Right Pastor, Wrong Place

In a recent issue of his Ministry Toolbox newsletter, Rick Warren writes: "One of the most important -- and often forgotten -- ingredients to a growing church is having the right leader in the right place. It doesn't matter how good and godly of a pastor you are, if you don't fit your congregation, it'll be tough for your church to grow.

Do We Emphasize the Huddle or the Playing Field

Ken Hemphill recalls his college football days and remembers the team was great in the huddle. It just didn't perform when it came time to play. Hemphill used that as an analogy for the church as he presented the Layne Lectures at New Orleans Baptist Seminary, according to a Sept. 30, 2003, Baptist Press story.

Put the Cookies on the Lower Shelf

In a recent issue of his Leadership Wired newsletter (Vol. 6, Issue 17), John Maxwell explains, "The ability to make the complex seem simple is a mark of a good communicator. Some people do this naturally--they have an innate capacity to explain complex concepts in ways that evoke understanding instead of vacant looks. As I often say, they know how to put the cookies on the lower shelf so everybody can have some.

Time for Stewardship Sermons

In an article for Sermon Central, Bob Russell writes about what he has learned about stewardship sermons, including the best time of year to preach them: "The timing of a stewardship sermon dramatically affects how it is received. If people are reconsidering their spending priorities, they're more likely to welcome biblical teaching on money. If they're overwhelmed with charities, events and school expenses, for example, they'll likely resent a church asking for more money, too.

Tell Them What You Do

In his blog, John Koessler has been writing on challenges pastors face. One is the fact that our people understand little of what we do: "Not long after he started attending our church, Ed asked me about something that had been bothering him. It was a question that took me by surprise. It had nothing to do with election or the fate of the heathen. It didn't concern some obscure point in the Bible. Ed wanted to know what I did all week. 'What exactly does a pastor do?' he asked."

Western Church Has Lost Its Nerve, Says British Chaplain

In an Aug. 26, 2003, op-ed piece in The Wall Street Journal, Peter Mullen, Rector of St. Michael's Church in Cornhill and chaplain of the London Stock Exchange, writes, "The issue of homosexuality is only one prominent aspect of a failure of nerve on the part of the church in the West. We have ceased to believe our ancient God-given authority."

Millennials and Leadership

Thom Rainer and his son Jess have a book coming out in January called The Millennials. The book is based on a major research study regarding the generation born between 1980 and 2000, though they focus primarily on the latter part of that generation. In a recent entry at his blog, Rainer writes: