leader – Page 4 – Dr. Todd Gray

Praying for Sister Churches

The term “sister churches” refers to communities of like-minded Christian faith and practice who see themselves as united in relationship and mission — committed to following Scripture faithfully and working together to fulfill the Great Commission. In my first ministry assignment I would occasionally hear prayers for sister churches, especially at a Baptist association meeting,Continue reading “Praying for Sister Churches “

Longer Tenures

The days of Baptist pastors changing churches every 18 months are long gone. Many pastors and ministry leaders now stay 10 years or more in their assigned place of ministry. I was recently in a week of revival services with a pastor who has had long tenures in growing churches. He has been withContinue reading “Longer Tenures “

Sharpen Your Ax

Ecclesiastes 10:10 reminds us, “If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed, but skill will bring success.” Leadership burnout results from continually giving one’s energy and resources for the well-being of others without taking time to invest in one’s own well-being—or a failure to sharpen one’s ax. Some will immediatelyContinue reading “Sharpen Your Ax “

The Call to Self-Leadership

The concept of self-leadership has taken on a life of its own. A quick Google search reveals long lists of tips, books, seminars, courses, coaching opportunities and more on the subject. Self-leadership is exactly what it sounds like — leading yourself. A recent Forbes magazine article says this about self-leadership: “Leading oneself is critical toContinue reading “The Call to Self-Leadership “

God Honors Work

We are not saved by our work, but we are saved to do good work. Paul makes both points crystal clear in Ephesians 2:8-10. And God honors our work. Proverbs 12:11 reminds us, “Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense.” Since work pays off inContinue reading “God Honors Work”

Wandering Can Improve Your Leadership

Before Tom Peters introduced the term “MBWA” in 1982, Ben Cates had been honing the practice for decades. MBWA, better known as Management by Wandering Around, refers to the management principle popularized by leadership guru Tom Peters and defined by one online dictionary as “a style of business management which involves managers wandering around, in an unstructuredContinue reading “Wandering Can Improve Your Leadership “

Winning Against Insecurity

Insecurity is less of an either/or issue in the lives of most ministry leaders, but more of a reality on a spectrum. While not all leaders are debilitatingly insecure, most battle this malady at some level. I have met only one leader in my lifetime who I feel reasonably sure is not stricken with thisContinue reading “Winning Against Insecurity “

Growing into Your New Role

I’ve never accepted a ministry position that — in the first six months — I didn’t want to go back to what I was doing before. In fact, if your new ministry position doesn’t require you to grow into it, then I wonder whether the Lord called you to that role. The Lord stretches HisContinue reading “Growing into Your New Role”

When the Fruit Doesn’t Come

Here is some good news: God does not evaluate us by our fruitfulness, but by our faithfulness. God reminds us in 1 Corinthians 4:2 that, “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.” Faithfulness in doing the right things consistently with trust in the Lord often leads to fruitfulness. But whatContinue reading “When the Fruit Doesn’t Come”

From Adversity to Action

Not all opportunities present themselves as such. One showed up recently as a record-setting snowfall, and a good dose of ice that canceled most church services in our neck of the woods. My home church did not cancel services (no judgment here for those who did cancel because it is always a difficult decision). Continue reading “From Adversity to Action”