2 minPart 2: How (and How Not!) to Recruit VolunteersIn our last post, we talked about some best practices for recruiting volunteers. With many churches operating with less people...
3 minHow (and How Not!) to Recruit VolunteersIn our post-pandemic world of lower in-person church attendance (averaging about half of what it was pre-Covid), many are left with...
2 minHow Big Is The Church?Play along with me for a minute and let’s use our imagination. If a twenty-something artist named Michelangelo could create something as...
2 minSpiritual Warfare and MinistryChurch ministry is hard because people are complicated. But there’s more to it than just that. Over the years, my wife and I hosted a...
3 minAre You Leading In?One simplistic definition of leadership is moving people toward a shared goal or dream. I’ve written before about the 3 areas of...
1 minDon't Overlook Your Reluctant Leaders!In this quick 2-minute video, Dave Workman talks about “reluctant leaders” and encourages us to not overlook their potential leadership....
5 min3 Stumbling Blocks To Church & Nonprofit CollaborationPerspectives From A Pastor And Nonprofit Director I love pastors. Of course, I have to say that because I am one—but this time, I mean...
3 minIs Faith Really a “Private Matter”?In a recent survey of self-identified Christians sponsored by the Barna Group and Navigators, an interesting trend was observed as it...
4 minDoes Anyone Hate Me?There are many things that Christians are doing in the postmodern era that are exemplary, often ignored by the media. For instance, the...
3 minDoes God Need Your Permission?The Greek word we translate as hospitality in the New Testament literally means love of strangers. So how welcome do strangers feel in...
2 minIs Your Church Afraid of Change?Over the years that we’ve worked with churches, it’s been our observation that of the four critical elements of healthy, effective...
3 minInviting People to Follow JesusMany years ago when I was in my twenties, I had a “come-to-Jesus” moment. Previously I had no interest in God and would have considered...
2 minHiring The Right StaffYou’ve no doubt heard of the 3 C’s when building a team or hiring a new staff member. They are often listed in this order: Character,...
3 minAre You Falling In Love?“Falling in love” is what some psychologists believe is the collapsing of so-called “ego boundaries.” Ego boundaries are believed to be...
2 minWhat's Your Leadership Perspective?I recently came across a fascinating geographical factoid. The writer at The Acadian Ideal overlayed the Mediterranean Sea map on top of...
3 minIs Your Church Accessible?Last week in a coaching session with a young pastor, we talked through some challenging decisions to make in her church as she’s about to...
2 minBringing Dreams to LifeNothing should thrill a leader more than overhearing a volunteer describing the mission of the organization in a way that sounds as if...
2 minLeadership Under FirePray for Ukraine. The recent Russian invasion of Ukraine has been overwhelmingly condemned by world leaders, baffled by Putin’s shocking...
3 minChange Management 101Years ago we went through a very difficult season at our church. After a time of crazy growth, we had a number of people leave as a...
3 minReconstruction After DeconstructionOne of the more sobering passages for me in the New Testament is the story of John the baptizer’s painful deconstruction. Please apply...
3 minThe Challenge of the EasyAny form of movement requires energy. Energy, however, is hard to come by. As biological creatures, human beings will naturally seek to...
2 minThe Problem With MeetingsThe most generalized common complaint I hear about church operations from staff and pastors is: “I hate meetings.” Especially those who...
2 minExistential Ekklesia AngstIn our work with churches, we primarily assist with what we call “organizational discipleship”. It’s the idea that pastors and church...
3 minThe Danger of ModerationI’m writing this on MLK Day. The non-violent protests for voting rights in the 1960’s, particularly in Alabama, had raised the ire of...