A very large congregation looked for a new, full-time minister to children for over two years. They could not find one. They presented their dilemma to me. My response was, “What if you are looking for the wrong staff position?”…
Make room for those whom God is sending
“Find your own parking place. We get here first on Sundays and get all the good places. We have paid for them.” I arrived about the time the late morning worship services began at a congregation where I was serving as…
Altitude is a key factor in future stories of Christian ministry
For many years I have helped congregations and denominational organizations write their future story of ministry. Generally these stories look a decade into the future to imagine what their ministry might be like. It pulls movements forward rather than pushes…
Can you survive the invasion of a mega church?
If you are like many pastors, some Monday mornings can be very blue. Your sermon did not go as well as you had imagined. A widow complained to you after the worship service that you did not visit her in…
Virtual assistants, delegation, and monkeys
I have a virtual executive assistant. Her name is Misty. She lives 999 miles away from me. A virtual executive assistant management firm connected us. After observing us for several months, eaHelp.com asked me to be a presenter on a…
Consensus in Congregations the Martin Luther King Jr. Way
I love police, lawyer, and political dramas on television and the big screen. Not sure I always like the violence or murders, but I like how the drama is weaved together. The West Wing, about the presidency of Jeb Bartlett,…
Once again the pen is mightier than the sword
I have a mighty pen I prefer over any other pen. I carry it with me always. When someone offers me a pen to sign a document or a payment slip, I pull out my mighty pen and sign it….
Andraé Crouch, Expensive Pianos, and Church Priorities
Unless I slept walked through it, I never had the chance to see Andraé Crouch perform live. I heard plenty of his music. But I was never in his presence. I have been places where he performed, but only years…
If all you have is a hammer, what does a congregation look like?
Whether you believe it is an unattributed proverb, a saying of Abraham Maslow or Abraham Kaplan, many of us know the statement, “If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” I have long wondered what a…