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Pastors, We Don’t Expect a TED Talk, But We Need a God-and-You Talk
Pastors face a lot of pressure to perform. Some of it, admittedly, is self-imposed. One of the main places this pressure is felt is in the demand to research, write and deliver a great sermon every...
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Bigger Is Not a Plan, a Goal Or a Solution for Your Church’s Struggles
Most church growth proponents agree and teach that church growth is not a plan or a solution. But too many of them see it as a goal. And because of that bigger-is-our-goal mentality, too many...
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Megachurch Pastors: Heroes, Villains or Something Else?
Megachurch pastors are a step beneath used car salesmen and ambulance-chasing lawyers in the eyes of many people in our culture. On the other side, we have a church growth culture that idealizes...
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Note to Pastors: The Size and Growth of the Church is Not Up to Us
No, I don’t actually have a note on my desk reminding me that the size of my church isn’t up to me. But maybe I should. Maybe a lot of us should. I know one thing for sure. If the size of my church...
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Sorry Christians, We Can’t Blame the Media Any More
“Blame the media” has always been a popular game for Christians to play. Not long ago, Christians had a legitimate claim that our reputation was bad because the media was against us. That’s not the...
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Living In the Dynamic Tension Between Pastor and Manager
I did not leverage my time well this week. It was wasted in personal pastoral care. Over a dozen hours were squandered in pastoral counseling – marriage, pre-marriage, divorce recovery, and some...
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Let’s Ask Better Questions About Church Size
Instead of asking "what's the best church size?" we need to ask "what's the best church size for a given situation?" The best size for one church may not be the best size for another church. Even the...
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The Growing Disconnect Between Spiritual Hunger and Church Attendance
Doing church together is an essential aspect of what it means to be a Christian. But church attendance rates keep dropping in most of the developed world. Why? I often hear it's because people aren't...
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I’m #2: Leadership Lessons from the Career of Derek Jeter
The Derek Jeter farewell tour may be the best thing happening in sports this year. Especially in light of the current travesty of scandals engulfing the NFL for behavior unbecoming. His major league...
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Jethro, Moses and the Hands-On Pastor
In a big church, Jethro's 10, 50, 100 and 1,000 level leadership model can, and should be fully implemented. When it is, there are at least four levels between the members and the pastor, meaning only...
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How To Give Money Less Power Over Your Church
Money is in charge of too many of our churches. We all know about the (so-called) churches, ministers and ministries that are in it for the money, while using their religious exemption to avoid taxes....
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Discipleship Looks More Like Sacrifice Than Success
I've chosen to be a follower of Jesus. A disciple. From the moment I did that, I gave up ownership of my life. My life is no longer mine. It's his. So my goals don't matter anymore. My potential is...
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7 Important Reasons to Thank Your Worship Leader Today
If your church has someone who is willing to lead your congregation in worship consistently, humbly and reliably, you need to take time to thank them on a regular basis. Actually, don't just thank...
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The Invisible Scandal: How Bad Debt and Poor Stewardship Are Killing the Church
There's a scandal going on in the church today. It is one of the biggest scandals in church history, yet it remains invisible to most of us. No, it's not the sexual sins of some of our leaders. It's...
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Morality Has No Expiration Date
I have a confession to make. I watch Downton Abbey. And not in a "my wife makes me watch it" way, but in an "I can't believe how good this is!" way. Yes, I actually like it. For those unfamiliar with...
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10 Principles to Get the Best From Volunteer Church Leaders
Volunteer leaders are the backbone of the Small Church. In bigger churches, most or all of the first- and second-tier leaders are hired (Namely, the pastoral staff and department heads). That's a...
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How to Stop People from Playing On Their Phones In Church
“Pastor, does it bug you when you see people on their cell phones when you’re preaching? Does it make you wonder if they’re on Facebook or playing a game?” A church member asked me that question last...
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How to Drop Your Church’s Secret Menu and Make Your Guests Feel Welcome
Every church has a secret menu. Things we say and do that our regulars take for granted, but can be confusing and frustrating to newcomers. Here's an example of how frustrating a secret menu can be. I...
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The Immeasurable Influence of Encouraging Leadership
As a leader, I've always believed that one of my primary roles is it try to say "yes" to people's ideas. This week, I heard a story that reinforces that principle in a very powerful way. For all of...
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5 Cautions About Emphasizing Leadership Over Followership
Leadership matters. A lot. But sometimes I wonder if we've elevated the value of church leadership over a much more important biblical trait - followership. Also known as discipleship. Before any of...
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