Here are some leadership posts that are worth checking out. 20 Truths from Leading Major Change in Your Ministry – Ed Stetzer Five Principles of Encouragement From a Seven Sentence Email – Dan Rockwell...
One of the most useful online tools for pastors is YouTube. Anyone can make a video, upload it and make it available to millions of viewers. With YouTube owned by Google, it is very...
For years I was convinced that I needed a full manuscript in front of me to preach. I don’t have a great memory and was not able to memorize the sermon no matter hard...
Here are some leadership posts I came across this week. Go and take a look. Preaching with Notes: Yes or No? – Chuck Lawless 10 Real Reasons Pastors Quit Too Soon – Tim Peters...
“Christianity is not a religion, it is a relationship.” How many times have you seen this statement? You may have said it yourself. The problem is that when we look at traditional definitions of...
While it is good to spend time with younger pastors, it is equally good to spend time with older pastors. There are pastors who have already experienced what we have yet to experience. They...
Here are some leadership posts for you to check out. How Will You Lead at the Next Level? – Tony Morgan 10 Things To Consider As Your Church Grows – Vanderbloemen Search Group Unparalleled Love...
The day that I’m writing this is Good Friday, the day that we remember the crucifixion of Jesus. Jesus is the focus of our faith and the inspiration for our ministry. How did Jesus...
No one understands what it is like to be a pastor like another pastor. We know both the joys and pains of pastoral ministry. Who better to pray for other pastors than pastors? We...
One of the most practical podcasts that I listen to is the 200 Church podcast. I was quite happy when I heard they were doing an episode on special needs. Co-host Jonny Craig has...
Moses had his Joshua. Elijah has his Elisha. Paul had his Timothy and Titus. Who do we have? Every current pastor was once a young person who knew nothing about ministry. Ideally, someone came...
When it comes to ministry, we can look at our past and our present. But what about our future? Specifically, how our ministry will end? Our pastoral ministry will end, the question is whether...
Most pastors are writers to begin with. Many of us write out a sermon manuscript, even if we may not preach from that manuscript. However, we can work on our writing skills. Developing our...
Read the Bible? Who reads the Bible more than pastors? That’s the problem. We read the Bible to plan out sermons and Bible studies. But how often do we read the Bible to feed...
Many of the pastors I know love to read. They have large libraries and collect resources to help with sermon preparations. But we can do better than just reading commentaries and other biblical resources....
Here are some leadership posts that you should go check out. How to make Guests Feel Uncomfortable at your Church – Paul Alexander Does Attracting A Crowd Make Discipleship Harder? – Karl Vaters 4...
There are many activities that a pastor can be involved in but prayer is one of the most important. There are many things that we can pray for but one of the most important...
One way to do ministry is to do it Sunday by Sunday. Each week, pick a passage to preach on. Start or stop ministries as situations come up. Hope for the best and pray...
I was involved in a youth group at a particular church. The youth group traditionally went on retreats. One year, the youth pastor announced that Christians don’t retreat and so the time away was...
In my first four months as a paid pastor, I gained about thirty pounds. This was the result of two things. One that I was spending much of my time getting together with youth...
One of the biggest challenges that I face as a pastor is responding to mental illness. While I had a couple of counselling courses in seminary, I feel that I lack background in mental...
Most churches have some sort of vision/mission statement. They may have both. But more is needed than just having a vision statement. Even having the vision posted on the wall is not enough. It...
Here are some leadership posts that you should go and check out. Five Key Steps to Reach and Retain Guests – Thom Rainer Haunted by the Mission – Chris Hefner A Recipe for Self-Renewal...
There are those who argue that for churches to grow it is necessary for pastors to give up pastoral care. I reject that. I think that being involved in some pastoral care is by...
Whether you are the solo pastor of a small church or one of the pastors in multi-staff situation, we are all part of a team. Out team might be other pastors, deacons/elders or a...
Many churches have embraced the concept of disabilities. Churches want diversity of gender, ethnicities, age, economic status and others. But what about disabilities? I need to confess that I’m biased in this area. In...
