4 Things I Wish I Could Do Over as a Parent
We have three grown kids, one grandson and two granddaughters. We love all of our kids and they love us. As I reflect over my parenting years, I’d give myself a solid ‘B+’ in the parenting department. But, I would also would have parented differently in several ways. In a recent family service at our church,
4 Ways to Stop REACTING!
One of the greatest strengths a leader can posses is his (or her) ability keep his emotions in check, to stop reacting. However, when we feel rejected, hurt, or fearful, we often react, get visibly angry, or becoming defensive. Those responses can hinder God’s work in our lives and hurt our leadership. So what can
6 Tips on How Pastors can Help Others Discover their Spiritual Gifts
The more we pastors help people discover, develop, and deploy their spiritual gifts, the healthier our churches become. In this post I suggest 6 tips that can help others discover their gifts. 1. Ask, “What do I enjoy doing/what do I do well?” A good indicator of where a person’s giftedness lies may be found in activities that
3 Morning Habits Guaranteed to Boost Brain Power
I have a passion for the brain and how applying newly discovered brain science can impact leadership and spiritual growth. I even wrote a book about it. Now into my sixth decade of life, I want to maximize my brain power as I (and everybody else) faces inevitable cognitive decline. In this post I share the
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,
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
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
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
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
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