How does a church create safety for broken people so they can express their needs without fear? With authenticity and acceptance.

What are some practical and fun things people in our congregation do to focus on the sacred aspects of Christmas? An influential pastoral role at Christmas is helping families pay attention to the sacred, spiritual dimension of the holidays. Leonard Sweet’s book, Dance the Soul Salsa, calls on people to mezuzah their lives, meaning to make mundane moments sacred.

What is the best action I can take to increase giving before the end of the year? The last 31 days of the year are usually prime time for generosity. In fact, 30% of charitable giving is done in December. Individuals and business owners are looking for ways to use their discretionary resources—one way to make the ask.

What kind of strategies will help me break the 100 barrier, and why I should care? The 100 Opportunity is just that – an opportunity to get unstuck, reach people, grow yourself, and your church. We all know that attendance is not the be-all and end-all of church. However, it is one part of the character of your church. Some leaders see 100 in attendance as a “barrier,” but it really is an opportunity. An opportunity to spur congregational prayer, community impact, and make new disciples. Isn’t that what you pray for?

What does it mean to belong, grow and serve together in a team? It's been said that "if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." If we intend to do all God has called us to, we cannot do it alone. We must work together.

Is your church stuck? Do you find yourself in the tension of organizational structure and relational equity? Once you decide to focus on these seven things, you can begin to work and develop them as you go forward. The blend of organization and organism embedded in each of these areas will keep you growing in numbers while also growing in depth of relationship and commitment to Christ.

Do you manage your time well? Time management is a key component in effective leadership for pastors. Unfortunately, this is an area that many pastors struggle with. The nature of ministry is relational and entrepreneurial; these are often tensions that pull at one another. Is it possible to get things done and develop relationships with people? Here’s a look at how you can excel in managing your time.

How do you handle conflict? Conflict is not easy, and many pastors would rather not engage in it. However, learn to exercise your leadership muscles in these ways and watch the unity grow in and amongst those you lead.

How well can you lead changes in your church or ministry? Organizational change is inevitable. Unfortunately, it’s not easy. The true test of any leader is their ability to lead change in an organization. Pastors must lead change. They must lead it well. Here are five things you can do to lead change well.

How are you training your board members? Don’t just leave your board members alone to try and figure it out themselves; start intentionally training them NOW. Remember, the success and effectiveness of this leadership team will benefit your church for years to come.

October is Pastor Appreciation Month. How can I show appreciation to my pastor? Here are five ways to appreciate your pastor during the month of October.

If you are wondering, as a leader, how to answer the question, ‘Why go to Church?’ here are a few suggestions that may help as you deal with the dissenter.

Church Administration. Many leaders struggle because they see paper-pushing and data entry as non-ministry-related tasks. What if we could shift that mindset? What if we could see admin as a vital part of the ministry and the mechanism that allows churches to serve people better?

As the world begins to open back up, travel restrictions loosen, and mandates relax, the tendency is to want to get back to the way things were. For the church, this wouldn’t be the best idea.

We are called to spiritual maturity (Hebrews 5:14, Hebrews 6:1-2). There is an expectation that Christ-followers will start out as spiritual infants and mature over time. But a key element of maturity is not our age. There are many believers who are older in years but act very spiritually immaturely. This is because we have erroneously defined maturity as “tenure”. When really, spiritual maturity is about reproduction.

We all get the job description for Christians – “Go and Make Disciples” (Matthew 28:19). But the question I often get asked is, “How do you make disciples?” This is a great question and one that the church in North America hasn’t answered very well. We’ve made attenders and singers and listeners, but I wonder about our ability to make disciples.

Ask a church member why they’re at the church. Ask any parent why they go to the church they go to. They will all have the same answer, “We have friends here.”

Hope can always be found, even if it takes some time to find it. The hope of the resurrection exists for all of us. It is the job of the Church to proclaim this truth especially in the public arena of mental health. Churches are called to become communities of freedom and healing. The Sanctuary Course will help you build such a community.