The Wisdom of Ants
I was struck recently by an article that begins with a statement about ants by Stanford biologist Deborah Gordon. “Ants aren’t smart,” she wrote in…
Browsing: Leadership
Articles
Facing Our Losses, Finding Our Future
Church leadership literature often seems lacking in psychological depth. It feels Machiavellian in its world view and behaviorist in its focus, particularly if your seminary…
Leading with Energy, Intelligence, Imagination, and Love
Will you seek to serve the people with energy, intelligence, imagination, and love? This question is asked in the service of ordination and installation of…
Rewarding Leadership
How do congregations celebrate persons who point toward the achievement of the congregation’s mission? And how do these celebrations occur consistently and frequently, rather than…
Tell Me About a Time
As I sat tapping on my computer keyboard in a Midwestern Starbucks, an unexpected event unfolded nearby. A manager sporting a green apron sat down…
Becoming a Tribe of Remembering Encouragers
Just as the congregation of Israel was composed of twelve tribes, today’s churches have different voices that are heard in their communities of faith. Transformational…
Reintroducing the Language of Sacrifice
I have never been an enthusiastic fan of the word “sacrifice” because so few church members in this culture understand or appreciate the term or…
Affirming and Improving Clergy Effectiveness
Clergy effectiveness is on the mind of virtually every denominational leader today. Indeed, many judicatories have initiatives underway to define, assess, and improve clergy effectiveness.…
New Tool to Help Clergy Get Feedback
The Lewis Center has worked with hundreds of clergy, and we know that clergy want to improve. But often they do not feel they have…
The Importance of Clergy Mentoring
The early years of ministry are often beset with predictable anxieties and questions. Even with the best of seminary training, new pastors quickly discover that…
Clergy Mentor Resources Available
Research and experience both point to the importance of clergy mentoring, particularly in helping those in the early years of ministry. But clergy mentors indicate…
What to Expect from a Coach
1. Coaching is not counseling or consulting. There is a time for counseling about life issues you are facing. There is also a time for…
The Coach Approach to Ministry
A seismic shift is coming in the way pastors lead congregations — toward a way of leading that is highly relational, deeply intentional, and always…
Preaching in the Small Membership Church
Lew Parks’s newest book is ostensibly a preaching primer with good, solid advice on some of the basics, such as selecting a good biblical translation…
Do Male and Female Pastors Lead Differently?
What do we know about the differences between men and women serving as lead pastors of large congregations? Not enough. But we do know more…
Authenticity in Leadership
When I walk into a church, I can tell almost immediately if the leader is authentic, transparent, and warm. If so, the entire congregation exudes…
Congregational Integrity
We rightfully expect personal integrity in our leaders. Should we not also ask whether our congregation has integrity? The behavior of organizations is as important…
Clergy Health — A Mixed Portrait
Studies of clergy beginning in the 1700s consistently found that clergy lived longer than other professionals. But by the middle of the twentieth century something…
Outliers: The Story of Success
Have you ever wondered why some people are extraordinarily successful? How do some people overcome insurmountable odds and reach an elite level in their fields?…
Evidence of Fruitfulness
When congregations live in Christ and for Christ and through Christ, something happens: fruitfulness. The expectation of fruitfulness begins in the first chapter of Genesis…
Fruitful Ministry Includes Harvesting
I am convinced that we in the church do not understand the concept of harvesting. I can’t begin to count the times I have heard…
Communication Strategies for Addressing Conflict
Whenever I work with churches that are experiencing serious conflict, especially those that have reached the point of impasse, communication issues commonly emerge. Regularly, parishioners…
The Transformative Power of Listening
Religious leaders are often socialized to be better at speaking than at listening. It is understandable that preachers want to preach, teach, and lead with…
Passing the Mantle: Crisis or Opportunity?
Four years ago a new bishop came to serve our area. For the first time in my ministry, I was older than my bishop! Around…
God’s Leaders Multiply, Not Maintain
As we begin thinking about fall stewardship campaigns, our minds may turn to the parable of the talents (Matt. 25:14-30), the story of a master…
Ministry as Leadership
How are the practices of ministry understood and how are they learned? Is there an organizing principle for all the functions of ministry, or do…
The Ministry of the Missional Church: Community Led by the Spirit
The Ministry of the Missional Church (Baker Books, 2007) by Craig Van Gelder is not leadership in search of theological rationale. It is a theology of…
Jesus as Transformational Leader
A leader’s continual presence among followers is integral to transformational leadership. It creates teachable moments, fosters relationship, and allows for targeted and personalized interactions. Transformational…
Living in Paradox — The Life of American Clergy
Brooks Holifield of Candler School of Theology has offered a monumental service to the church in his comprehensive and richly documented history of clergy in…
Diversity Leadership in the Church
As church leaders attempt to address the challenges presented by the expanding diversity of local congregations and American culture at large, a new energizing vision…