Can you remember your time in Bible college or seminary? Were you counting the days until your graduation? Were you eager to finish your education? It is interesting to note that many other careers...
In smaller churches, pastors are equated with preachers. But even in larger churches, many pastors have preaching as one of their responsibilities, although perhaps not every week. After preaching for a number of years,...
One of the best decisions I have made is to observe a Sabbath. A Sabbath is not just a day off. A day off can easily be filled up with other stuff. A day...
One of the best ways to become a better pastor to be intentional in lifelong learning. The worst thing is to see graduation from Bible college or seminary as the end of learning. There...
Here are some leadership posts that you should go and check out. Discipling Stay-at-Home Moms – Daniel Im Ministry Without the Gospel – Darryl Dash 4 Common Leadership Traits in Steve Jobs, Jeff Bezos,...
There is much respect given to pastors who work long hours and who are always available to their congregation. But that doesn’t mean they are good pastors. What about their family? At one time...
One of the best ways to build a long lasting and effective ministry is to cultivate an attitude of thankfulness. It is easy to focus on the things that are wrong or frustrating. Being...
This post in the series is by guest blogger Dave Jacobs. Dave coaches pastors and you can find out more about him in the bio at the end of this post. Why you need...
One of the frequent descriptions of pastoral ministry concerns the loneliness of being a pastor. It doesn’t have to be that way. While I think it is good to have friends within the congregation,...
Should pastors on social media. I know of pastors who take it as an item of pride that they have avoided the pressure to be one social media. While that is fine, I also...
I’m told that Christian job sites have biggest spikes of pastor resumes on Mondays. That is, it is most likely on the day after a Sunday service that a pastor is looking for a...
I have already talked about the importance for pastors to grow in their relationship with God in a previous post. Related to that but still distinct is the importance of worship. How are they...
Here are some leadership posts that you should go and check out. 3 Ways To Keep Your Youth Pastor Longer – Sarah Robins A Faithful Life – Bill Finch 5 Signs Your Church Isn’t...
The two most important things a pastor needs to do is to love God and love people. Often the loving of God comes easier than the love for people. Some people are easier to...
You have likely noticed that during safety demonstrations by airlines that the stewardess always tells the passengers that in case of emergency they need to put the oxygen on themselves before helping another. The...
I am not the best pastor in the world nor do I have all the answers. But I have been pastoring for over twenty years and have been able to serve in a variety...
It is good to have the opportunity to serve under good and healthy leaders. We should be observant and teachable as we follow them. I served with one pastor and I would meet weekly...
Here are some leadership posts that are worth checking out. Leading A Church Through Difficult Times: A Lesson From “The Most Bombed Hotel In The World” – Karl Vaders 4 Reasons Every Pastor Needs...
In over twenty years of pastoral ministry, I have discovered that the most important currency in leadership is trust. If you don’t have the people’s trust, you can not do anything. To make things...
The Christian world is still grieving the death of Billy Graham. Even though he lived to be 99 years old, there is still a sense of loss. We should pray for his family in...
Here are some leadership posts that are worth checking out. Five Common Reasons Church Leaders Stop Leading – Thom Rainer 8 Insights from the Coaching World for Pastors – Chris Hefner Prevent Fear from...
Here are some leadership posts that I came across this week. Go and check them out. 9 Steps to Rebrand Your Church – Brian Jones Church Discipline (Jude 1:17-25) – Darryl Dash 3 Small...
Sin. Who wants to hear about sin? Whether we want to hear about it or not, followers of Jesus should take it seriously. Sin is talked about throughout the Old and New Testaments and...
Here are some leadership posts that you should check out. 3 Things to Keep In Mind When Church Planting In The City – Chelsea Tyson The Path to Growth – Bill Finch 7 Leadership...
There are some amazing leadership blogs for pastors and other Christians leaders. I share five of these every week in my Weekend Leadership Roundup. I have been compiling a top ten list for apologetics...
Here are some leadership posts I came across this week. Go and check them out. 7 Critical Abilities Senior Leaders Must Have – Ron Edmondson Should You Quit? – Russell Moore What Two Simple...
