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.

August 12, 2013

Christian Standard

What about the Preacher”s Family?

By Dennis Bratton Fifty percent of preachers” marriages will end in divorce. Eighty percent of preachers believe pastoral ministry has negatively affected their families. Thirty-three percent say being in the ministry is an outright hazard to their family. Local churches can change this picture. Here are some simple ideas any congregation can follow to make sure their preacher”s family is an example for every family. Preachers live in a continuum of unfinished tasks. At the end of nearly every day, the preacher can think of calls he needs to return, a sermon or lesson he needs to write, someone who requires a personal visit,

July 26, 2013

Christian Standard

We Carry a Heavy Load

Healthy, active churches need healthy, active leaders. Only a balanced life equips a person to handle the burdens of leadership. By Aaron Wymer “I don”t think so, Elzie. It”s just easier to be a Christian when I”m not an elder.” With these words, or words very much like them, Wayne told my father he wasn”t willing to become an elder at my home church. My dad”s eyes twinkled a little when he told me what Wayne said, but the rest of his face frowned. I could tell dad agreed with him, but couldn”t bring himself to refuse his call to be

July 25, 2013

Christian Standard

Titles or Testimonies?

By Tim Harlow In his book Who Switched the Price Tags? Tony Campolo tells of an African-American pastor who was preaching to some students who were about to graduate. He said, “Children, you are going to die! One of these days the hearse is going to take you to the cemetery, drop you in a hole and everyone”s going back to the church to eat potato salad. When you were born, you were crying and everyone else was happy. Here is the question, “˜When you die, will you be the only happy one with everyone else crying?” The answer depends

July 22, 2013

Christian Standard

40 Under 40: Tim Yankey

TIM YANKEY Executive director, Howell”s Mill Christian Assembly, Ona, West Virginia It”s seems like yesterday Tim was serving a yearlong internship at Country Lake Christian Retreat in Henryville, Indiana, where I was executive director at the time. Today, some 10 years later, Tim, who is married with three young children, is at the helm and breathing new life into Howell”s Mill Christian Assembly. As a camper at HMCA, Tim knew he wanted to serve in Christian camping””and serve he has. During his short tenure at this West Virginia ministry, he has doubled both the revenue and camper attendance. Tim attributes

July 21, 2013

Mark E. Moore

40 Under 40: Shane Wood

SHANE WOOD Professor of New Testament,  Ozark Christian College,  Joplin, Missouri Shane Wood is one of those rare jewels whose intellect is exceeded by his passion to make Jesus famous. His scholarship is obvious to anyone who has ever sat under his teaching at Ozark Christian College or accessed the growing repository of online lectures he provides for free at shanejwood.com. He is, in my estimation, the foremost expert on the book of Revelation in the Restoration Movement. However, what is most impressive about Shane is his heart for the dispossessed. For example, he is an active board member of

July 21, 2013

Christian Standard

40 Under 40: Jonathan Williams

JONATHAN WILLIAMS Pastor, Forefront Christian Church, Brooklyn, New York Jonathan Williams is a captivating storyteller. He finds joy in people, in learning their histories, and in laughing at human foibles, including his own. This ability to delight in others and laugh at himself draws people to him. It reflects the way Jesus often taught. The disciples would ask Jesus a question, and Jesus would answer with a story. For several years after college, Jonathan taught at an inner-city school in Philadelphia. If you asked Jonathan about that experience, his stories would make you burst with laughter one moment, and break

July 20, 2013

Christian Standard

40 Under 40: Jon Weece

JON WEECE Lead follower,  Southland Christian Church  Lexington, Kentucky The new pope is giving hope to many because he”s a Jesuit. He”s humble and cares for the poor. He”s named for St. Francis. Jon Weece gives me the same hope. He has the heart of a missionary and the humility and leadership of Moses. He comes from some of the finest stock in the Christian church and carries the Weece name proudly. Southland is innovative, but not to be chic. The church exhibited its innovation by starting a huge campus in the middle of an under-resourced area, which has enabled

