Issues in Church Leadership: Five Articles

Stay in Your Lane or Own the Whole?

Perhaps you have had a leader challenge you to “stay in your lane.” Whether your mind conjured up a football analogy or lanes on an interstate, you got the message. Quit trying to lead everyone else’s area, and focus on yours. And perhaps you heard a different message in a different meeting when the leader told the team, “Everyone must help shoulder this. We all must own this.”

So which one is it? Do I stay in my lane or do I own the whole? And if you are a leader, you may have wondered, Which message do I deliver?

Both. Keep reading

The Curse of Kings ~ Why Leaders Fail

Everyone has seen a political or religious leader implode, and often the failure is sexual in nature. Recent political history has many examples from men like Bill Clinton and Eliot Spitzer. In the Church it’s been guys like Ted Haggard and Doug Phillips. Of course, biblical examples include men like King David and his son, Solomon. It seems there is a potential curse, of sorts, on those who lead.

Tragically, I have way too many friends who have fallen as well.... Keep reading

9 Ways for a Leader to Lose Favor — And Some Advice to Guard Against It

One of the hardest losses for a leader is when they lose favor with the people they are trying to lead. It’s very hard to regain trust once it’s lost.

Sadly, the longer I serve as a leader, the easier it seems to be to lose a follower’s trust. People are more skeptical — it seems to me — of leadership these days than in days past.

I think it’s important to know what causes us to lose favor with the people we are attempting to lead. Of course, there are many things, but let share some of the more common ones I’ve observed.

Here are 9 ways to lose favor as a leader.... Keep reading

7 Good Reasons for a Leader to Learn and Use the Word NO

I hate disappointing people.

And, every time I say the word “No”, someone isn’t happy with my answer.

That’s reality.

“Can you do a wedding — this weekend?”

“Can you speak at my event?”

“Will you write a guest post for my blog?”

“Can I have an hour of your time — today?”

“Will you mentor me?”

And, so many more similar questions.

They are all legitimate questions. Usually there is nothing wrong with any of them as questions. And, many times I say yes to questions such as this. Many times.

But, sometimes I don’t say yes. I say no. And, I personally think that’s one secret to my success in ministry and leadership. Keep reading

10 Suggestions to Handle Conflict in a Healthy Way

Where life involves people — whether among family, friends or co-workers — there will be potential for conflict.

Any disagreement there?

Want to fight about it?

In fact, if relationships are normal, conflict is inevitable.

But, conflict doesn’t have to destroy relationships. It can actually be used to make relationships better. That takes intentionality, practice — and a whole lot of grace.

In an organizational sense, conflict is certainly a huge part of a leader’s life. Even in a pastor’s life.

It seems to reason that learning to deal with conflict successfully should be one of our goal as leaders.

Here are 10 suggestions to effectively handle conflict.... Keep reading