Archives

  • New York ‘Bling’ Bishop sued for $5 million for locking congregation out of church

    New York pastor Bishop Lamar Whitehead is being sued for $5 million for allegedly locking his congregation out of his Brooklyn church. The controversial pastor and founder of the Leaders of Tomorrow International Churches, who has been in the news over the last year for all the wrong reasons, allegedly illegally evicted worshippers after purchasing […]

  • How Do Pastors Lead the Church When the Wrong People Hold Power?

    Can you lead a church without proper authority? Yes, but it is more challenging and complex.  I’m assuming most church leaders would rather not step into a situation where they have the responsibility to shepherd without the corresponding authority. But there are churches with misaligned power structures in desperate need of good pastors. What if […]

  • Five (Seemingly) Well-Intending Sentences That Are Hurting the Church

    Have you ever received a backhanded compliment? Just beneath the veneer of a compliment lies a stinging insult. It may not register at first, but then you feel the pain. “Congratulations, I didn’t expect you to get the job!” “You are so independent; it’s no surprise you haven’t found anyone yet.” “You really look nice […]

  • Should Pastors Spin Off Their Own Side Ministries?

    In the last few years, we’ve seen a number of major pastors leave their church. In some cases it happens because of positive reasons like retirement, a leader’s change of direction, or a move. But more controversial is when it’s because of negative reasons like moral or other failure. In those cases, one of the […]

  • Ten Reasons Pastors Are Glad They Quit the World of Ministry

    Last week we looked at some regrets pastors articulated about leaving their churches during “the Great Resignation.”  In this article, we look at the other side of the coin. These pastors are glad they left pastoral ministry. Anecdotally, these comments were far more numerous than the comments of regret. In this post, we specifically focus […]

  • Three Disciplines Often Missing from Preaching Today

    Perhaps the title of this post should be “Three disciplines often missing from my preaching.” I can certainly grow in these areas. However, I don’t believe I’m alone. Through my interactions with other pastors, I have found many of us missing three disciplines in preaching. What are they? 1. Preaching with patience. I must credit […]

  • The Ten Commandments of a Pastor’s Vacation

    I realize vacations are a luxury. Plenty of bi-vocational pastors do not get vacations. Some full-time pastors get so much grief from their churches over vacation, they simply skip them. Time away is essential. Every pastor needs it, and every church should give it. If your church is gracious enough to provide vacation time, you […]

  • Texas pastor says he is “99 percent sure” Russia is not invading Ukraine

    A Texas pastor says he is “99% sure Russia is not invading Ukraine as conspiracy theories go into overdrive, thanks to Qanon. According to a report published in the Roys Report and the video below re-posted to Youtube, Texas pastor Brent Caddell, the senior pastor of the San Antonio-based Pearl Street Church said: “I am […]

  • Pastors under increased pressure, but not leaving the pulpit study finds

    As expected, our pastors are under increased pressure, but the good news is that they are not quitting en masse, a new study has found. According to Lifeway Research, 63 percent of pastors surveyed say they “frequently” feel overwhelmed. They also stated that their top three reasons for leaving the pastorate are burnout, church conflict […]

  • Do Multiple Style Services Help or Hinder in Cultivating Church Unity?

    While it’s become more and more rare, there are still some churches out there who have both a traditional and contemporary service on Sunday morning – the result of what we’ve called “worship wars.” The idea of a church having “multiple worship options” began in the late 60’s and early 70’s when the Jesus Movement […]

  • What Should Pastors Do When They Get Hate Messages?

    Most leaders get them. Every so often, someone will send an unwarranted venomous note, letter, or email. If you’ve ever received one, then you know they rarely come from someone close. Most of the time, they come from people you hardly know. In the church, these malicious messages are usually about irrelevant specifics, not the […]

  • You Know Your Pastor’s Ego Is Out of Control if…

    Unhealthy egos have a way of choking a ministry. They inevitably turn attention toward the minister–and away from the message, away from the Body, and away from God. But unhealthy egos don’t always recognize they’re unhealthy. So, here’s a handy pocket guide to detect a toxic ego. You know your ego is out of control […]