Archive for the ‘Leadership’ Category
The Storm… That’s the ominous title given in my Bible to Acts 27:13-26. The Shipwreck… That’s what they called verse 27-44, which is even more foreboding, isn’t it? The question isn’t whether we will encounter storms or shipwrecks that impact our ministries, but what we will do when it happens? I’m […]
Read More...It’s a question we must ask: Do all the leadership structures, flow charts and organization of our ministries result in more or better discipleship? Jesus made it pretty clear—the great commission, the statement all of our mission statements are based on, says: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been […]
Read More...Abraham Lincoln, who was a skilled woodcutter before becoming president reportedly once said: “If I had six hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend the first four hours sharpening the axe.” It seems in life there is never a shortage of work to be done, but when we try to […]
Read More...I’ve had countless discussions with groups of younger pastors, and among the important issues we discuss, the tools and technology available for ministry today is usually either a topic of conversation or at least a subtext to it. I can’t remember the last time I was in a meeting where […]
Read More...Reading through Acts 5 this morning, I was struck with some radical differences between the early church and today’s American church. And I was pressed to consider my role—a leader of a larger group of churches—and how different I function in that role than those leaders in the early church […]
Read More...“From that time on, Jesus began to preach: Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven has come near.” (Matthew 4:17) Last week I had the opportunity to attend the taping of a pilot for a proposed talk show. The host was a former pastor who is nationally known, the producer has had […]
Read More...Recently I was asked to contribute to an online magazine for Ex-Pastors; while I still work for the church, I happen to find myself in that category. The following is my “confession” that I submitted (and I am sure will be adjusted and edited beyond recognition). About 8 months ago, […]
Read More...”The kingdom of God will be taken from you & given to those who will produce its fruit”. (Matthew 21:43) To Jesus finding fruit was more important than being fair. To the Pharisees who heard Jesus speaking, they knew He was talking about them. And in order to fully appreciate […]
Read More...“In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions” 1 Samuel 3:1 I’m so glad the book of Ruth is positioned where it is in the Bible. It’s a very nice buffer between Samuel and Judges. But we have to remember that though Ruth […]
Read More...I’ve been reflecting on the resurrection this week. I like the idea of resurrection! Something dies, and then is miraculously raised to life in less than three days! There are times when I’ve lost someone or lost something (a dream, a ministry, a job) and have prayed fervently for this […]
Read More...Ok, I confess. Publicly even. (No, this is not an admission of not blogging for 6 weeks…I’m working to fix that). Here’s the bottom line: I’m an addict. And I’m working hard to get help. What I’m addicted to is pretty common, but I don’t want that to be an […]
Read More...Acts 17:24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.” Temples built by hands. We all have been a part of building temples. Whether it manifests in a physical building, an organizational […]
Read More...This morning I was reading the Bible and noticed that at least 16 times in Exodus 39 and 40 we are told that Moses and the people he led built the tools for worship exactly “as the Lord had commanded Moses”. Then in 40:33 we read that “Moses finished the […]
Read More...This week, today is my Sabbath. Because of the nature of my life right now, Sabbath happens on different days, but I’m aiming for a consistent Monday. I’ve found that an expected day provides a sense of stability for my family, and it ensures that I actually honor the day. […]
Read More...Often when we approach a new leadership assignment, we want to make a big splash fast. We reason that if we can quickly make some significant contributions—a few noticeable wins—we can build equity, which can be used as a resource for future challenging decisions. But that course of action may […]
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