I am presently serving as the interim pastor of a small church, and I am writing a book (with my wife) on pastoral care and pastoral supervision. I was a bit inspired by an overlap in the role of pastor and pastoral supervisor that I thought I would add a bit of our book here …
Category: Christian Leadership
Church TQM
Back when I was an engineer, most all of the employees in our company were trained in TQM (Total Quality Management). If you haven't heard of it, feel free to websearch it now. I'll wait. Okay. Anyway... an aspect of it has to do with analysis of problems. In it, one focuses on Process rather …
What Not to Say to Someone Who’s Been Hurt by the Church • ChurchLeaders.com
<An Excellent List in an excellent article. I have heard most all of them said in one way or another.> Whenever you meet someone who's been hurt by the church, tread carefully. Here's what not to say. Source: What Not to Say to Someone Who's Been Hurt by the Church • ChurchLeaders.com
Re-reassessing David
When I was young, David was a larger-than-life character in the Bible-- the killer of lion, bear, giant, and "his ten thousands." He was a shepherd boy who became a king, and "the writer of the Psalms." But then came a time of reassessment. Much of the Biblical record of David's later life was pretty …
Spiritual Abuse 5. Where do Abusive Churches Come From
This presentation explores the idea that abusive/dysfunctional churches spring naturally from leaders and members from abusive/dysfunctional families.
Herodotus and Monumental Hubris
Herodotus (born around 485BC) was a Greek traveler and chronicler of stories. He was quite open to sharing tall tales... intermixed with solid history. In his book "An Account of Egypt" Herodotus recounts his conversation with Egyptian priests. In that account, the priests tell the story of the building of the great pyramids of Giza, …
Spiritual Leadership Benchmarks from Polycarp
Consider the quote from St. Polycarp's Epistle to the Philippians (Chapter 6): And let the presbyters be compassionate and merciful to all, bringing back those that wander, visiting all the sick, and not neglecting the widow, the orphan, or the poor, but always providing for that which is becoming in the sight of God and …
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“greatness” rather than “Greatness”
Hoping you will take the time to see the Article on "Clearing Customs" entitled "Your little "g' greatness is Still Worth Finding." You can find it by clicking HERE. That article, as well as associated videos, is a nice look at the Nike ad campaign in 2012 seeking to redefine greatness... away from an elitist …
What Happens When Conflicts are NOT Resolved
A mission team can go through similar process as what happens in a church when conflicts are not resolved. “Two intensifying processes take place throughout the stages of unresolved conflict: (a) an increasing personal frustration over the unresolved issue(s), and (b) an increasing negative perception of the character of the other person / people.” Looking …
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