LeaderPastor

  Healthy churches have healthy boards. Regardless of the term (elder board, board of directors or leadership board, etc), it is invaluable to have a team of men and women who keep their finger on the pulse of the church. Leadership boards should be made up by individuals who love Jesus, the mission of the church and the pastor (in that order), who are called and gifted to help the church move forward. One of the greatest challenges of creating healthy boards is determining who should be on the board. There are scriptures that define what the heart of church leadership should look like (1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:7), but selecting the right people can certainly create anxiety, especially due to the decisions they are tasked with. For example, most leadership boards hire or fire the lead pastor, determine the salary of the lead pastor, approve the annual budget and sign off on building proje...

I love leading our church and I equally love helping churches increase their impact in helping people find and follow Jesus.  As a pastor,  practitioner  and a consultant, I have learned the value of systems and strategies. But there is something else that I consider a high value for churches and that's the vibe churches gives off. Every church has a vibe; an energy or an expression. People can usually sense it right away, especially new people.   Whenever I secret shop at churches, the vibe of the church is the first thing I notice. What did I experience when I arrived on campus? What did I sense when I entered the building? What vibe did hospitality give off? Were people genuinely happy I was there?  The environments where people gather to worship or have community should have an expression of "You are welcome here!" There should be evidence that families and children are valued. The  ministry approach, language, methodologies and aesthetics influenc...