Does Ministry Matter?

There was a time early in my calling when I was working with students. One young man was interested in going into ministry. He talked about it with excitement. I will never forget the day his demeanor changed. He revealed his desire to his parents, and they did not share his enthusiasm. His parents convinced […]

8 Ways Churches Can Help Keep Their Minister and End the Minister Shortage

We are facing a preacher shortage crisis in our churches. The problem is complex, but at least some blame falls on churches. A recent editorial in The Christian Chronicle observed, “perhaps the biggest factor — and the saddest — relates to the lack of respect afforded preachers in our fellowship. We don’t honor them or […]

Small Town Ministry Podcast

I recently began a new podcast to encourage and equip church leaders in small towns and rural areas. You can listen to the first episode below. I interviewed Robert Prater about his transition from urban ministry to small town ministry. Look for the next episode to be released next week. Thanks for listening! Small Town […]

Why Ministers Left

I wrote a post in September of 2020 entitled 5 Reasons Why Ministers Are Leaving. At that time, tensions were high in many congregations. People were anxious and frustrated by COVID. We were in the middle of a contentious presidential election, and racial issues were a hotly debated topic in our nation. Ministers and church […]

6 Things to Remember When Reaching Out to Millennials and Gen Z

There have always been tensions between generations. One generation does things one way, and the next generation decides they will do it differently. Christians are especially concerned with younger generations because a large portion of them are leaving the faith and not coming back. Like the generations before them, they see the world differently than […]

5 Reasons Why Ministers Are Leaving

“The vast majority of pastors with whom our team communicates are saying they are considering quitting their churches. It’s a trend I have not seen in my lifetime. Some are just weeks away from making an announcement.” – Thom Rainer We Are Dividing Over Masks – Let that sink in. What is keeping people from […]

Ministry After Corona

As some churches resume in-person meetings, church leaders have noticed that not everyone is eager to return. Understandably, there are people in high-risk categories that won’t return until there is a vaccine. Others, such as caretakers or nursing home employees, may want to take extra precautions. However, some are going about their everyday business and […]

The Minister and Self-Care

A minister is hired to provide spiritual nourishment for the congregation, but what happens when he needs spiritual nourishment? Ministry involves talking to people about their problems, but who does the minister talk to when he has a problem? Ministers encourage people who are feeling down, but where does a minister turn when he is […]

7 Keys to Successful Church Meetings

A Crisis of Leadership

Churches across America are experiencing decreasing numbers. Often external factors like cultural influences are blamed for the decline in church membership. Certainly, the times they are a-changing, but placing all the blame on others without looking at ourselves is not a way to move forward. In fact, in certain cases, we are the first to […]