I like to play golf. Golf isn’t super-exciting. In fact, it’s kinda boring. But hitting a little ball hard with a club can be therapeutic. I’m a below average golfer. Golfers at a below average level use mulligans occasionally. If…
If you’ve answered the divine call to pastoral ministry, you’ve signed up for both a fulfilling and stressful journey. In last week’s post 5 Surprising Stressors Pastors Face we outlined some major contributors to the stress load pastors experience: Difficulty separating…
The older I get, the faster time seems to go. It marches on unabated. 2019 is half over . . . can you believe that? I’m looking forward with great optimism to the second half of 2019. I think most…
Ever felt out of sorts as a leader? Ever felt overwhelmed by everything (or everyone) coming at you because you’re leading the charge? Ever wondered if you have what it takes to hang in there and keep fighting the good…
Healthy leadership . . . so many books written. So much great information to process. But in many ways, healthy leadership is all about alignment. In a post last week, I introduced the concept of personal alignment and how it impacts…
Healthy leadership is all about alignment. A groundbreaking 2017 report from Barna Institute, studying 14,000 Protestant lead pastors in the United States, revealed some alarming statistics: 37% of lead pastors are at medium to high risk of burnout 40% are…
What drives you? Passion? Or adrenaline? Passion is an intense desire or enthusiasm for something. Adrenaline is a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands, especially in conditions of stress, increasing rates of blood circulation, breathing, and preparing muscles for exertion….
I am fed up. According to an extensive Barna research study of 14,000 U.S. lead pastors, published in January 2017, 37% of lead pastors are at medium to high risk of burnout. A whopping 66% say they have no deep friendships. 40%…
If you want to lead well for a long time—you have to figure out how to handle difficult conversations. In last week’s post, Leadership & Difficult People we stated that longevity in ministry requires pastors to occasionally make tough people-decisions, and from…
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…
