4 Questionable Practices in Small Groups

4 Questionable Practices in Small Groups

In leading small groups and tracking trends over the last 25 years, I’ve done all kinds of things to recruit leaders and get people connected into groups. Some of those things, I had to apologize for. Others, I simply avoided from the start. While this post is not...
Encouraging Authentic Prayer

Encouraging Authentic Prayer

Though it’s been the better part of eighteen years, I can still recall vividly the day I received a phone call at work from the secretary at the church my wife and I had recently joined. As much as I was confused at how she knew the phone number she had reached me at...
The Millennial Pastoral Staff And You

The Millennial Pastoral Staff And You

Whether you are a near-retirement baby boomer, a Gen-Xer at the zenith of your career, or a uniquely driven millennial still fresh in the ministry, there’s probably one thing you all agree on—your millennial staff drives you crazy at times. In 2009, authors Neil Howe...
5 Ways To Plan a Great Staff Retreat

5 Ways To Plan a Great Staff Retreat

Whether you have a huge staff or just a handful of loyal warriors, a staff retreat is a terrific way to reward hard work, deepen personal ties, build unity, and set aside time to simply be. Here are some tips for creating a great staff retreat. First, distance is...
When a Former Pastor Won’t Go Away

When a Former Pastor Won’t Go Away

Throughout our years of ministry, my husband and I have had some wonderful relationships with former pastors of our church and their wives. Normally we see them at funerals—many times my husband and some of the former pastors conduct funerals together, and sometimes...