Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness…” — Galatians 6:1 At some point during their career, most ministers will be forced to deal with the failure and removal of a key staff member,...
Leadership
Managing God’s Workers
Let every man prove his own work … Galatians 6:4 One of the most difficult challenges in ministry is firing someone who works for you. Wrestling with the decision of terminating a worker, volunteer or paid, is sheer agony. If the staff member is well known and has a...
When Sheep Bite
“He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty; And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city.” Proverbs 16:32 “I’ve been in the pastorate for 30 years and have never had such hurt and pain as this,” said one pastor. “I didn’t realize how easily people...
Who is the Man in Your Life?
A recent elk-hunting trip in northern New Mexico unexpectedly became a week of counseling and prayer. Our hunting guide turned out to be a minister. He and his wife had fasted and prayed for 21 days, asking the Lord to provide them with counsel and direction for their...
In Your Eyes: Creating Visionary Teams for Visionary Leaders
The church today is a world of high expectations and rapid change. For a ministry to function in this world, its leader must be committed to an inspired and unique vision of God’s will for that ministry. Inspired vision shakes up the status quo, and instills the drive...
Journeying On: How to Gracefully Leave a Ministry
These days, the duration of a clergy member’s career is rarely committed to one congregation or ministry. Even in rural areas, clergy are more transient and less likely to remain in one position, serving the same congregation for life. Some denominations intentionally...
Do Something
A placard with this simple and direct motto, “Do Something!” adorned my wife’s grandmother’s wall for years. Even into her nineties, she lived out this credo every day. She was 100 when she passed away, leaving an astonishing legacy of accomplishment. She was the...
High C
Tend the flock of God that is your charge, not by constraint, but willingly, not for shameful gain but eagerly, not as domineering over those in your charge but being examples to the flock.—1 Peter 5:2-3 If someone called you a “High C”, how would you take it? In...
If the Devil Can’t Make You Bad, He’ll Make You Busy
The Clergy Wife’s Complaint: “He is always doing something. He can’t sit still unless he is watching a game on TV. In the car, I drive while he studies or thinks, and for the past five years, he has worked on his book during vacation. I don’t think he knows how to...
The Overlooked Secret to High-level Leadership
“If [a man’s] gift is leadership, let him govern diligently … “ –Romans 12:8 Four years ago I was experiencing a difficult season in my life and looking for answers. One morning in prayer, the Lord impressed upon me that I had not been diligent. Since that time I have...