revitalization.... Read more
