References to the status quo often evoke images of staleness, like weeks-old bread on your counter that is still technically edible but far from its original freshness. No one gets excited about crustiness, especially in the church. There is a lot out there on changing, challenging, and deconstructing the status quo in churches. Rightly so—the status quo should not be used as a place of comfort or as a shield from potential criticism. And unfortunately, we have far too many examples of churches Read more [...]
In the first post, I discussed why people in the church resist change. If you lead well, then resistance to change will eventually shift to an acceptance of the necessity of change. Even when people accept the idea of change, however, the actual implementation of the change effort can be painful. For example, most Americans agree something needs to change at the IRS. I doubt we’ll see any lawmaker defend the current state of the agency on cable news stations. Does this general acceptance mean enduring Read more [...]
“It’s my first week, what should I change here?” Perhaps new pastors don’t vocalize the question, but I know they think it. At least, I don’t believe I’m the only one. The default setting to change something is only natural for a good leader. Having a vision means being dissatisfied with the status quo. “The search committee said they were bringing me on to make needed changes. Why is the church resisting the obvious?!” Why have so many pastors’ honeymoons ended after the first Read more [...]
They inevitably find their way into my office, excited about God’s calling on their lives. I’ve had several conversations with people wanting advice about attending seminary (or a similar institution). God has called them to ministry. They feel seminary will add clarity to this calling. Perhaps. But before a seminary education can help with a calling, one must have a clear plan for seminary. After working through the spiritual aspect of someone’s calling, I typically offer some practical Read more [...]
When I started pastoring, I had little doubt I would remain a bi-vocational pastor indefinitely. I enjoyed my corporate job. I clearly understood my calling to pastor. In what I thought was an ideal arrangement, I served my church in the evenings and on the weekends while maintaining my day job. But after two years God called me to serve another church full-time. The season of ministry changed. My income went down, and my stress went up. But—for the most part—I remained content. A certain Read more [...]
Our hearts break for the people of Boston. It’s a tragedy we all feel. Like me, I am assuming you are captivated by the unfolding events of this story. Our church set aside time last Wednesday to pray for churches in Boston. No one questioned why, even though my congregation had no personal connection to the pastors or churches. In silent agreement we all prayed corporately. Last week I reworked my sermon to address the Gosnell trial. This week I am addressing the Boston bombings. While not Read more [...]
We've all seen them—bulletin bloopers and bad church signs. Both provide good fodder for blog consumption. My father is an expert on corny humor, and he has posted on his blog numerous examples of this vital genre of church literature. When parking on the north side of the church, please remember to park on an angel. Men’s prayer breakfast. No charge, but your damnation will be gratefully accepted. The class on prophecy has been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. A bean supper Read more [...]
Well, it’s at least new. Let me introduce a few of the changes. New location. I started this site in 2006 when Outreach magazine contacted me about being a blogger. I was an avid blog reader at the time, so I was honored to be among the original four bloggers for their magazine. I was also a bi-vocational pastor then, working in the energy futures industry. I just knew God was going to keep me in the corporate world while I pastored small and struggling established churches. Things change, and Read more [...]
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