John Piper has set the internet on fire with his recent comments about female professors in seminary. You can read his post here. His argument that there should NOT be female seminary professors has...
I remember as a teenager listening to our minister say during the service that he had one time doubts about Christianity. It really shocked me. Pastors should be giants in the faith, never having...
Here are some leadership posts I came across this week. What Martin Luther King Jr. Teaches Leaders Today – Chris Williamson The Generation that Must Save Evangelicalism from Its Moral Compromises – Brandon Colbert Why...
Being a pastor of a church is a rewarding career. Most pastors are quite passionate about their ministry. But pastors need more than excitement to be successful long-term. Here are seven things that pastors...
The gospel should be central to the life of every follower of Jesus. But I find that even evangelicals (that label comes from the Greek for gospel) have trouble explaining what the gospel is....
Here are some leadership posts that you should check out. 6 Thoughts on Leading an iGen’er for Parents and Ministry Leaders – Eric Geiger Andy Savage’s Standing Ovation Was Heard Round the World. Because...
There are a number of leadership styles. Some are better than others and some are a matter of taste or personality. But there is one style that I think is always unhealthy and unfortunately...
Here are some leadership posts that are worth checking out. The 5 Essential Practices Of Leaders Who Multiply Leaders – Carey Nieuwhof 12 Brainstorming Ideas that WILL Improve Team Creativity – Charles Stone 10...
Here are some leadership posts that I came across this week. Go and check them out. Five Reasons My Family Loves (Really!) Ministry Together – Sam Rainer Pruning! 3 Ministry Areas to Tackle |...
There was a time not long ago when it was trendy fir churches to develop vision/mission statements. We don’t hear as much about it now, perhaps because most churches have now adopted one and...
Here are some leadership posts that you should read. What Ebenezer Scrooge Can Teach Us About Generosity – Jeremy Lott Armed Only with Vulnerability: Sean Palmer on the Mission of God – Derek Vreeland...
I have seen numerous posts recently calling into question the continued use of the label “evangelical.” Is it time for evangelicalism to come to an end? Some of the concerns seem to be the...
Here are some leadership posts that are worth checking out. Research and Thoughts on Billy Graham’s Legacy and Leadership – Eric Geiger I’m an Evangelical Ecumenist? What Does That Even Mean? – Ed Setzer...
There is a trend for churches to change their names. Sometimes it is to find something a bit more trendy or hip (e.g. Explosion Church) but more often it is to just remove the...
I have had numerous titles during my ministry career. I have been pastor, reverend, padre, chaplain, captain and hopefully soon, doctor. But what titles, if any, should a pastor use? In my first ministry...
Here are some leadership posts that you should check out. 7 Ways Great Leaders Handle Their Mistakes – Carey Nieuwhof 10 More Signs that a Church Has Settled for Mediocrity – Chuck Lawless Sticky...
I consider myself to be relatively well-read when it comes to theology. I at least am aware of the major theologians and have sampled from their teachings. I am also fairly well-read when it...
Here are some leadership posts that you might find interesting. Seeking Counsel & Empowering Others: More Biblical Practices That Businesses Embrace and Stuck Churches Avoid – Tony Morgan 3 Ways To Increase Your Attendance...
As I write this, it is the day before the first Sunday of Advent. But what is Advent? I don’t want to just assume that everyone knows what Advent is. Even within the church,...
“The devil doesn’t take a day off and so neither should the pastor.” Have you ever heard that one? But then again, perhaps Satan is not the best model for healthy leadership. At the...
One of the most exciting things for a pastor is seeing new visitors at a worship service. The hope is that they will connect and return. But does this just come down to hope?...
Here are some leadership posts that you should check out. 6 Lessons I’ve Learned from 6 Years of Multisite Church Leadership – Paul Alexander Only In a Small Church: Face Time With the Pastor...
We are living in a moment when many people are coming forward accusing famous individuals of sexual abuse and unwanted sexual advances. My intention is not to name names, to accuse or defend, or...
I recently watched the Justice League movie. It was an enjoyable movie but that is not what I want to talk about here (You can read my review here). There was one particular scene...
