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EffectivenessJanuary 15, 2025

The Importance of Correct Spelling and Grammar in Ministry Communication

Can I make a confession? Okay, here goes… I am a fanatical proponent of the Oxford Comma. It truly irritates me if I see printed material that contains lists, series,…

4 min read→
Assessment & Evaluation, BrandingJanuary 11, 2025

4 Key Insights for Evaluating and Improving Your Ministry’s Branding

We’re often asked to provide feedback on ministry branding—sometimes it’s after a campaign has been launched, other times it’s during a broader organizational evaluation. Regardless of when it happens, the…

5 min read→
Leadership DevelopmentJanuary 10, 2025

Whose Stage Are You Building? A Leadership Wake-Up Call

A while back, I came across a quote. I’m not sure where it originated, and I may not have the wording quite right, but it’s stayed with me: The human heart…

5 min read→
Healthy Ministry, Leadership DevelopmentJanuary 9, 2025

Leading When You Feel Burned Out

There is probably not a topic more critical for pastors and leaders than the topic of burnout. Burnout happens in just about every profession. But there is a uniqueness as…

5 min read→
AudienceJanuary 9, 2025

How Can I Reach My Neighbors?

Here are some very practical steps that will help you “touch your neighborhood” with the Gospel. 1. Identify the Seven Neighborhoods where you live… We all need to identify who…

3 min read→
Ministry DirectionDecember 15, 2024

Rediscovering Your Why: Reigniting Passion for Your Ministry’s Purpose

I read a lot, and one book that has deeply impacted me is Start with Why by Simon Sinek. The premise is simple but profound: the most meaningful work we do stems…

4 min read→
Assessment & Evaluation, MetricsDecember 14, 2024

Rethinking Church Metrics: From Numbers to Transformation

Evaluating ministry effectiveness is essential, but sometimes the way we measure success in church is incomplete. A worship service might appear flawless—smooth transitions, singable music, powerful teaching, and visible responses…

4 min read→
Effectiveness, Ministry DirectionDecember 14, 2024

Moving Forward: Breaking Free from Nostalgia in Ministry

A friend of mine often says, “When we have more memories than dreams, we’re in trouble.” It’s a phrase I love because it challenges us to focus on the future rather than…

4 min read→
Audience, ThoughtsDecember 13, 2024

From Spectators to Ministers: Transforming Volunteer Culture in Your Church

Have you ever encouraged your congregation to take action—inviting friends to church, getting involved in ministry, or serving in a specific role—only to see little follow-through? It’s a common challenge…

5 min read→
Effectiveness, Healthy MinistryDecember 12, 2024

Transformational vs. Transactional Growth: Your church needs both.

I have worked full-time in ministry for 12 years, and this question/debate always comes up in staff meetings and brainstorms: How do we minimize transactional growth and excel in transformational…

4 min read→
Audience, Ministry DirectionDecember 11, 2024

Rediscovering Your Audience: Aligning Your Ministry with Who You’re Called to Serve

Understanding who God has called your church or ministry to serve is vital—more so than we sometimes realize. In the early days of ministry, there’s often clarity about this. A…

5 min read→
EffectivenessDecember 10, 2024

What Does Success Look Like in Ministry Today

The concept of success in ministry is as diverse as the organizations and leaders carrying out God’s work. Ask one pastor, and they might define success as filling a mega-church…

5 min read→
BrandingDecember 9, 2024

Do Brands Matter in Church? How to avoid the bait and switch.

I’ll admit it right now: I was the guy on the church staff who always wanted everything to have the cool “youth group” name. Usually, that name involved some fire,…

5 min read→
Metrics, ThoughtsDecember 9, 2024

What If Your Metrics Aren’t Telling the Whole Story?

In ministry, education, or any faith-based organization, leaders are often drawn to measurable outcomes. Attendance figures, donations, website visits, or enrollment numbers—these metrics seem to provide a clear gauge of…

5 min read→
Leadership Development, ThoughtsDecember 9, 2024

Assumptions that Hurt Leadership

If you’re like me, you’ve experienced those moments when you thought someone fully understood what was going on—only to discover later that they didn’t. It’s frustrating, isn’t it? You thought…

5 min read→
Audience, StrategyNovember 11, 2024

Communicating with Clarity: 5 Strategies for Pastors to Connect with Their Congregation

In today’s churches, many congregants attend Sunday services with good intentions but often leave as passive spectators. They receive new information, nod in agreement, and perhaps feel moved for a…

6 min read→
Healthy Ministry, ThoughtsNovember 4, 2024

What Donors Wish They Could Say Out Loud

Over the past few months, I’ve been in conversations with high-capacity donors involved in various ministries we work with. As a ministry consultant for many years, I’ve had the privilege…

5 min read→
AudienceNovember 4, 2024

The Power of Storytelling in Ministry: Engaging Your Audience with Authenticity

In ministry, our message is often powerful, rooted in Scripture, and full of truth. Yet, many pastors, faith-based leaders, and nonprofit executives struggle with a common challenge: How do we…

8 min read→
Healthy MinistryOctober 28, 2024

Navigating Change: A Ministry’s Journey to Healthier Communication

Change is difficult for people to accept, even when it’s for the better. There’s something about stepping into the unknown that triggers fear, even if staying the same is dysfunctional….

4 min read→
ThoughtsOctober 3, 2024

What is the biggest need most ministry leaders have?

The answer might be different that you’d expect. Years ago, we conducted an informal survey with ministry leaders, specifically pastors in visible roles—teaching pastors, senior pastors, lead pastors, worship pastors….

3 min read→
ThoughtsJune 20, 2024

Embracing Our Unique Calling

When I was young, I was very shy. Growing up in a ministry family often required me to be in social settings, which made me uncomfortable. I loved my upbringing…

3 min read→
ThoughtsJune 4, 2024

The Power of Owning Our Mistakes

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve loved tinkering with things, taking them apart to understand how they worked, though I rarely got them back together quite right. I was…

3 min read→
ThoughtsMay 30, 2024

From Transactional to Transformational: Cultivating Genuine Life Change in Ministry

Last week, I discussed metrics in ministry and how easy it is to fall into a transactional mindset, which can limit our focus on life change. Building on that, I…

3 min read→
ThoughtsMay 22, 2024

Embracing Change: Overcoming Inertia in our Lives

Overall, I consider myself someone who likes change. I enjoy being part of change and initiating it. However, for many people, the idea of change is very difficult or something…

3 min read→
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