“Your greatest contribution to the kingdom of God may not be something you do but someone you raise.” -Andy Stanley Professionally, it’s necessary for us, as leaders, to receive and grow through feedback and coaching from those we lead and are led...
Jesus said, “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak,” implying that our physical bodies and energy levels do have an impact—for better or worse—on our spiritual lives and ability to be there for others. If we do not maintain good physical health practices, we...
What do you consider a waste of time? It’s worth asking yourself. It’s also very telling when it comes to receiving and experiencing true rest. As a culture, we place great value on our productivity, innovation, and checklists. And while we are beginning to see the...
Let’s talk about self-control. It’s not always easy to stay cool, calm, and collected, especially when we’re in the midst of challenging situations, high-capacity leadership, and shepherding a congregation. But as a ministry leader, it’s...
In the fight for holistic well-being, sometimes it’s easy to make connections between the causes that lead to our stress, anxiety, and overall mental health. Our to-do lists, relationships, and jobs get the most highlights as we work toward places of health and...
One of the most common reasons leaders cite as a source of their anxiety is their schedule. They often feel crippled by the weight of their busyness and fearful that they’ll eventually be exposed for their inability to hold it all together. Leaders juggle their...
How do you know when someone loves you? Marriage therapist, Dr. Sue Johnson, views love in intimate relationships through the lens of attachment. When a relationship is securely attached, you experience the other as “a safe haven” and “a secure base.” These two...
Our expectations for a new season of life are often founded on hope and rooted in a desired change from what we’ve seen before. For example, it could be the hope that things improve with our health, physically or relationally. Perhaps it’s the hope that our finances...
Have you ever carried the imbalanced weight of acting as a “facilitator” in peacemaking roles? It’s the kind of situation where you, as the pastor or leader, end up having the conversation with each party involved rather than simply facilitating… It’s easy to cycle...
None of us are particularly proud of our weaknesses, fears, failures, and missteps. Whether it’s something from our past we haven’t dealt with or something we’re currently facing, we all have areas of our lives that can hold us back from living fully and freely. Day...
While metrics can be indicative of whether or not systems and methods are working, they typically don’t give the best snapshot of the health of an organization’s culture. It’s the mission statement, vision, and strategy of an organization that all work together to...
As ministry leaders, we have the unique opportunity to nurture the holistic health of those we lead. Yet, at the same time, we can exhaust ourselves fighting for the health of those around us and leave ourselves on the edge of burnout. As a result, we find ourselves...
How many times have you heard, “I can’t believe it’s a new year!” Believe it or not, it’s here! What is your assessment of how you spent 2022? Do you feel you were productive? Are there organizational goals you’d like to hit this year? How well did you organize your...
When your church is in a season of transition, there are opportunities for growth, efficiency, and health. But transitions also bring opportunities for pitfalls and poor decisions. It takes intentionality to choose the former! Everyone intends to create smooth...
Reflecting God’s own triune nature, we are created to live in a loving community with others as well as with God. Too much isolation can lead to loneliness, depression, and a sense of abandonment. Our perceptions can become distorted. A healthy pastor will seek to...
With the busy swing of Christmas in the church world comes an annual reminder to all pastors that tending to your immediate family and your church family is quite the balancing act. While many people look forward to traditions and the sweet moments of the season,...
Have you ever noticed how important it is to pay attention to the tone of voice with which something is said? Depending on the intent or attitude of the speaker, a voice can be compassionate or cold, inviting or demanding, timid or confident. Have you ever considered...
The lifestyle and job demands of clergy tend to lend themselves to a sedentary lifestyle. Long hours in the office planning for events or sermons, meetings with parishioners for coffee or meals, and balancing responsibilities at church, second jobs, or at home can be...
Relationships that last, especially in families and congregations, have a sense of shared meaning. Shared meaning is bounded by trustworthiness and commitment, built on a “you’ve got my back and I’ve got yours” attitude and grounded in solid conflict management. ...
Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ...
When we confess our sins and repent, we are immediately reconciled to God (Rom 5:10, 2 Cor. 5:17-29, I Jn 1:9). Within our interpersonal relationships, however, reconciliation may not happen, may be limited in scope, or may be fully completed. Why this range of...
