Hire slow, fire fast

I am by no means an expert on hiring new staff members. I do, however, make hiring decisions and understand the gravity of those choices. Hiring the right person for a position can change the direction of a ministry or an organization. On the other hand, hiring mistakes are both costly and painful. When aContinue reading “Hire slow, fire fast”

God uses pain

Every leader I know has been impacted by painful life experiences. Whether it was the unjustified dismissal from a ministry position, chronic health issues, or a difficult upbringing or home life. No leader, in fact no person, can escape pain in a fallen world. The good news is that pain is not wasted. God usesContinue reading “God uses pain”

Where are we going?

I love to hop in the car and drive without a particular destination in mind. Maybe one or two stops are rolling around in my head, but the potential of discovering new places and things is part of the fun. When it comes to leadership, however, most of your followers will want to know whereContinue reading “Where are we going?”

What to do when you feel empty

Every pastor I know considers it an honor to preach God’s word to God’s people and to those who are not yet His people. Every pastor also knows that preaching involves much more than the Sunday morning delivery of a message. There is a great deal of preparation that goes into preaching. Many hours ofContinue reading “What to do when you feel empty”

Three Steps to Vision

Do you ever wonder how things come about? Things like Christian colleges, seminaries, mission boards, and even churches. How do they come into existence? Take as a case in point Christianity Today magazine. The publication has been around for well over fifty years, has sold millions of copies, has commented on Christianity and the cultureContinue reading “Three Steps to Vision”

How did it go?

Whenever a leader finishes any major project someone will inevitably ask, “How did it go?” The question may receive an enthusiastic, “It was great,” or a less hopeful, “Not so well.” Most effective leaders will conduct some type of formal, or informal, evaluation of a major event, project or initiative for the sake of celebratingContinue reading “How did it go?”

Happy in the Lord

What is your mood first thing in the morning? I had a boss, Mr. Ben Cates, who woke up with bounding energy each day with fresh ideas about how he could improve his business. He would occasionally call me at 5:00 a.m. to share some of those ideas. I do not awake with the sameContinue reading “Happy in the Lord”

Misinformation vs. Disinformation

Ever feel like we live in an environment where individuals are far too willing to believe the worst and far too unwilling to do the hard work of determining whether the story is true? Misinformation and disinformation may be to blame. Misinformation is false or inaccurate information that is communicated regardless of an intention toContinue reading “Misinformation vs. Disinformation”