jesus washing feet

Serving in a church leadership position is a profoundly rewarding and exhilarating experience. It has been famously said that, “The church is the hope of the world,” and it is both humbling and inspiring to be called by God into this great hope.

However, it is also very difficult. The stakes are high and the demands are great as we face expectations that are as diverse as the people we serve. Successful church leadership requires humility, integrity, and a deep reliance on the Holy Spirit. It also calls for visionary, communication, administrative, and relational skills, as well as very thick skin covering a very soft heart.

Many church leaders struggle under these heavy demands, and they perform their ministry duties in the face of deep discouragement, disillusionment, stress, and personal grief. My hope is that these articles will pump fresh hope, strength, and inspiration into you as you continue to do a great work in the place where God has called and assigned you.

You are needed, and you are loved!

Essays for church leaders:

An overlooked picture of pastoral ministry

Death by comparison

Distracted on Saturday depressed on Sunday

Heart punch

In praise of the jack-of-all-trades

My new friend–a Maasai warrior and pastor from Kenya

Success versus faithfulness

Teachers, watch your words

When you’re feeling illegitimate

Why church leaders drop out of the race

Why every pastor should workout

Dreams versus contentment

Duck feathers and rhino skin

Goliath versus Bathsheba

Keep your head up (encouragement for pastors)

Preaching among lions (for pastors and ministry leaders)

The blues brothers

When the high road hurts–how to respond when people leave your ministry

The flip side of your gifts and talents

Solomon, on reading effectively

Do first things first

The world’s greatest job (for pastors and ministry leaders)

Your funeral script

Lonely at the top

Innate miracles

A barefoot Moses in Sinai

How the mighty have fallen

Letters from Crete (part 1)

Letters from Crete (part 2)

One of you is a devil

Lost causes

Sticks and stones