In the midst of all the gloom and doom about the state of churches, I remain an obnoxious optimist.
Unfortunately in most churches, men's ministry and events are the most sparsely attended events in the local church.
So you'd love to see more volunteers serve in your church or organization. Who wouldn't? And yet when it comes to volunteers, a surprising number of leaders struggle.
Intercessory prayer is another way that God lights our path and helps us bring Him into all facets of our lives.
While today's virtual teams leverage new technology, the underlying principles of what makes that work haven't changed.
In the journey of faith and ministry, continual growth and deeper understanding are essential.
It is tempting to ignore what lies beneath the ticker symbols on our brokerage statements. But we cannot take the shot that numbs us to the real pain and suffering on the other end of our investment activities.
If you are indeed growing in your leadership, you should see evidence of a growing number of leaders emerging whom you are building into.
Wise leaders understand that they are always on one stage or another.
The Bible tells us we are more than husbands and wives and sons and daughters and neighbors and friends: we are servants, and as such, we should have a continual "May I help you?" attitude toward each other.
Leaders often ask me, "How far ahead should our ministry plan?" The answer depends on the change cycle of your ministry.
Let's delve into the essence of servant leadership through the acrostic: Serve, Empower, Relationship Building, Vision, and Empathy
If our Master was not bothered when his disciples came looking, then we should likewise designate time to relax, even when the phone is ringing, and pressure is building.
Nineteen years ago, when I retired from a 40-year ministry at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky, I decided to dedicate the next chapter of my life to encouraging other pastors.
Most believers are eager to witness for their faith, but feel completely helpless because they don't know what to say.
Cooperation is important in any working relationship, but collaboration is even more valuable.
For those of us who frequently complain about being "too busy," (hand raised) I think we should respond by giving thanks to God.
When they hired me, I'm pretty certain I was the youngest senior pastor since 1949.
We are in uncharted waters in this country. In a sense, yes, there is "nothing new under the sun" (Eccl. 1:9), but many of us have not seen our world turned upside down like it seems to be today.
The book of Proverbs repeatedly offers wise counsel that we should listen more than we speak.
