Often ministry leaders give advice rather than seek to bring out personal vision in others. These 6 questions help others think about their personal vision. The next time someone asks you for advice, respond with one or two of these questions before dispensing advice. What’s working for you now? What’s not? What really excites you

I’m beginning my second week in becoming a certified coach with the Professional Christian Coaching Institute. In the weeks ahead, I’ll share some of the best insights I learn through short mini-blogs. Gary Collins, one of Christian coaching’s gurus gives these 8 reasons why anyone would want a coach. I see great applicability for anyone in

I just began a 30 hour training program to become a certified coach through the Professional Christian Coaching Institute as I hope to be a resource to pastors serving them as a coach. (blog written in 2011) I was coached a few years ago and didn’t feel it helped much. However, I didn’t give up

This is an excerpt from my book 5 Ministry Killers that appeared in the spring, 2010, edition of Leadership Journal. ___ Pastor John was just finishing a long Sunday morning. With a weary “pastor’s grin” on his face, he chatted with those who lingered. He was tired, hungry, and ready to go home, when two

Recently our church held a service to celebrate what God had done over the past year. It was a great time of celebration, with a twist. On that day I brought a message that included something I’ve never done before. I publicly repented. Up to this point in my 30 years in full-time ministry, when

This week I’m posting a series of blogs about how pastors respond when people in their church compare their leadership and preaching to others or when they brag about another church by insinuating that we don’t measure up Yesterday I posted 5 ways we should respond when we feel compared to others more ‘successful’ than

Yesterday I began a series of blogs to unpack this issue: what should pastors do when people in our churches compare us to other more “successful” pastors. In that blog, I shared an email a pastor received from someone in his church who boasted about another super-successful pastor and his church. He was tempted to

I’ve hired several pastors and admin staff in my ministry of 30 plus years and I’ve made some great choices and some not so great ones as well. These mistakes have contributed to my poor selections. Not pursuing the yellow flags that nagged at the back of my mind. Refusing to REALLY ask other key

I’ve posted a few blogs about my journey using the iPad to preach (see related posts below). Thus far I’ve loved using it. I own the original iPad and I’m waiting to upgrade until next year’s version releases. Here’s my current sermon prep and delivery process. Write sermons on a Word doc on my Airbook.