Selecting a new pastor can be difficult. For many churches, the search committee feels lost because the spiritual leader (former pastor) has left and now they have big shoes to fill. Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of “how to select a new pastor” training programs out there. If there were one piece of advice I …
Tag Archives: Church
Road Trip: Ward & Searcy Arkansas
One of the best parts of my job at DiscipleGuide Church Resources is spending time with pastors in the Baptist Missionary Association of America (BMA). I’m always excited to hear how God uses leaders with different skill sets, gifts, and talents in the church. Here are a couple of examples from a recent road trip: …
Game-Changing Church Leadership
In the sports world, there are no perfect teams. Every roster has a weak link. Everyone loves to see a coach transform a group of athletes into a team of winners. That’s part of the fascination with sports. Likewise, there are no perfect churches. Yet, in God’s wisdom, He has chosen to accomplish Kingdom work …
Your Church is Worth More Than a Few Pennies
Who invented the “need-a-penny-take-a-penny-got-a-penny-leave-a-penny” cup? I’m not sure the world will ever know. But thanks to him or her, we all live with a little less fear of being a few cents short of correct change at the convenience store or accidentally pumping an $10.02 worth of gas instead of $10 even. I’ve often wondered …
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How Many Words Does It Take To Describe a Pastor?
What is a pastor? Three words in the New Testament are used interchangeable to describe this office in the church: Pastor, Elder, and Bishop. Is it strange that the Bible uses multiple words to describe this office? Not any more than for Americans to describe our leader as, “President,” “Commander in Chief,” and “Leader of the …
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Should Pastors Sign Prenups?
Have you ever thought about how many ways becoming a pastor is like getting married? Here are a few: 1) They both typically happen in a church 2) You are never really prepared for either 3) You will always look back on both thinking, “If only I knew then…” 4) They both involve a powerful …
Your Church’s Turf May Be Bigger Than You Think
“Turf wars” can be brutal –especially within ministry. As a young minister in the Eighteenth Century, John Wesley was chided by the Anglican Church for preaching across parish lines (invading another pastor’s turf). When approached, Wesley famously explained, “The world is my parish.” In other words, Wesley did not draw boundaries for his ministry. He …
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3 Great Reasons to Be a Small Church
I’m not a fan of judging a church by its attendance. For that reason, I must confess my double standard. During my time as a pastor, I paid attention to the size of the Sunday crowd. I guess its just human nature to think bigger is better. On several occasions, however, I was happy with …
The 16oz Church (Small Can Be Big!)
Remember the Pepsi Challenge? It was a marketing campaign in the 80’s where people would be offered two unmarked cups. One contained Coke and the other contained Pepsi. After taking a sip of both, the participants would be asked to reveal which one they liked the best. Apparently more people picked Pepsi. At least, that’s …
Who Should Choose the Wedding Dress?
Jill went through great lengths to keep her dress a secret until our wedding day. I even remember how much care she took to make sure I didn’t catch a peak of her bridal portrait shoot. Apparently, things are changing. According to a recent survey, 19% (almost 1/5) of grooms say they are either solely …