Church Leadership

Church Leadership equips pastors, elders, ministry staff, and volunteer leaders to lead with biblical conviction, humility, and wisdom. Explore practical, Scripture-shaped guidance on leading teams, developing leaders, casting vision, making decisions, and building a healthy ministry culture. You’ll also find help for navigating conflict, communication, accountability, and the spiritual formation of leaders—so leadership flows from character, not just competence. Whether you’re stepping into leadership for the first time or carrying long-term responsibility, these resources aim to strengthen your leadership for the good of the church and the mission of Jesus.

December 20, 2014

Christian Standard

Leading Young

By Will Thomas Young ministers can overcome the challenges that have faced them since Paul wrote Timothy. I understand Timothy”s predicament. “Don”t let anyone look down on you because you are young,” the apostle Paul encouraged (1 Timothy 4:12). Timothy was a preacher and in all likelihood younger than most of the people in his church. Been there, done that. I had just turned 19 when I began serving as a minister. I had preached a fair number of sermons as a teenager in my home church and had always been a motivated student of the Bible. But suddenly, a

December 1, 2014

Christian Standard

6 Things Successful Leaders Do Early in the Morning

By Michael C. Mack Rising early is a common trait among many successful and influential people, says Forbes online (www.forbes.com). The Forbes article mentioned early risers such as Margaret Thatcher, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Robert Iger (CEO of Disney), all of whom were or are out of bed between 4 and 5 a.m. The Forbes writer, however, overlooked another very successful and influential leader who often rose early, Jesus. Here are four items from the Forbes list and two from Jesus about what these successful people focus(ed) on while most are still in bed: 1. Exercise. A prework workout will

November 3, 2014

Christian Standard

Are We Encouraging, or Discouraging Them?

By Larry Monroe How we respond to an applicant for our job can help or hinder his or her future in Christian service. Nowhere is this more important than with how we handle résumés and written job applications. It happens all too often””a résumé is sent in response to a posted position at a church or parachurch organization. The candidate eagerly awaits a reply, wondering what may lie in store for him in some exciting new ministry opportunity. The candidate waits, and waits, and waits. Soon he sends a follow-up note, and then he waits some more.  Too often no

October 28, 2014

Mark A. Taylor

How to Succeed at Influencing Culture

By Mark A. Taylor How do you measure the success of your ministry? Joe Boyd and Rich Gorman and I talked about that for almost an hour last week in Christian Standard”s monthly Beyond the Standard online interview program, all while trying to address our assigned topic, “Church and Culture.” “The hardest thing about vocational ministry,” Boyd said, “is you never really know if you”ve done a good job or not.” Boyd doesn”t believe numbers alone can tell the story. He spoke about the ministry of Jesus who preached to the thousands but soon had only a dozen followers. And

October 6, 2014

Christian Standard

Can a Polygamous Man Be an Elder in the Church?

By Doug Priest Dan Crum and Joe Cluff, along with their families, have served for many years as missionaries among the Maasai people of Kenya. They were interviewed by CHRISTIAN STANDARD contributing editor Doug Priest.   When did each of you arrive in Kenya and what has been your ministry through the years. DAN CRUM: We arrived in Kenya in 1988, and lived in rural Maasailand for 10 years in the ministry of evangelism, church planting, and leadership training. The next three years were focused on producing written materials in the Maasai language, followed by seven years as team leader.

September 30, 2014

Mark A. Taylor

Six Things I”ve Learned about Leadership

By Mark A. Taylor What would you preach if your sermon assignment was leadership? What could possibly be fresh or helpful to say about a topic that has already been the subject of a thousand books, articles, and workshop sessions? What would you add””or subtract””from this outline for the sermon I plan to preach this weekend? Godly leaders . . . “¢ are servants, not stars. Consider the ridicule and stress Noah must have felt, obeying a strange command and anticipating a horrible outcome. Think about Moses, saddled with the whining, self-centered, shallow, and headstrong Jews on a journey to

September 26, 2014

Christian Standard

When Ministry Isn”t Fun

By Susan Lawrence “I have to work hard enough at my job””and I get paid for that. Volunteering for ministry shouldn”t take that much effort. If it”s not going to be fun, I”m not going to waste my time. I have more important things I”d rather do.” It”s the new epidemic of faulty reasoning about serving in the local church. A previous generation often served sacrificially out of obligation or guilt, sometimes at the expense of joy. But too many today refuse to serve if the task doesn”t bring them excitement or at least pleasure. “No one can make me.

September 22, 2014

Christian Standard

Knowing When to Leave

By Mike Shannon One of our greatest problems in life is trying to make godly and wise decisions. We are so desperate to do the right thing that we often lapse into an almost superstitious view of trying to discern the will of God.  I don”t know about you, but I have often had to make decisions when I was not certain what God wanted me to do. Sometimes I thought I was certain, but later had to reconsider. Nowhere is this tension felt more acutely than when we are trying to decide whether or not to stay at a

September 21, 2014

Christian Standard

I”m Flexible, as Long as You Don”t Change Anything

By Daniel Schantz I reached for a bottle of my favorite shampoo and headed for checkout, reading the label as I went. “New formula, new bottle, with easy-open cap.” While waiting in line, I felt something cold on my right leg. I glanced down to see a long strand of pink slime running down my pants leg. Well, they were right about the easy-open cap. When I got home, I discovered the new, taller bottle would not fit in my cabinet, and when I washed my hair, the shampoo left my hair feeling waxy. I dropped the bottle in the

