Sometimes a wrong turn can be tragic, sending a ship to the bottom of the sea, a motorist onto the wrong lane of the highway or a passenger jet onto the wrong runway. In churches it’s often the turn inward which sends the congregation on a one way journey to obscurity. Here are five […]
Book Review: The Unstuck Church
As a new pastor I was given a big set of cassette tapes which told me exactly what I wanted to hear. As a gifted teacher it was music to my ears to hear from a superstar pastor that all I needed to do was to study the Bible all week, pausing a few times […]
Book Review: Working With Emotional Intelligence
We shouldn’t need this book, but we do. As evangelical Christian leaders, we should have already cornered the market on emotional intelligence. We should be the experts, the icons, the poster children for this important quality. Before going any further, let’s return to author Daniel Goleman’s definition of emotional intelligence – known since the author’s […]
Three Reasons To Kick Robert Out Of Your Church
No, I’m not talking about Elder Bob, or Deacon Robert or Youth Guy Robbie, I’m talking about the ubiquitous Robert’s Rules of Order. No offense is intended to Henry Martyn Robert either. The US Army Major meant well when he published his Pocket Manual of Rules of Order for Deliberative Assemblies in 1876. Robert was […]
If Not Robert’s Rules, Then Whose Rules?
In a recent blog, Three reasons to kick Robert out of your church, I wrote about the problems involved in using Henry Martyn Robert’s famous Rules of Order in churches. They’re not consistent with the New Testament leadership pattern, They’re not consistent with a Biblical philosophy of leadership, and They open the door for ungodly, […]
Three analogies for understanding redevelopment transitional pastors
I’ve found that the following analogies are helpful for understanding the new paradigms in transitional (interim) pastoral ministry. The redevelopment transitional pastor is like: A “This Old House” crew member – If you’ve seen the long-running public television show you know the routine: A couple of homeowners sit down with the “This Old House” leaders […]
When Is A Pastor Like Nanny McPhee?
In an earlier post I wrote about some of the analogies I use to help people understand the new varieties of transitional (or interim) pastoral ministry. I explained in “Three analogies for understanding the redevelopment transitional pastor” that these proactive interim specialists are like This Old House crew members, dog or horse whisperers or special […]
When Is A Pastor Like The New Sheriff In Town?
In earlier posts I’ve written about the analogies I use to help people understand the new varieties of transitional (or interim) pastoral ministry. I’ve explained that proactive interim specialists, variously called “strategic interim pastors,” “restoration pastors,” “redevelopment transitional pastors” or simply “interventionists,” are like: “This Old House” crew members Dog or horse whisperers Special forces […]
Two Decent Reasons – And The Best Reason – To Join A Church Fellowship
Whether you call them church fellowships, associations or denominations, organizations through which local churches join forces have always been controversial theologically and hotly debated as to their utility. Rethinking what we do and why we do what we do is always in order, so I laud the current round of re-examining the worth of these […]
Three Evenings When Boards Are At Their Worst
Some of you knew it was coming. After writing two posts about evenings when boards are at their best, you guessed I’d be blogging about evenings when boards are at their worst. Boards are at their (absolute) worst when self-willed people are fighting to get their own way. James put it bluntly when he said […]
Six More Evenings When Boards Are At Their Worst
The meeting began almost on time but ended well past everybody’s bedtime. At seven pm the members were still sharing prayer requests about their relatives’ physical ailments. At eight pm everybody started reading their reports. At nine pm the long discussion about what kind of baptistery heater to buy commenced. At ten pm the real […]
Six Evenings When Boards Are At Their Best
I’ve been through a lot with boards. I’m sure it’s also true that boards have been through a lot with me. They remind me of the old saying that “you can’t live with ‘em and you can’t live without ‘em.” However frustrated we may become with boards, it’s pretty clear from Scripture that God intended […]
Three More Evenings When Boards Are At Their Best
In spite of all the snide remarks, jokes and complaints we pastors make about church boards, in the last analysis, most of us know that they are necessary. No, not a necessary evil, just necessary. “What’s the definition of a board?” “Dead wood.” What’s the other definition of a board? “A group of highly competent […]
The Anesthesia That Makes Church Surgery Possible
I love to use the medical model for church revitalization. It is so blessedly simple. Anybody can remember that the process is going to involve a few weeks of diagnosis, followed by approximately a year of surgery, followed by about another year of recovery. Diagnosis, surgery, recovery. A fifth grader can understand it. After explaining […]
The Top Ten Excuses For Our Gossip, Part One
Here’s a concise definition of gossip: Saying negative things about a person which the hearer does not need to hear. Everybody knows that gossip is wrong. Almost everybody knows that gossip is harmful to individuals and organizations. Almost all of us indulge in gossip in one way or another at one time or another. It’s […]
Five More Excuses For Our Gossip
Everybody knows that gossip is both wrong and harmful. It ruins reputations. It separates the best of friends (as in Proverbs 16:28 and 17:9). It allows us to “wimp out” of the important face-to-face conversations which we need to have. It sullies our consciences. It demeans those whom we talk about, those of us who […]
Four Elephants Which Can Hurt Your Church (and how to kill them)
I can just imagine the faces of the people in the Philippian church. One of their leaders was reading a letter from their church’s founder. Except for a couple of gentle hints about “the unity thing,” most of it had been positive, affectionate and encouraging. Suddenly they heard the words, “I beseech Euodia and I […]
The Church Life Cycle
A Brief Explanation of the Church LIfe Cycle Birth (1) – Being a part of this brand new church is one of the most exciting things I've ever been in on. Everybody is helping; spirits are high; everybody is having fun. Many are inviting new people to come for we have nowhere to […]
The Sign On The Roof
The church classroom in which the afternoon workshop session was being held was filled to capacity and beyond: the front row seats were unexpectedly taken and the back wall was lined with conference attendees who were willing to stand for fifty minutes to get in on this session. Many in the room had […]
Is There Hope For The Congregational Church?
My impression is that increasing numbers of pastors of evangelical churches today (2011) have “just about had it” with congregationalism, that form of church government which invests every member with the right to speak up, vote and get involved in decision-making processes. Pastors – not just those who lack patience, but those who want their […]
Heaven Help Our Church!
My guess is that some of you reading these words today feel just like the title; you have been crying out to God to come down and rescue a church which you dearly love. I would like to be the instrument of God today to give you some hope for the healing of your church. […]
