Leadership Archives - Page 2 of 7

Are You a Hope Dealer?

Napoleon defined a leader as “a dealer in hope.” One of my close friends, Myron Pierce, serves in an underprivileged community—one often blanketed in despair. He sees himself as the lead hope dealer in his church. In other words, every church member is a dealer in hope. A recent poll in the business community revealed…

On Being Salt & Light

We who follow Jesus Christ are struggling because we live in a world of increasing secularism. Worse, it’s radical secularism that would do away with the church as we know it. Biblical values get called out as hate speech things. Because these are challenging times, we must reappraise ourselves, where we are and how we…

Prevailing In the Hard Place

I was born into “Christian America.” But now reside in a post-Christian culture. Last month the Pew Foundation reported a further decline in Christianity. Just 63 percent of Americans self-identify as Christians, down from 75 percent a decade ago and 90 percent in 1950. What are we to do as our slice of the pie…

When Push Comes to Shove

China went soft on churches—for four decades. Then came a different government. Things are tougher now for all faiths, especially Christians. Not just tougher but much tougher. Members arrested. Buildings demolished. Even the Three-Self state ordained churches are under attack. So, what happens in circumstances like these? Basically, the church adapts. I just saw a…

Never Too Small to Multiply

Think you’re too small? Think again! How would you function if your church maxed at 80 people, shrunk back to 20 and then swelled again to 80 and did that repeatedly for 35 years? Some would give up, but not John Bacigalupo. Dyslexic, he cheated his way into the U.S. Marine Corps (click the 3-minute…

Motivation: 7 Tools to Prevent Polarization in the Chasm of Change

You’ve seen the bell curve representing change: But, have you noticed the gap between innovators/early adopters and The early majority? It is in this space where leaders encounter opposition and polarization. So let’s look at seven steps we can take to escape polarization in this stumbling zone. 1 Map Potential Responses Prior To Finalizing Your…

The Incredible Shrinking Church

Will the U.S. Church Survive? If So, In What Shape? Someone responded to a recent blog with two painful questions: At the present rate of “growth,” how long will Christianity survive in the U.S.? At the current rate of “growth,” what kind of churches will be left in 10-15 years? Our Growth is Negative For…

A Belated Thank-you to My Youth Pastor

My high school youth pastor recently surprised me with a text. I’m thrilled at the connection after many years. Since I’m so old, I imagine he’s in his eighties by now. In responding to that initial text, I began thinking about how much I owe him. Put another way, if you’re reading this, it includes…

Strategically Emerging from COVID-19

Most U.S. churches are in some stage of a physical return to the meeting place. And we’re not alone. Similar trends occur across our culture. Consumer and retail footfall to businesses has increased by 80 percent, travel and logistics are up 50 percent, and pharmaceutical and healthcare are up 10 percent. Church leaders have good…

Church and State–Vulnerabilities

Separation of church & state – NOT! Let’s talk about vulnerabilities we might not notice. The U.S. government underwrites our churches in ways that might not last forever. Some are shaky as I write. Neil Cole, in his book Rising Tides, puts this eloquently. But I can summarize pretty well. Much like the church in…