Category: Leadership
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Decisions Seem Easy When They’re Not Yours to Make
By John W. Crowder Difficult decisions always seem easy to those who have no responsibility for them. There is a certain kind of confidence that comes from standing outside a decision. You can see it in the coworker who knows exactly what he’d do if he were the boss, the fan who knows exactly which…
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Do Not Journey Alone
The question worth wrestling with is not whether you need someone like this in your life. You do.
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10 Benefits of Leading a Rural Church
For about 35 years now I have been a rural pastor. While serving in that role I have been greatly blessed and have discovered many benefits to pastoring in a smaller, rural setting. Here are 10 of them, in no particular order: Deep Relationships In small communities, you have the opportunity to really know your…
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Reinventing the Wheel
We spend a lot of time, energy, and resources “reinventing the wheel.” I see it most often in disaster recovery. Each community affected by a new disaster has to figure out how to navigate their recovery, starting from scratch. “Reinventing the wheel” is also a common occurrence in ministry, business, leadership, and even raising a…
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Church Growth or Church Health?
Is the church an organization or is it an organism? How we answer that question determines how we view “success” in the church. If it is only an organization, numerical growth is a valid expectation and means of evaluation. If, however, the church is a living organism, growth is not nearly as important as health.…
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Top Ten Things Your Pastor Is NOT Thinking About 5 Minutes Before Worship Begins
10. Last week’s committee meeting 9. Next week’s committee meeting 8. That issue you’ve been thinking about all week so you could bring it up the next time you saw the pastor 7. Paper towels in the men’s room 6. The name of that couple who sat behind you two weeks ago 5. The most…
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Plumb Lines for Ministry
(Except for some minor revisions, this article first appeared in Common Call Magazine, published by the Baptist Standard.) When Six Flags Over Texas started its second season in 1962, one of the most popular attractions was “Casa Magnetica,” also known as “The Crooked House.” It was so popular, it remained active longer than most attractions…
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A Rational Response to a Perceived Attack
To avoid making things worse with our own emotional reactions, leaders need a rational way to process a perceived attack and determine how to respond.
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My Ministry Plumb Lines
A carpenter or mason might use a plumb bob attached to the end of a string to form a plumb line. The bob pulls the string into a straight and vertical line. Whatever is built along that line is completely vertical and said to be “true.” Over the past 30 years of ministry, I have…