Church Staff
Charles Stone

The “Measure Up Mentality” in Today’s Church

I’ve served in full-time ministry for over 38 years in churches in many places in the U.S.: the south, the southwest, the far west and the mid-west. I now serve as lead church in Ontario, Canada. I’ve noticed that a church’s expectations of a pastor varies depending on the region. And when that church, culture,

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Church Staff
Charles Stone

The Well Placed Question – an Often Overlooked Leadership Tool

As a pastor and a leader I guide the process to help our church set and accomplish goals, move us forward into a preferred future, and make progress. And it seems like I do a lot of telling. I wonder if we leaders sometimes miss how a well placed question can enhance our leadership. Consider these thoughts about leadership and asking

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Life Balance
Charles Stone

Do Pastors have Blind Spots?

Bill Hull, one of the most prolific writers on discipleship, shared a profound insight that stirred my heart. “At age 50 I found myself successful but unsatisfied. I was hooked on results, addicted to recognition, and a product of my times. I was a get-it-done leader who was ready to lead people into the rarified

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Leadership
Charles Stone

Spiritual Leadership: Are you a Lion, a Lamb, or some of Both?

I love Henry Nouwen’s writings. When you read his books you realize this man walked with God and oozed wisdom. I ran across this quote that caused me to think about the qualities of my spiritual leadership. He incisively uses the metaphor of a lion and a lamb. Read this quote thoughtfully and ask yourself about

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Leadership
Charles Stone

When Pastors Lead from their Lizard Brains

The brain fascinates me and what happens in it profoundly impacts life and leadership. I even wrote a book about it, Brain-Savvy Leaders: the Science of Significant Ministry and earned an executive master’s degree in the neuroscience of leadership. In this post I briefly explain how God organized our brain and how leaders and pastors sometimes lead from

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change managemenet
Charles Stone

9 Ways Clarity Benefits Leaders

Several years ago I entered into a coaching relationship with seven other pastors through Will Mancini’s organization, Auxano. It was a great experience that helped me get clear about vision strategy. In the training and in Will’s seminal book on how to capture and lead through vision, Church Unique, he describes these 9 benefits of being clear as

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communication
Charles Stone

3 Healthy Boundaries Every Leader Needs with Critics

Several years ago at the Willow Creek Leadership Summit, I heard Sheila Heen speak. She co-authored the book Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback with Douglas Stone. The session was so good I purchased the book. Wow. What an eye-opener. It’s chocked full of great insight and I highly recommend

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Ministry
Charles Stone

How Often should Preachers Practice their Sermon?

I’ve served in ministry over 39 years and I’ve preached a lot of sermons. Some have been good and some, well, not so good. Three factors have made the biggest positive difference for me: preparing my heart before the Lord, scheduling adequate study time to avoid feeling rushed, and practicing preaching my sermon. In this blog I suggest

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communication
Charles Stone

Are your sermons hard or easy to listen to?

While earning my executive master’s degree in the neuroscience of leadership, I learned some fascinating insights about the brain that can help us pastors lead, speak, and live more effectively. To prep you for today’s post, answer this question? How would people describe my sermons: hard to listen to or easy to listen to? Take a moment and stop

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communication
Charles Stone

When Pastors get Pigeonholed

Pastors face a common vocational hazard, getting pigeonholed. Labeling is another term to describe this ministry hazard. It goes something like this. You make a statement in conversation with somebody or in a sermon, you do something as a leader, or you communicate your intentions about an issue. Or you intentionally or unintentionally make known your

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