September 20, 2014

Christian Standard

Advice for Volunteers and Those Who Recruit Them

By Susan Lawrence Change affects people differently. Some people thrive and others struggle. Change excites some and paralyzes others. But ministry and service are not about us or our comfort level. If we”re volunteering to serve and honor God, we need to yield to him. When we yield, we grow. When we grow, we change, and that change includes our service.  But when should we change, and how can we change in healthy ways? What questions do we need to ask?   WHY ARE YOU SERVING? Ask yourself . . . “¢ What is the purpose of the ministry I”m

September 20, 2014

Christian Standard

Quitting Time

By Linda Ahlgrim Ever wonder if it”s quitting time? Every church volunteer has probably faced a time when they felt that way. More often than not, these frustrations arise from interpersonal conflict and should be seen as opportunities to practice humility and become more like Christ, not as reasons to quit.  But sometimes we do need to step away from our ministry. Sometimes quitting is the most unselfish choice we can make.  IT MAY BE QUITTING TIME IF . . .  You need to say “no” to a serving opportunity to make room for God”s bigger “yes” in your life.

September 14, 2014

Christian Standard

The Brave New World of Church Ministry

By Dick Alexander When I graduated from seminary in the late 1960s, I had answers. Today I have questions. Back then, I thought I knew what a church should look like. There were some variations on a theme, but there was essentially one “model.” But today? Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Everything else is up for grabs. Back in the day, the world was different. When the neighborhood ruffians on our block were playing in the yard and wanted a drink of water, we drank out of a garden hose””none of this sissified bottled water. And there

September 12, 2014

Christian Standard

Are We Moving?

By James Riley Estep Jr. All the steps of moving from one home to another find their parallel in the progress a church must make. It”s never easy, but the new destination is worth the thinking, planning, and hard work. “We”re moving.” These two words evoke a wide range of emotions. Announcing this to family and friends only adds to the challenging experience. A new job, new prospects, a better house, or a future possibility””all available only elsewhere. The decision to move is often greeted with the exuberance of new opportunity.  But the exuberance soon changes to despair when dealing

September 8, 2014

Christian Standard

Here’s Where Change Begins

By Becky Ahlberg There is no one in the world you can change but yourself. No one. That is the consistent””some would say incessant””mantra at My Safe Harbor, a ministry begun by Anaheim (California) First Christian Church that helps single mothers break the dysfunctional cycle of broken homes. You can manipulate, coerce, or even try persuasion, but in the end, a person must want to change, and she must do it herself. And yet, so much of our emotional energy is spent both believing in and pursuing change in others. We think if we could change the people around us,

September 7, 2014

Christian Standard

To Lead Change You Must Be Changed

By Casey Tygrett If you have ever traveled via commercial airliner, you might be vaguely aware of the preflight safety talk. It”s something most people completely ignore, even though it could save your life and possibly others. The flight attendants tell you, “First put on your oxygen mask and then assist others.” My favorite flight was the one in which the flight attendant recommended we first put our mask on, and then put a mask on “the child most likely to pay for your retirement.” The directions may at first seem selfish and uncaring. However, if you have ever experienced

September 1, 2014

Christian Standard

Three Ways to Improve the Attitude of Your Team

By Michael C. Mack Your attitude as a leader can either kill or build your team, says Carey Nieuwhof, author of Leading Change Without Losing It and lead pastor of Connexus Community Church in Barrie, Ontario. What can you do to cultivate a better attitude? Nieuwhof gives three solutions: 1. Get more sleep. Someone once told Nieuwhof that 70 percent of discipleship is a good night”s sleep. How holy, passionate, and kind can you be when you”re exhausted? 2.Create white space on your calendar. Be sure you create margin in your life””space on your schedule that is not filled with

August 22, 2014

Christian Standard

Training the Next Generation of Leaders

By Dean Collins President, Point University, West Point, Georgia When I think about the future of Christian higher education in general””and the colleges that come from our tradition in particular””my mind is conflicted. Will I operate out of fear of the brutal realities we face, or with faith that God wants us to do what we are called to do? About 13 years ago, Bob Andringa, then president of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, predicted that in 25 years, 25 percent of Christian colleges would be out of business. I don”t know all of the reasons behind Andringa”s

August 19, 2014

Mark A. Taylor

Lead On, Lead Up, Lead Now

By Mark A. Taylor No group will understand or fulfill its mission without a leader sounding the charge and setting the example. Eddie Lowen and I talked about this during my Beyond the Standard interview with him July 31. Churches need to be led, he said, and led by leaders with high integrity. We could say the same for school boards, corporations, or the government of any nation. But our experience with bad leadership in all of those environments may be one reason some are suspicious of leaders in the church. Can we find a leader more interested in his

August 14, 2014

Michael C. Mack

The Apostle Paul’s Top 21 Leadership Character Traits

By Michael C. Mack Acts 20 contains 21 character traits of the apostle Paul. Look over this list, and then take time to assess yourself as a leader. Which three to five of these are you doing well? Now, identify three to five traits missing or in short supply with you. Huddle up with a few other leaders and share what you’ve discovered. Paul’s character traits: 1. Humility (v. 19). 2. Possessing a Servant’s heart (v. 19). 3. Integrity. Never hesitated to preach the Word, no matter what the consequences (v. 20). 4. Committed. Devoted to teaching God’s Word regardless

August 9, 2014

Christian Standard

The Elder Serves the Younger

By Teresa Schantz Williams Robert Stanfill is a slight, unassuming man with a weak heart that doctors thought would have failed him years ago. So he was as surprised as anyone to find himself launching a ministry to international college students.  Robert Stanfill and his wife, Linda, both in their 60s, had no special aptitude for work with college students from distant lands. No cross-cultural experience. And though Avila University”s campus was just a mile from their south Kansas City home, college students weren”t exactly their “crowd.” They were veteran Christians, faithful members of the Red Bridge Church of Christ,

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