Sep 29, 2022 | Depression, Disappointment, discouragement, Emotional Health, Fear, Insecurity, Leadership, Mental Health, Ministry Leader, Pastor
Jesus—more than once—disappointed people. There, I said it. This profound truth was brought to my attention two years ago while recording a podcast with Josh Spurlock, the founder of My Counselor Online. His words hit like a ton of bricks . . . “Jesus often...
Sep 27, 2022 | Criticism, Difficult people, Leadership, Ministry Leader, Pastor, Podcast
No matter how great a leader you are, there will always be a few parishioners who don’t like you and feel it’s their calling to criticize you. In part two of their conversation, John & Jim unpack two more behaviors that help leaders when those they lead attack...
Sep 22, 2022 | Alignment, Assignment, Calling, Leadership, Pastor
It was a sunny summer morning, circa June 2019. At the gym, earbuds plugged in, listening to a podcast, when suddenly, my day was rocked by the words of the person being interviewed on the pod: “Leaders need to ask themselves . . . am I only doing what only I can do?”...
Sep 20, 2022 | Difficult people, Leadership, Ministry Leader, Pastor, Podcast
Criticism hurts. No matter how great a leader you are, there will always be a few parishioners who don’t like you and feel it’s their calling to criticize you. Both Jim and I could recite multiple instances during our tenures as lead pastors where the vocal minority...
Sep 15, 2022 | Leadership, Pastor
Do you ever struggle saying with “no”? In his 2014 book—The Power of No—James Altucher writes: “How many times have you had to say ‘no’ only to have it cause anguish, arguments, and anxiety? Even the hours, days, and months before you say no you are filled with...