Train Church Leaders Practicum
Applying Biblical Truth about Church Leadership to Actual Leading
Praying is critical from start to finish because of where prayer takes our strategic planning. We need to “pray continually” (1 Thess. 5:17) throughout the entire process. As we devote ourselves to prayer (Col. 4:2) each step of the way, we’re acknowledging that this is His Church, not ours. It’s about following His purposes, not pursuing our own interests. . . . Continue reading Where Prayer Takes Our Strategic Planning
We can put biblical expectations on church staff like their need to align with the church purpose, adhere to body life principles, pursue God’s mission, exhibit Christ-like character and integrity, and maintain a partnership mentality. However, for them to do that, we also need to expect them to rely on God’s power. Hence, we need to encourage church staff to walk in the Spirit. . . . Continue reading Encourage Church Staff to Walk by the Spirit
Staff evaluations don’t always go the way you had hoped. You may even have a difficult time understanding what happened. It’s possible God’s enemy, the devil, is trying to bring down the work of God in and through this person’s life and in your ministry. Go into staff evaluations remembering key spiritual truths about the battle you might face. And, put on the spiritual armor God has made available to stand against the devil’s schemes. . . . Continue reading Spiritual Armor for Staff Evaluations
Sometimes things can get really weird in staff evaluations. Even when you seek to apply the basics of life in Christ as described in this practicum, you just aren’t sure why reactions went the way they did. Or, perhaps the person being evaluated shares something that’s been happening in their personal lives or ministry that neither you nor they can explain. Here are some spiritual truths for staff evaluations that will make a difference in how you approach these situations. Continue reading Spiritual Truths for Staff Evaluations
The task of scheduling people for the different ministry spots may seem like an easy task. People have already been recruited so we just need to plug them into different dates and times. Yet, we run into some scheduling woes and may find it to be a difficult responsibility. To maintain Christ-like attitudes and responses, we need God’s grace in scheduling for ourselves and also for those being scheduled. . . . Continue reading God’s Grace in Scheduling
We’ve already laid the case for church safety simply because love protects (1 Cor. 13:7). Elsewhere we’re exhorted to “serve one another humbly in love” (Gal. 5:13). When we protect, we serve one another in love. To enable us to effectively serve, God gave us spiritual gifts. Hence, we can, and should, view church safety as a ministry using spiritual gifts. The question then becomes which spiritual gifts best suit this type of ministry. . . . Continue reading Church Safety as a Ministry Using Spiritual Gifts?
Record-keeping and giving ministry reports tend to be a normal practice in most church, but why? It lets people know what’s happening and can be a useful tool in making assessments leading to some strategic planning. Let’s be careful, however, that we don’t use them to brag about or berate ourselves. Whether merely reporting giving totals or attendance numbers, or using them in the assessment process, we need to make records about the name of the Lord. If the reports aren’t looking very well, we need to . . . Continue reading Whether Good or Bad, Make Records about the Name of the Lord
To understand the difference it makes to have policies reflecting the power of the resurrection, we first need to identify what the resurrection accomplishes for us.
Results of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ
Scripture clearly describes the Christian life without the resurrection as . . . Continue reading Policies Reflecting the Resurrection
We’ve previously established the need for organization in the Church to function interdependently. If we aren’t careful, however, we’ll lose the fluidity God intends to keep us functioning as a living organism. To prevent systems and structures from taking on a life of their own, we must rely on the Holy Spirit, not organizational efforts. Organization should never become a substitute for the work of the Holy Spirit. . . . Continue reading Rely on the Spirit, Not Organizational Efforts
As church leaders we make many decisions that can affect the course and culture of the church. It’s foolish not to pray about everything we do because it’s HIS Church, not ours. We need to get on page with Him. Sometimes, however, we pray and then proceed without listening for His response. When the steps we take fail, then we wonder why. The kind of praying that leads to effective ministry must be more than token prayers. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. (1 Jn. 5:14) — To pray according to His will, we need to . . . Continue reading Praying According to God’s Will Begins & Ends with Listening