Tag «Lead»

Five New Challenges for the “Post-Post” Pandemic Church

We have written and presented numerous insights and information about the effects of the pandemic on churches. I even wrote a small book called The Post Quarantine Church. The essence of our information was straightforward: negative church trends were accelerated and exacerbated in the pandemic and for the several months after churches regathered in-person. In…

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Do I Really Need to Be a Member of a Church?

This question and its ensuing discussion continues. Do I really need to be a member of a church? We need to first separate the concept of church membership from other types of organizational membership. Church membership is not like civic club membership, even though many civic organizations do have altruistic purposes. Church membership is definitely…

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Finishing Well: Navigating Leadership with the End in Mind

I had the privilege of hosting a podcast episode featuring the incredible Kay Warren, where we delved into life, leadership, and the art of finishing well after decades of leadership. One particular remark she shared has been playing on repeat in my mind ever since our talk. I asked her for some advice to pass…

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10 Things that Surprise Rookie Pastors

I’ve worked with students and graduates in their first pastorates for almost three decades. Over the years, I’ve often asked them, “What’s most surprised you about the work of pastoring?” In no order of priority, here are some of their responses: “How hard it is to prepare a sermon week after week.” What was so…

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The Great Leadership Shortage in Churches: Five Ways to Address It

One of the most common challenges we hear from church leaders, particularly pastors, is the need for more leaders in the church. The vacuum seems the greatest among elders, deacons, and teachers. Many churches lost not only members in this post-pandemic world, but they also lost leaders as well. Of course, it is likely that…

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How to Discern If a Church Member Is Guilty of Gossip

Gossip is a destructive force in the church. Once the rumors of gossip spread, it’s hard to correct if they are false. Even if partially true, gossip is always wrong because what is shared is inappropriate and hurtful. Gossip fosters an environment of distrust and suspicion. Instead of focusing on productive work or conversations, individuals…

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Are You Asking the Character Question about Your Staff?

If you examine the job descriptions in searches for pastors, associate pastors, and church staff (as we have), you will find (as we did) an absence of expressed interest in character and a profusion of terms connected to skills. Job descriptions, even for senior pastors, have devolved into a can-do list. That is because we…

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Reflections on My First Sermon after Twenty Years of Ministry

I preached Philippians 1. After standing in the pulpit for a few awkward moments, I said, “Hi.” “Hi.” The congregation responded. It was a Sunday night service on a holiday weekend. My pastor was on vacation. The smaller crowd was the core. They knew what they were getting. I was twenty-three years old. Only now…

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Why Your Church Will Die within Five Years

I became fascinated with dead and dying churches about thirty years ago. I know. It’s morbid on my part. My fascination turned into somewhat of an obsession that I wrote a bestselling book on the topic, Autopsy of a Deceased Church, several years ago. It still has robust sales today. It obviously hit a nerve. …

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4 Essential Tools for Navigating Discouragement with Your Husband

It comes in a text message or a phone call. It comes in the middle of the day or it can awaken you in the middle of sleep. It comes loud like a loud and jarring freight train but it can also come as the most deafening silence. “It” is that all-too-familiar feeling of discouragement,…

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