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Leadership
On the Removal of Paige Patterson and Next Steps for the SBC
Three weeks ago, I published an article that called on Paige Patterson to do the right thing for the Southern Baptist Convention and retire.
Between that article, and last night’s events, much has happened.
Beth Moore wrote in response about how she has been treated. Then, ...
Why Is Our Church Stagnating, and What Do We Do?
When we hear the term “stagnating,” it likely elicits a response from us of something unhealthy and functioning poorly. Although it is sometimes the case that something stagnates for bad reasons, it is also true that stagnation is not necessarily a bad thing, depending ...
Church Succession: How to Lead Our Churches into a Healthy Future
Church succession can be a sticky subject and sometimes involves a lot of awkward conversations. But it doesn’t have to. As pastors age, they can prepare so that the transition of leadership in their churches passes smoothly and their churches are set to stay on a healthy ...
The Importance of Volunteers in the Church
Most of us know how essential volunteers are to making sure our churches are as effective as they need to be. Churches need to develop an ethos of valuing volunteers, but in order for churches to thrive, they would do best to raise up volunteers who are leaders and choose leaders ...
One-on-One with Glenn Daman on ‘The Forgotten Church’
One-on-One with Glenn Daman on ‘The Forgotten Church’
Ed: How did you come to write The Forgotten Church?
Glenn: I was initially approached by Moody Publishers in 2016 to write a book highlighting the struggles and issues that are confronting rural America and how ...
Responding to Moral Failure in Church Leaders
The most recent rash of moral failures, accusations, and heartbreak over sin and human frailty is upon us. Ed Stetzer shared some very helpful reflections on this topic recently. Every time this topic hits the church (and world), I find myself examining my heart, dissecting ...
Paige Patterson and Doing the Right Thing for the SBC, Again
Social media is abuzz with comments about the church and domestic violence.
The cause is not a new incident; rather, it’s the result of an old audio clip that has resurfaced with comments from the president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Paige Patterson. ...
Is Your Church Really Focused on Evangelism? Maybe Not.
Evangelism has the ability to make some of us very uncomfortable. We worry about offending people. We agonize over saying something wrong, unorthodox, or unhelpful that might end up leading someone further from Christ in lieu of closer to him.
While we certainly don’t want ...
The Moral of Moral Failings of Christian Leaders
The past few months (and if we are honest, the past few years) have been hard for Christians, and evangelicals in particular. I’ve felt it myself as I’ve had to deal with some good friends confess to failures, and the aftermath that has occurred in their wake.
It’s ...
The Church and Mental Health: What Do the Numbers Tell Us?
Most of us know someone who is in counseling, on medication, or has even taken his or her own life as a result of a mental illness. There are many difficult issues for Christians to talk about, and mental health would certainly be near the top of that list.
Yet, this is a conversation ...
Bob Buford, Founder of Leadership Network and Halftime, Has Died: He Was a Catalyst that Fostered a Movement
The Church Growth Movement began to lose its mojo. That's not exactly a scholarly word, but you get the point. After a promising start, it began to decline in the 1980s.
In 1956, Donald McGavran published a book entitled The Bridges of God. It looked at the strategies that ...
The Humble Leader
Leadership is often very humbling, and leadership is most dangerous when it ceases to be. Here is what I mean: Leadership is humbling because it is extremely challenging. Being a leader can be deeply sanctifying because humbling opportunities abound.
The messiness of life gets ...
Preaching on Racism from the 'White' Pulpit: Reflections from David Platt’s Talk at T4G
Expository Faithfulness and Racism
Attention prominent White pastor: If you want to avoid controversy, do not preach sermons on race at large evangelical conferences. In 2018, that will not go well for you. This week, David Platt discovered this at Together for the Gospel (T4G) ...
20 Truths from Leading Major Change in Your Ministry
1.God has an amazing capacity to use leaders in their present situation, while at the same time using that present situation to train them for future ministry challenges. (p. xvii)
2.When leaders serve their followers—meeting personal needs in practical ways—word ...
One-on-One with Eric Geiger: Why Are Leaders Ruining Their Lives?
Ed: You recently wrote a book about people ruining their lives, and you called it an implosion. Why did you use that term?
Eric: Demolition experts can take a building down two ways: they can pummel it from the outside with cranes and wrecking balls, or they can implode the building ...
