Lead Well

Photo by Medienstürmer on Unsplash Starting a new ministry position can be scary. We don’t know what the future holds or what to expect. We’re filled with enthusiasm and passion for the next chapter, but a lot of times we go in blind. I've been there.  It's never fun to be surprised when things happen we don’t expect. Inevitably, we fall into the comparison trap of what we did at the last church. The best way to combat this problem is with questions. It's not unusual to ask a lot of questions during the interview process, but once you accept the position, what then? The transitional time between when you say yes, and your first day is critical to set expectations and understand exactly what you're walking into. By asking more questions, you can make sure you mesh with the culture well and hit the ground running. With this in mind, here are 75 questions to ask after you’ve accepted the job and before you start. If you'd like an editable copy of these questions, do

Photo by Jan Tinneberg on Unsplash I’ve served at 4 different churches and deciding when it’s time to go is never an easy decision. Serving in ministry, we feel called to the city, the church, the people, and now that time may be coming to an end. For some, it’s like being hit by a Mack truck, others it’s a slow burn or something in between. Whatever it is, for better or worse, there will come a time for you to say goodbye. We are all itinerant ministers. There was probably someone before you, and there will most likely be someone after you. Even if you serve for 50 years in the same place, time and people move on. But how do you know when it’s time to move on? How do you know it’s a prompting from God and not your emotions getting the better of you? There are no simple solutions, and every situation is different. I know because the reason I’ve moved from each church has been for vastly different reasons. The list I’m giving isn’t exhaustive, but rather created from personal

It’s VBS season and for many churches, the event is seen as an outreach. We want to get as many kids as possible through the door, show them the way to Jesus, and then hopefully get them to come back on Sunday. But when you put on outreach events, it’s important to realize that not everyone is seeking Jesus, not everyone is new, and not everyone is a prospect for coming to your church. This isn’t a reason not to do the event, but we need to be aware. Just as Jesus told in his parable of the Sower and the Seed, not every seed falls on fertile ground. There are three groups of people who attend your VBS (or any other outreach event for that matter) and each one has different needs, but only one will help you grow your church. In this post we'll look at each of these groups and which one needs the most focus. 1. Your Church People When you first announce your VBS or other event, the first group of people to hear about it will be the people who already attend your church. We p

Photo by Kelli McClintock on Unsplash Father’s Day is next week, and your church may be thinking of some ways to celebrate dad. In a lot of churches, this day is overlooked. Especially since so much time and resources were spent on Easter and Mother’s Day, this day gets the scraps. However, Father’s Day can be made just as special as these other two days with some intentionality and creativity. I’ve seen a lot of churches do great things to honor their dads, all trying to make the day fun and exciting. With that in mind here are 5 ideas to celebrate dad in your church this Father’s Day from super easy to huge event. 5 Great Ideas   1. Father’s Day Video Playing a video to honor the fathers in your church is a simple and affordable option that won’t detract from the rest of the service. You can make your own or buy one for $10-$20 from Worship House Media. Play this video as part of the announcements, the sermon bumper, or just part of the welcome and announcements. Make sure

Photo by Lukas Blazek on Unsplash It’s summertime and for many in NextGen ministries this is not a time to kick back and relax, but the busiest time of the year.  You have more and bigger events over the three summer months than you have for the rest of the year. Add to that you have vacations, volunteer turnover, absences, and overall lower attendance, it can be exhausting and overwhelming. So, what do you do? How do you juggle all the things and still grow the ministry or at least survive the summer? I’ve been there. It’s tough.  One June I had something church related every day of the month except two. I was exhausted and needed a break. Thankfully, I’ve learned how to manage all of it and find a healthy pace. So, here’s 5 steps to managing your time this summer. 1. Balance is a myth. For years, I’ve heard people talk about work/life balance. They’re looking for some magical Zen moment when work/family/God is all in perfect equilibrium.  However, this is a myth. The sca

One thing about VBS is that it takes a lot of supplies. Crafts, games, decorations, Bible stories and so much more all need stuff.  It’s a lot to handle and can be one of the biggest line items in your budget. To keep my costs down, I’ve used this one fundraiser for years with great success. Full-disclosure, I got the idea from Group VBS way back in 2008, and I’ve been iterating on the idea ever since. Here’s the idea: Create a Donation Wall. Groundbreaking, isn’t it?  I thought so.  But after using it year after year I found some great benefits. 1. Church members who can’t serve will give. I noticed quickly that many people in my church are unable to serve at VBS for various reasons but are happy to give. Every year, I’d have a few people who never served, but would pick up several donation cards (more on this later) every week and bring me the donations we needed. Many never came on a single night, but they played as big a role as anyone else. 2. You can use the supplie

Today is my 15th anniversary of vocational ministry. I owe my first job to Steve Lambert who saw potential in me and gave me a shot as a kid’s pastor. He paid for me to finish college, officiated my wedding, and gave my wife and I a place to live. I am forever thankful for his vision and generosity. May 12 of 2008, I was full of vim and vigor. I had so many dreams and passions. I remember telling my pastor that we were going to hit the ground running, and we did. In those first 12 weeks, I put on my first VBS with 100 kids and 50 volunteers and got married the following weekend. I can say that as the years have passed, things have not gotten any less exciting. My wife and I have had our ups and downs just like anyone else and now on the edge of a new ministry season, we are filled with as much passion as we were all those years ago. All that said, here are 15 things I've learned in 15 years of ministry. 1. Nothing is more important than your relationship with God.