Leading in Perpetual Crisis (10 Keys)

I received two notes yesterday from highly committed parishioners.  Both thanked me for effectively leading the church through “crisis.”  My first thought was “which crisis?”  Since 2016 or so, the church world has been in a perpetual state of crisis.  The tornados keep touching down and the tornados already on the ground never seem to

Strengthening What Remains (A Word to the Church)

I had breakfast with my dad recently. We were exploring what the Western church will look like on the other side of COVID-19. We agreed that even churches who have been open for months on-site are still running less than half of the live attendance they did a year ago. What will happen with the

Following Up Your Christmas Week

Social Media is a great tool to keep up with what God is doing in churches far and near.  I love reading each and every glowing report! Many churches rebounded from 2020 attendance for Christmas Week and I rejoice with them! Clearly God was moving. Bam! However, failure to effectively follow up major “victories” (like a

Staying Effective as an Aging Leader

What if you don’t HAVE to get less effective as you get older? What if you just have to CHANGE?  I don’t know about you but I am not getting any younger.  After playing softball for decades, I now find it painful to bend over to pick up a bat, much less scoop up a

Things Growing Churches Understand (that dying churches do not)

There is a lot of stuff about “how to make your church grow”  flying about.  A whole lot.  Some of it is terrible.  Some of it is really good. Here are my thoughts: 15 Things Growing Churches Understand: Your mission statement is your best friend Pastors must be strategic leaders  National events affect local congregations  

Supporting Leaders (And Leading Supporters)

Can’t sleep tonight.  It happens.  Not very much but it happens. Praying for Christian leaders. My heart is heavy. Leadership circa 2020 is SO difficult. Pandemic. Churches closed. Cultural upheaval. Election cycle. Throw the devil (yes, I believe in such stuff) into the mix and the task can seem overwhelming. I know some great leaders

7 Things to Think About Before Responding to Criticism

If you are a leader you are going to be criticized.  And if you are a significant leader you are going to be significantly criticized.  It honestly doesn’t matter if you are a good leader or not.  That is just how it is.  People criticize leaders.  Always have.  Always will.  It is a cost of

Does Your Church “Get” It? (10 things churches must “get” to have a future)

  We all know that most churches are in decline.  We also know that some churches are growing and some are growing exponentially.  There are clearly some things growing churches “get” that declining churches do not. Here are ten things churches need to “get” to have a future.   Get strategic A decreasing number of

Record Easter Crowd? What Now?

Social Media is a great tool to keep up with what God is doing in churches far and near.  I love that!  I noticed many churches had record attendances for Easter 2019 and I rejoice with them!  Clearly God was moving. However, failure to effectively follow up major “victories” in a church (like a record Easter)

A Baker’s Dozen (Quick Hitter) Leadership Lessons

  I was appointed to a congregation of just over 200 in 1997.  We averaged almost 2,400 in 2017.  Here is what I have learned about leadership in these twenty-one years in one place: Thirteen (Quick Hitter) Lessons in Leadership State Your Mission: We exist to connect people to Jesus Christ.  It is our language for everything.