Apr 20, 2017 | friendship, Leadership, Loneliness, Ministry Leader, Pastor, Relationships
Can a lead pastor have close friends? This question was posed to me by a client last week. My initial reaction? “Yes of course.” But as we dug deeper, he wondered if it’s safe/advisable to be close friends with his staff and congregation. The longer we talked,...
Apr 13, 2017 | Calling, Leadership, Ministry Leader, Pastor, Relationships, Uncategorized
One of the biggest mistakes I made as a young pastor was spending too much time trying to get uncommitted people to be committed. I would do breakfasts, lunches, and coffees trying to convince the unfaithful fringe to become faithful. And in doing so, I largely...
Mar 9, 2017 | Calling, Fear, Leadership, Loneliness, Mentors, Relationships, Uncategorized
Pastors often struggle alone. While having breakfast with a pastor earlier this week, we talked about how leaders tend to feel trapped when they’re going through a difficult season. Questions like: “Who do I talk to when I’m hurting?” and “Who is safe to confide...
Dec 29, 2016 | character, Gossip, Leadership, Relationships
Friendly fire describes what happens when a military person accidentally fires on a fellow soldier. One of the most well-known of these incidents happened to Pat Tillman. He was a football player in the NFL who enlisted in the U.S. army in response to 9/11. Tillman...
Oct 27, 2016 | Calling, Difficult people, Leadership, Relationships
“Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.” The apostle Paul wrote these strong words to Titus, a pastor who apparently had some...
Oct 20, 2016 | Calling, Career, Fear, Leadership, Relationships
“There is a difference between helping someone who is disabled, incapable, or otherwise infirm vs. helping someone who is resisting growing up” ~ Henry Cloud Understanding this truth would save pastors countless hours of worry, frustration, wasted time, etc. The...
