January 1, 2026
With careful planning, clear communication, financial foresight, and sensitivity to personalities, churches can not only survive transitions, they can thrive through them.
January 1, 2026
If succession is not done effectively, it may result in the loss of momentum, people, resources, and more. Fully engaged elders help put the “success” in succession.
November 6, 2025
To focus outward means that the church’s primary concern is the people outside its walls and influence. It means that the church’s assets—its money, its talent, its time, and its facility—are focused toward reaching into that group.
People need to experience purpose in their relationship with Christ and effective leaders must set goals that reflect their vision for the church in creating that purpose.
Pastors in Restoration Movement churches quit at an alarming rate. According to research from the Christian Church Leadership Network, 70 percent of Bible college graduates in the Restoration Movement leave pastoral ministry within the first 10 years.* That means 7 out of 10 current Bible college students called to pastoral ministry in this movement probably will not last a decade. How might we better develop and grow healthy leaders? In what ways might we support the leaders we already have so they last a lifetime in ministry? The future of our movement and the health of our churches is at
November 1, 2021
By Don Wilson In more than 50 years of ministry, I’m not sure I have ever gone to a conference where speakers shared their greatest leadership failures and mistakes. I have, however, been to many conferences where pastors and leaders shared their greatest ministry success stories. If we are not careful, we unknowingly can discourage pastors who feel like failures because they don’t experience similar successes. I want to share four of my mistakes in ministry—and what I have learned from them—in the hope it will encourage others. Mistake No. 1: Believing All Church Leaders Want Their Church to Grow
May 5, 2017
By Kent E. Fillinger Leading a church is a complex undertaking. The challenges can seem to mount more quickly than answers or resources become available. However, asking good questions is helpful. And asking the right questions as a leader is a game changer. One question I always ask is, “What can we learn from our annual survey data to apply to life and ministry?” Here are some important findings from key survey questions, and I”ve included some application questions for you and your team to discuss. One of this year”s survey questions was, “What questions or issues is your church
April 28, 2015
By Mark A. Taylor Maybe you”ve seen this happen at your company. The business has been sold. The new bosses arrive, and they”re very confident they know how to run the show. If they didn”t think they could do it better than the last guys they wouldn”t have forked over all that money to buy the operation. So they wade in with firm goals and bold plans to take the business forward. In the process, these new managers announce “new ideas” with the explanation, “This has never been tried here before.” But even though the long-timers watching from the shadows
September 21, 2014
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 21, 2013
By Jon Walker Which of these two lessons, if fully learned, could most help the elders at your church do their job more effectively and bring the greatest glory to God? Lesson 1: The RATS Formula One of the first elders I worked with said the life of a church is full of change, which is challenging because change changes things, and changing things can cause people to feel like they”re losing something, and when people lose something they grieve, and grief is not a widely celebrated emotion. That is why a congregation may look askance at change, even
May 30, 2013
By Phil Scott Of the more than 350,000 churches in America, 85 percent are stagnant or declining in membership. This means that “average” churches are actually unhealthy. Healthy growth comes to churches that rise above being typically average. The need of the day is unaverage churches. Average congregations are led by a small number of key older men and some women, paid and volunteer, who replaced previous older leaders. The strong influence of the charter members, founding fathers and mothers, or the founding pastor may be unknown or gone. The first generation is made up of the founding mothers
January 16, 2012
By Steve Hayner Here are a few activities that will help leaders guide organizational culture with a skillful hand. Be Attentive and Assess Leaders need to be aware of what is happening within their organizations at all levels. They need to have an ear to the ground. They need to notice the details of life around them as it is being lived. They need to ask questions and then listen carefully to the answers. I am amazed at how oblivious I can be. I get distracted by the vision before me, or by the immediate tasks at hand, and neglect
April 11, 2010
By Kent Fillinger At age 28, when Justin Miller transitioned from the role of youth minister to senior minister at Real Life Christian Church (Clermont, Florida), the church was in the midst of a nine-month spending freeze. It was 2002, the church had no money, and Miller”s paychecks often came with a note attached: “Do not cash until . . . “ The elders hired him to be the solution to the church”s problems; they told him, “We”re putting our hope in you.” But Miller quickly realized God didn”t choose him for this position for any of the reasons the
June 17, 2009
By Brad Dupray Bob Harrington has had a front-row seat in the “simple church” arena””as described and advocated in the book Simple Church (Broadman & Holman Publishers). The church where he ministers (Harpeth Community Church, Franklin, Tennessee) has embraced the simple church concept. As director of Church Planting Networks with Stadia East and lead trainer with Church Coaching Solution”s church planter bootcamp, he has trained many church leaders in implementing simple church strategies. And as a student, Bob studied under Thom S. Rainer, coauthor of Simple Church with Eric Geiger. Bob completed his DMin at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in
September 30, 2007
By Barney Wells To live above With the saints we love, Ah, that will be glory. To live below With the ones we know, That”s a different story. Many preachers have quoted that little poem over the years, and most of us understand its sentiment. While it certainly is pleasant for brothers to “live together in unity” (Psalm 133:1), it seems inevitable they will sometimes live in conflict. This article shares some of what one smaller rural church has learned about preventing, intervening in, and resolving conflict. Since 1889, the Walnut Grove Christian Church has met
July 9, 2006
By Bob Williams Planting a church is absolutely exhilarating and undoubtedly exhausting! The associate minister at our church, Bryan Fakes, likes to say, “It”s like trying to drink water from a fire hose.” Church planting can be treacherous. With that in mind, I would like to share some lessons that might help others navigate the terrain. Walk by faith, but keep grounded in reality””Most church-planting types are faith-walking, visionary, risk-takers. Like David, they”re eager to take on giants. That is good. Faith is a key characteristic for lead planters and churches that intend to make an impact. But it is
October 9, 2005
When a minister leaves—especially after conflict—churches can rush into another painful transition. Learn how an intentional interim minister helps congregations grieve well, resolve conflict, and prepare for a healthy new beginning.
April 7, 2026
John B. Penrose Jr
April 7, 2026
David Faust
March 27, 2026
Rick Cherok