planning

7 Mistakes Pastors Make in a New Church Job

Getting a new church job can be scary. And pastors often overlook pitfalls in those new jobs. In this post, adapted from my newest book on on-boarding for pastors, I list 7 pitfalls pastors must avoid in a new church job. A quaint story circulated among Methodists describes a young pastor fresh out of seminary […]

7 Mistakes Pastors Make in a New Church Job Read More »

7 Holes that Can Swallow Ministry

I have four earned degrees and my toughest by far was an industrial engineering degree from Ga Tech. That degree taught me to think systematically. In addition, I’ve added to my competency tool box many books on church planning plus two churches where I’ve served have engaged in year-long visioning processes with church consultants. So, I’m

7 Holes that Can Swallow Ministry Read More »

7 Thinking Errors that Hinder Church Growth

My first degree, industrial engineering, taught me to think systematically which has in turn benefited my pastoral leadership. Since then I’ve read many books on church planning and been certified through Ministry Advantage and Auxano, two strategic planning/pastoral coaching organizations. I’ve also led three churches where I’ve served through a year-long strategic planning process. So, I’m well-versed

7 Thinking Errors that Hinder Church Growth Read More »

Great Staff Meetings Require these 7 Rules

Leaders can’t lead without meeting with others. Sometimes meetings go well. Sometimes they don’t. Often team dynamics derail productive meetings simply because someone misspoke or misheard. As I began to realize this, several years ago I asked a psychologist to help me create some rules for talking in our staff meetings. I call them conversational ethics. Here are the 7

Great Staff Meetings Require these 7 Rules Read More »

The Most Productive 4 Hours of my Week

I received an undergrad degree in industrial and systems engineering. IE’s, as they are called, are sometimes referred to as efficiency experts. Whether that’s true or not, the training I received from my degree has force me think about leadership productivity. In this post I describe my most productive four-hour time block each week, what I do, and why

The Most Productive 4 Hours of my Week Read More »

Scroll to Top