July 19, 2013

Christian Standard

40 Under 40: Chris Travis

CHRIS TRAVIS Pastor and teacher, Everyday Church, New York, New York Chris Travis is a leader people follow. He”s passionate, funny, and insightful””but it goes deeper. It”s not just charisma or image. There”s something deep inside that spills out, and it”s something magnetic to people with an interest in God. Part of it is genuineness of conviction. When Chris came to Christ as a senior in university, he never looked back. Without the benefit of a church background, he bought a Bible, read it, and acted on it. Reading the New Testament prompted him to seek out a church. His

July 18, 2013

Christian Standard

40 Under 40: Phil Tatum

PHIL TATUM Director of Globalscope, CMF International In the past 12 years, 135 college graduates have signed up to serve with Globalscope, CMF International”s campus ministry division. This number includes Phil Tatum, a Georgia Tech graduate who served with his wife, Merran, on the first team to Chile from 2002-06, and now serves as the director of Globalscope. Phil plays a key role in advancing the kingdom of God through ministries on prestigious campuses in Mexico, Chile, Thailand, Spain, England, Germany, and Scotland, with Uruguay and Indonesia in the pipeline.  He challenges students from colleges and universities throughout the U.S. to consider

July 17, 2013

Christian Standard

40 Under 40: Jamie Snyder

JAMIE SNYDER Lead pastor,  Lakeside Christian Church,  Lakeside, Kentucky I have long subscribed to the Christian leadership axiom, “The best indicator of future performance is past performance.” Now, to be sure, it is not the only indicator; but the track record of any emerging Christian leader should not be ignored, especially in the area of their character. This being true, it is encouraging to see the picture and name of Jamie Snyder on CHRISTIAN STANDARD”s list of “40 Leaders Under 40.” Even from his student days at Ozark Christian College, Jamie has been a young man with genuine humility and

July 15, 2013

Christian Standard

A Conversation with LeRoy Lawson

Meet Our Contributing Editors: In this, the second of our series of interviews with CHRISTIAN STANDARD”s contributing editors, an elder statesman talks about””and speaks to””the young leaders our movement is producing. Interview By Jennifer Johnson  Let”s start with the positive: what encourages you about our young leaders? Their commitment, their curiosity, and””for the most part””their hard work. They have chosen ministry in response to a demanding call, not as a secure job with benefits. They also know the difference between doing religion and serving Jesus. I”m not sure I knew that when I started out. When I planted a church early on,

July 15, 2013

Christian Standard

40 Under 40: Ben Simms

BEN SIMMS Executive vice president and chief operating officer, Lifeline Christian Mission, Westerville, Ohio Vision. Passion. Humility. These are three qualities that come to mind when I think about Ben Simms. I believe his vision for ministry is God”s vision because it includes the entire world. An ever-increasing number of people are called “visionary,” but their vision is often limited to one concept, project, or area of ministry. Not so with Ben Simms. He is able to see potential and possibilities when others focus solely on the obstacles and difficulties accompanying any opportunity. Passion is an indispensable attribute in ministry, but unbridled

July 15, 2013

Christian Standard

40 Under 40: Beth Jarvis Silliman

BETH JARVIS SILLIMAN Globalscope team leader, Christian Missionary Fellowship, Tübingen, Germany Unterwegs is a faith community in Tübingen, Germany, where students are embraced with love and acceptance, but it”s also a ministry that pushes them to consider the relevance of Christ and his church in today”s world. Beth Jarvis Silliman has led this CMF International Globalscope team and ministry since its inception in 2008 while her husband, Daniel, works on his PhD at the University of Heidelberg. Her role involves leadership development and discipleship of her team members and student leaders, teaching responsibilities, and helping to lead and organize all

