Early in my leadership, I had several great mentors who were always willing to provide me great feedback. I was hungry to learn how I could be better and regularly asked them where they saw opportunity for growth. And they were great mentors! Wise enough to see the flaws that were holding me back. Caring […]
Fixing the Accountability Problem On Your Staff
Are you comfortable with the level of accountability that exists on your staff? Most leaders I speak with would answer with a resounding, “No.” In fact, many are wondering what staff members are doing with their time while key responsibilities are being neglected. When this concern reaches a boiling point, leaders begin to proclaim, “I […]
Why I’d Rather Be Wrong Than Wait To Be Right
Originally written for TonyMorganLive.com I’ve noticed a common trait among many pastors and leaders. I’m no exception. Every one of us wants to be right. We don’t want to waste others’ time making up for our mistakes. We’d rather not disappoint our staff, elders, and congregation. And we certainly don’t want to send our churches […]
How to Stick to Your Strategic Plan
Originally written for TonyMorganLive.com A few years ago, I was working with a church to implement a strategic plan. It involved a rebranding of the organization and the development of a clear discipleship path. As I began meeting one-on-one with the pastors involved, I expected them to reject the change altogether. In reality, they thought […]
How Multisite Can Wreck Your Church
Originally written for TonyMorganLive.com Going multisite can expand your ministry, reach new people, and have a positive impact on multiple communities. It can also wreck your church. Just a few years ago, multisite was one strategy churches considered for reaching more people. Now it seems thestandard strategy for every church. It’s rare anymore that I […]
How To Make Budget Cuts In A Healthy Way
Churches often make budget cuts the easy way, as shown in the chart above. They choose a percentage by which the entire operating budget should decrease. Then they force every department to cut the same amount across the board. Essentially, the waterline is lowered for everyone. It sounds fair to treat everyone exactly the same. […]
Visible and Vulnerable: Church Leaders and the Fight Against Perfect
Originally written for TheUnstuckGroup.com I’ve never met a church leader who didn’t struggle with vulnerability. Being highly visible in an institution that cares deeply about morality would cause anyone to think twice about what they share. As a pastor’s kid who went directly into full-time ministry, I’ve experienced this pressure to look perfect all my […]
Future Church: Leaning into the Digital Disruption
Originally written for TonyMorganLive.com Digital disruption has been at work for a while. It has ripped newspaper companies to shreds, flipped the music industry on its head, and given the United States Postal Service a fit. We’re starting to feel its effects in the Church, as well. Harvard Business Review recently shared a study of industries […]
Where Your Sacred Cows Come From: Sacred Cow Tipping (Part 2)
Originally written for TonyMorganLive.com Recently, I shared the importance of sacred cow tipping. If you missed it, you can read it here. I truly believe that sacred cows are one of the most long-standing barriers in the way of God’s people. They’ve been around at least since the Israelites built their own golden calf in […]
Sacred Cow Tipping
Originally written for TonyMorganLive.com If you were trying to get somewhere important, you wouldn’t drag a cow along. Yet “sacred cows” anchor many church leaders to the past or present, sabotaging vision and action. Maybe it’s a worship style the church cannot seem to move past. It might be a ministry that has far outlived […]