Do you desire to be a leader who creates safety for others? Do you desire the ability to maintain connection, even when your congregation goes through difficult seasons? Of course! The big question we should be asking ourselves as pastors within this context is…How do...
As pastors, we know the foundation of our spiritual lives is prayer. We teach converts and congregants that prayer is a conversation with God, the underpinning of a life of faith. We lead formal and informal prayers in groups wherever we go, and the most frequent...
As a pastor, if you have discovered your motivation has taken a vacation and left you behind, you are not alone. Many others are in this place, and it’s challenging to regain a sense of direction, motivation, and stamina once you’ve entered burnout mode. The good...
While most church leaders prefer to avoid negative emotions such as distress, fear, anxiety, etc., all church leaders will experience a variety of negative emotions at some point. Negative emotions are our survival brain’s early warning signals that something is...
Moment of truth–pastors are not always known for being the most organized. In a highly relational career, other strengths take priority, and pastors can go years without really gaining a sense of an organized rhythm in their jobs. Pretty soon, all hope for a healthy...
Why did you get into ministry? If you think back to the very beginning of when you decided to enter into the role of pastor or church ministry leader, what was the catalyst? (We can rule out money–or if that was the catalyst…we need to talk.) For most ministry...
Picture this: It’s a summer evening, and you’re sitting near a campfire with friends. Children are playing nearby, and their giggles drift toward you. You’re staring hard at your lap, willing your muscles to relax, and praying fiercely, “Lord, help!” As you sit there,...
The slightest shift in a practice can dramatically affect an outcome. Have you noticed this to be true? Think of the dedication of Olympic athletes who devote their lives to their craft. Everything they eat, hours they sleep, and time spent practicing all culminate in...
Jesus needed it. So did Moses, Elijah, Mary, and Paul. And that is just for starters. All the leading Fathers and Mothers throughout church history needed it, too. People like Augustine, Luther, Wesley, Calvin, and modern spiritual leaders such as Dietrich Bonhoeffer,...
Researchers observe that hope is active, not passive. How would you describe your interaction with hope? Because we can hope for things with a healthy understanding of God’s sovereignty, and we can hope for things outside of that sovereignty. And the outcomes will...
“. . .there are many who through the temptation of authority in the holy Church aspire to the glory of honor. They want to be seen as teachers and they lust to be superior to others…They are all the more unable to minister worthily to the office of pastoral care...
“How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” Psalm 119:103 When was the last time you read the Word of God to drink deeply of his presence rather than prepare a sermon or a Bible study? Lectio Divina is one way you can read Scripture to...
What’s the first thing that truly comes to your mind when you read Matthew 11:28? “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Does your response lean toward a cynical, “Yeah right. Must be nice”? Maybe you naturally respond with hope...
Trust and trustworthiness are essential qualities of relationships that last a lifetime. This holds true for pastors and their spouses just as much as for other couples. John and Julie Gottman define trust as the specific state of a relationship that exists when both...
If you were to take an inventory of your level of anxiety, what would you find? What circumstances, struggles, or relationships are elevating anxiety over peace in your life? As pastors, the list can be extensive. A typical week can max out your capacity for...
Have you ever thought about the fact that we serve a God who is comfortable with His own emotions? Think about it! Our God takes delight in His creation (Gen. 1); He is jealous (Ex. 20:5); He loves (Jer 31:3); He can become angry (Jer 30:24). As you read Scripture...
Whether you’re starting a church, beginning a new pastoring role, or stepping in to lead a ministry, no one usually introduces the position as a lonely one. We focus on the ministry potential, the congregation needing a shepherd, and the ways God will miraculously...
Imagine this with us–you work on a church staff where there is little drama. Each team is in their lane, moving the ball down the court when appropriate, and morale is high across the board. Seem too good to be true? In the fast pace of church leadership, dealing...
What do pastors get when they combine bi-vocational work, tending to family needs, and the general ups and downs of life? Answer (most of the time): suffering heath. The demand on clergy is taxing, and ministry often demands more than pastors feel they can give. ...
