There’s one thing every church everywhere has in common…we all need volunteers and more of them. They make ministry possible and make it lots of fun! Volunteers are so important! We love volunteers! This is why Kids Ministry recruiting mindsets are so important. Imagine a service where you have all the volunteers you need, plus…

Excellence is not good enough. What does this mean? Have you ever met someone who seemed to be stuck in time? The way they dress, style of their hair and speech are all reminiscent of a bygone time. I remember as a teen in the nineties, many of my dad’s friends still wore pastel leisure…

It’s likely that your photographers serve a few times per month, which means they might feel like they are getting the same shots over and over again. I mean, how many times can you take a random-person-smiling-in-the-lobby picture, am I right? So, how can you tap into a photographer’s creative inspiration, while also getting the…

What does it mean to be a successful speaker? Is it defined by accolades or a substantial honorarium? Is it measured by how an audience reacts to your eloquent words and fine-tuned phraseology? Beyond the definition of successful speaking at its core, what are the key strategies that a successful speaker utilizes? Specifically, how do…

Buy-In. It is the ever-important term. With this said, how can certain things kill church buy-in? As pastors, we are continually trying to find ways to increase volunteer engagement or get our church more involved. People buy into what they believe in. Think about it. With this in mind, it is important to be intentional…

If I asked you to drive a car to an undisclosed location, without instructions, and blindfolded you but said it was going to be a great ride, would you take me up on that offer? Probably not. You probably would look for a new friend.  Sadly, this is how many people in the church feel when it…

I once heard it said, “A dream without a plan is just a wish.” This is true when it comes to growing your church. You have a vision that you feel the Lord has planted in your heart for your church.  However, a lot of times, that vision fails to connect with our congregation or…

We are going to talk about capacity today. This is the question … What if you don’t have a team of capable leaders? Small church or large, this can be one of the biggest leadership barriers to church growth. One thing is for sure. When asking, “how to grow the church,” reaching people and building God’s…

After talking with thousands of pastors and church leaders on ministry teams, some of the common statements I’ve heard are: “I have a great team. They are great people. But I still feel like I’m doing all the work.” “I’ve tried to put training in place for my staff or volunteers only to have them…

There are two things I’ve never heard from any pastor. We have too many volunteers! We have too much money! Almost seems too funny to note those two statements. I mean who couldn’t put more people to work in ministry… and who in their right mind would say, “We have all the money we need?”…

We are going to unpack guidelines for church budget in this blog. For years I worked with great churches in the establishment of their budgets. One thing I learned. Percentage guidelines for church budgets are helpful, but always need to be fluid in their application. Every local church is a unique microcosm of God’s Church.…

To be blessed… what exactly is that? To be doubly blessed… can that be?   In his new book, Double Blessing, author Mark Batterson drills into the specifics of both the blessing and the double blessing.  Some think of God as the one who blesses, the one who hears our requests, responds to them, meets them and in turn, blesses us. And He certainly does that.…

Members of the church board are some of the finest people to ever walk alongside the lead pastor. They help carry the vision and mission of the church forward to reach spiritually lost people with the Gospel. The best Church Board members are truly the result of pastors taking seriously the charge in Ephesians 4…

What Is Grace? Is it something I earn, I deserve, I can conjure up by some magic of my own? Is grace really liberating or are there a few conditions? Can I really comprehend a grace without condition? Probably most of us, if we’re honest, feel like we sometimes don’t quite measure up to what…

One of the things I’ve seen for years, in working with pastors and church boards, is the frequent lack of understanding of the real purpose of the board. Why does it even exist? For the wise and discerning pastor and church board, I am excited about the journey the Lord has you on, as you…

What in the world do you do with a church board member who goes sideways in a meeting? How can you help that negative church board member become positive? Here’s an idea.  How about the church board self-police?  Ever heard of that? Self-policing can help a negative church board member become positive. This is not…

Board members I’ve known over the years are wonderful men and women who desire nothing more than to serve their pastor and their church. They love Jesus and give of themselves to serve. Here, we are talking about church board responsibilities. Because I’ve been around the block a day or two, gray hair to prove…

Today, we’re going to dissect the issue of a pastor’s salary and benefits; how to set it and establish the best possible compensation for the pastor. I can tell you one thing for sure; it is almost universal that this is an uncomfortable subject for pastors. It shouldn’t be, but it is. In this post…

The Church board disagreeing is never fun. Strong lead pastors and strong board members CAN get along. And they CAN disagree without drawing blood and still get along. I remember back in the day, I served a great church in Des Moines, Iowa. This was a church of 2000 average weekend attendance during most of…

How much thought have you given Not sure how it is in other parts of the world, but here in the U.S. we now live in a 24/7/365 election cycle. This election cycle is what keeps the wheels turning just west of the Atlantic Ocean. Some bemoan it. Others celebrate it! In this post we’ll…