Monthly Archives: December 2016

For many churches the natural path seems to be to add new ministries and initiatives each year with little consideration on the impact on the church as a whole. We need to stop and ask ourselves some questions before adding new programs, such as "How will these new ministries managed?" and "Will the leaders of our church have enough energy for the new ministries to be successful?"

Anyone who has been in vocational ministry for longer than a week or two has felt the urge to quit. Ministry is a challenging, often thankless and lonely road.  This time of year can be especially challenging when ministry pressure collides with the stress of the holidays. 

Many pastors are bi-vocational – meaning their job at the church isn’t their first or only job.

In fact many in our day are choosing to be bi-vocational to force a connection with non-believers and stay relevant.

One trend I have seen a lot of churches falling into is the “cool trap.”  They are the kind of churches with pastors who are attempting to be celebrities, to bring about their fame and for people to get to know their name.

The holiday season can be a blessing and a curse for those in church ministry.  On the one hand it’s a time of incredible opportunity: attendance is up, people come with expectation of experiencing God and it fairly easy to come up with sermon and event ideas.

As a Pastor I am sure you only want to spend your time doing things which contribute to the success of your church. Whether it is your personal devotional time or how you interact with a staff member, you have a great deal of influence in the life of your church.

Christmas is such an important time of year for your church. Think of the amount of people who check out church this time of year who normally wouldn’t otherwise darken the door of one.  It’s a huge opportunity to connect with new people.

Life is full of conflict. Good vs. Evil. Right vs. Wrong. Michigan vs. Ohio State. Conflict is a normal part of life that can't be avoided. Given that reality, you have a choice to make: What conflicts am I going to embrace, and what conflicts am I going to avoid?