Strengthen: What pastoral candidates should ask
Last month I shared some questions that pastoral search committees should ask of candidates. This month I want to turn the tables and share some questions that I think pastors should ask of the committees. I heard a pastor say years ago that “all pulpit committees lie.” While I do not completely agree with that statement, I do believe that committees tend to paint a preferred view of reality. The people who are selected to serve in...
Strengthen: What pastor search teams should ask
While I know that churches are looking for pastors throughout the year, it seems that spring time is prime time for the pastor search process. In recent days, I have had numerous conversations with both pastor search teams and pastoral candidates as they seek God’s direction for their next pastor and place of service. Both groups are asking questions in order to help themselves discern how God is leading. These conversations have...
Strengthen: Dealing with generational differences
I recently read a book that has captivated my attention because it addresses one of the most prevalent issues in the life of the church today. This issue is not about what we believe but how we behave in the church. The book addresses how we relate to one another in the church with an emphasis on how the different generations relate to each other in the church. Many, if not most, of the problems that churches from across the state...
Strengthen: Factors for church faithfulness
The Beta Collective recently launched for 2018, and we had the privilege of having Steve Parr with the Georgia Baptist Convention share with the group the importance of the small group strategy we often call Sunday School. An added benefit of the day was some information that Parr shared with the group regarding a research project that he led with his colleague Tom Crites that they reported in their book, “Why They Stay.” This book...
Strengthen: Make the most of Christmas
You probably grow weary of the cliché, but it is beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Regardless of whether you think it is the most wonderful time of the year or not, the reality is Christmas is just around the corner. That means that your church’s celebration of Christmas is just around the corner, as well. Over the next few weeks, churches of all sizes and settings will be celebrating the birth of Christ in a wide variety of...