July 14, 2013

Christian Standard

40 Under 40: Melissa Sandel

MELISSA SANDEL Director of ministries, West Side Christian Church, Springfield, Illinois Five years ago, the growth of West Side Christian Church”s staff required that I expand the senior staff leadership team. I hope timing isn”t everything, because I promoted Melissa Sandel to director of ministries on April 1, 2008. Melissa jokes that her role is the world”s longest-running April Fools” Day prank! Melissa was only 26 years old when promoted from small groups director to senior staff. Her initial challenge was to supervise a diverse ministry staff, including employees whose tenures began when she was a child. While many leaders

July 14, 2013

Christian Standard

40 Under 40: Brad Prunty

BRAD PRUNTY Lead planter, The Westline Movement, Community Christian Church,  Naperville, Illinois During his senior year of college, Brad Prunty and two of his classmates came to a church planting agency I serve and said, “We want to plant a church here together.” We hated to disappoint them, but it was clear they needed some seasoning and experience, so we turned them down. But Brad didn”t give up (nor did his friends). After working his way through the “followership” path at Community Christian Church in Chicagoland, Brad progressed to become the congregational leader of what is now a very strong part of

July 13, 2013

Christian Standard

40 Under 40: Nick Parsons

NICK PARSONS Recruitment,  Orchard Group, New York I have been fortunate to watch Nick”s leadership grow since his days in college. Nick has shown himself to be very courageous while pursuing wisdom as a foundation for his work. He has lived in Los Angeles, Thailand, and Japan and has displayed his wise and strong leadership in each of those contexts. He cofounded Mustard Seed Global Fellowship and has seen it become a healthy church planting group in Japan. He is now working with Orchard Group on both recruitment and deployment of new church planters. I expect a new momentum for

July 13, 2013

Christian Standard

40 Under 40: Sean Palmer

SEAN PALMER Lead minister, The Vine, Temple, Texas Sean Palmer is a preacher and an author. He is an advocate for many great endeavors. He loves Jesus. He loves Jesus” people. He loves his wife and his two beautiful daughters. And, yes, Sean Palmer is my friend. But none of that is what makes Sean one of the “40 Leaders Under 40″ being profiled here. No, what makes Sean a man to watch is that he is dangerous. Sean is unafraid to speak the truth. He”ll speak it in love, but he will not pull punches. He is brave and

July 13, 2013

Christian Standard

40 Under 40: Daniel Overdorf

DANIEL OVERDORF Dean of the School of Congregational Ministry and professor of preaching, Johnson University, Knoxville, Tennessee I have known Daniel Overdorf since helping his family move to Knoxville decades ago when his father became minister of the Woodlawn Christian Church. Daniel was a preschooler then, and many remember him as a mischievous little boy. That might surprise many who know him now as gentle, kind, and always with a welcoming smile. As dean of the School of Congregational Ministry and professor of preaching, he exercises leadership through his commitment to the centrality of preaching in the life of the

July 12, 2013

Christian Standard

40 Under 40: Rachel Oblon

RACHEL OBLON Missional life pastor, Parkcrest Christian Church, Long Beach, California Rachel may be one of the best young leaders you have not yet heard about, but my guess is your children will remember her if they”ve been to Christ In Youth conferences. They have been moved by her stories, conviction, and passion as they”ve heard her speak over the past several years. What they don”t get to hear about are the ways this young woman, who is barely 30, influences a church of people who are mostly older than she. She leads with humility, coupled with a conviction of

July 12, 2013

Christian Standard

40 Under 40: T.D. Oakes

T.D. OAKES Worship arts pastor, Mission Church, Ventura, California Patient. Friend. Servant. Kind. Caring. Creative. Generous. Consistent. Shepherd. Humble. Developer. Fully present. Party waiting to happen. Super talented. Jack-of-all-trades. Includer. I have known T.D. since I was 18 years old, and have been privileged to call him friend for more than 16 years. And each of the above words fits him perfectly. We”ve worked together, laughed together, cried together, prayed together, served together, given together, sacrificed together, dreamed together, learned about parenting together, baptized friends together, tried to become better husbands together, moved together, planted a church together . .

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