I am in my tenth year as a solo pastor. In that time, I have led our congregation through a lot of changes. Our first Sunday together, I candidated for a down and out congregation that had just moved into a newly renovated space. They had already offered the pastorate to someone else, who had… Read More »
Too Casual?
I am all for casual dress. I am a jeans and t-shirt kind of guy during the week. I like to be comfortable. I love my driving caps, and my pair of bright red Converse All-Stars. I do not, however wear those things when I am ministering publicly. That’s not to say I somehow transform… Read More »
Please, No More Movements
Yesterday, I was watching a video about the “New Hymns Movement” and I started thinking about all of the movements that I have seen in my lifetime. There was the Church Growth Movement, the Purpose Driven Movement, the House Church Movement, the Multi-Site Movement, the Emerging Church Movement, the Praise and Worship Movement, the Gospel-Centered… Read More »
Eleven Things Pastors Should Remember about People
Last week, I reposted a list of eleven things you need to know about your pastor. I wanted to follow that list up with some things that pastors need to remember about the people of their congregations. As a pastor, whose vocation is the ministry of the gospel, it is easy to forget that not… Read More »
I Was Here Before You, Pastors and Leaders
Yesterday, the carpet installers came to the church facility to lay the carpet on the stage. There’s still one piece to be laid, covering our baptistry, but there is a remarkable difference between what it looked like before and what it looks like now. It is amazing how much a couple of steps and new… Read More »
All in the Family?
A couple of days ago, I wrote a blog on Commodus, the Roman emperor who inherited his rule from his father Marcus Aurelius. My original intention had been to write about choosing people who are qualified rather than people you are close to but somehow I got sidetracked. This entry from Out of Ur got… Read More »
Know the Agendas
I am re-reading Steven Sample’s book, Contrarian’s Guide to Leadership which my friend Rob gave to me several years ago. Sample is the current president of USC and a former president of SUNY-Buffalo, and a very successful leader in business. One of the points that Sample makes is that he surrounds himself with a small… Read More »
Bloggers and Church Authority
Out of Ur posted an interesting discussion from the Elephant Room that touched on non-pastor bloggers and authority in the church. In the panel discussing the topic are a couple of my favorite pastors: Matt Chandler and Perry Noble. I have respect for their ministries primarily because they have respect for God’s word. Also present… Read More »