Here are some leadership posts that I came across this week. 10 Pet Peeves about Church (from One Who Loves It) – Joe McKeever Three Bad Excuses for Avoiding Leadership Development – Eric Geiger...
I grew up Anglican, spent almost a decade as a Pentecostal and am now ordained as a Baptist pastor. But do those labels mean anything? Is the time of denominations over? Many new church...
Here are some leadership posts that are worth checking out. 8 Signs Your Church May Be Closing Soon – Thom Rainer Echo Chambers in Discipleship – Daniel Im Judging Ministry Success – Darryl Dash...
This is a guest post by Joseph Mulak. Joseph blogs at Walking in the Faith, “The purpose of this site is to help Christians live out their faith while living in an increasingly secular...
It is common to hear churches criticized for the amount of money invested in church buildings. There are some congregations that have taken the stand that they will never own a building. They will...
Here are some leadership posts that I came across this week. Go and check them out. 6 Reasons Men Should Read More Stories than Men’s Books – Barnabas Piper The King of Your Mountain...
One of the most common aspects of my pastoral ministry has been to individuals or families dealing with dementia or Alzheimer’s. It is always a difficult situation for those involved. On a personal note....
Here are some leadership posts that I discovered this week. 4 Ways Spurgeon’s Teaching on Love Shapes Our Leadership – Eric Geiger Enjoy Leadership by Keeping Your Relationship with God Fresh – Rick Warren...
My name is Steve and I’m an introvert. And I’m also a pastor. Today, I listened to a great episode of the 200 Churches Podcast titled Yes, I am a Pastor and an Introvert! I was...
Here are some leadership posts that I came across this week. 10 Ways Pastors Can Keep Their Sanity – Joe McKeever 10 Ways to Pastor Your Church That Will Never Be Obsolete – Eric McKiddie...
I remember a time when no one used PowerPoint for sermons. In fact, I can remember when I first saw (and not just heard) a pastor preach using PowerPoint. I thought it was pretty...
As a pastor of a local church who preaches weekly, I’m always looking to improve my craft. This includes reading books on preaching. But how many ways can someone tell you to find the...
Here are some leadership posts I came across this week. The Most Difficult Thing about Praying – Joe McKeever 5 Great Things That Happen When Leaders Get Out of Their Offices – Eric Geiger Live...
One of my favourite activities as a pastor is the writing and preaching of sermons. I love finding the intersection between biblical truth and the real needs of my congregation. But what should a...
Here are some leadership posts that I came across this week. Go and check them out. What Kind of Dog Are You? [Thoughts from Shoe Dog for Ministry Leaders] – Eric Geiger 4 Steps...
One of the things that I have noticed about contemporary Christian ministry is there is disagreement over the purpose and aim of Sunday worship services. The two options for the focus are: Christians who...
Some of the most helpful lessons I have learned have been from my own mistakes. This includes discovering the difference between big and small churches. At the time that I was called into ministry,...
Here are some leadership posts that you might want to check out. What Should Your Church Pay the Guest Preacher? – Joe McKeever 5 Ways to Build Trust with Your Team – Charles Stone The...
I don’t think that there has been any view within our culture that has changed as much in recent decades as that toward homosexuality. When I think back to my youth, homosexuality was not...
Between my time as the pastor of Woodford Baptist Church/First Baptist Church Meaford and my current church of Queen Street Baptist Church, I had an opportunity to wrestle with my calling. During that time,...
Here are some leadership posts that you might find interesting. A Sneaky way to Change the Culture of your Church Staff Team – Paul Alexander The Obscure Link Between Instant Gratification and Change –...
I believe that good biblical content is the key to any sermon. However, if that content is not delivered effectively, the congregation will struggle to learn from the good teaching. There has been one...
Here some leadership posts that you should go and check out. 7 Small Ways Leaders Can Build Credibility – Eric Geiger Leaders: What You Should Know About Your Team – Phil Cooke Five Reasons...
I don’t think that there is any one answer to how long a sermon series should be. At the same time, there are some good decisions we can make to help our messages be...
