What leadership transparency encourages: 4 outcomes
Transparency is a healthy leadership characteristic. But why? In the context of a local church, what does a transparent pastor encourage, as opposed to one who is not?
Read More >Sam S. Rainer III Archives - Page 3 of 10 - Church Executive
6 ways pastors can find work balance
Pastors are a notorious bunch when it comes to work. Here are 6 tips for helping these workaholics find a better work balance.
Read More >Why local influence is more essential than a national platform
Pastor A has a top-ranked podcast, a book deal from a well-known publisher, and 150,000 Twitter followers.
Pastor B is the secretary at the local Rotary Club, is the assistant football coach at the middle school, and recently joined a bowling league.
Both pastors have influence. Both are doing God’s will. Both enjoy their callings.
I will make a bold statement: Pastor B’s local influence is ultimately more vital to church health than Pastor A’s national platform.
Read More >The big Baby Boomer opportunity
The Boomers are now 30 again. They doubled-up on years and are entering their 60s. From this point until 2030, about 10,000 Boomers will retire every day. The leadership baton is passing to Millennials. A new people are beginning to lead churches. As one among the oldest of my generation (I was born in 1980), I have been the first Millennial pastor of a few churches, following Boomer pastors in leadership. Like a lot of new, younger pastors, I inherited a large population of Boomers in my congregation. We are left with a key question: What should we do with all these Baby Boomers?
Read More >Leader: Are you an analyst or a catalyst?
Good leaders are both analysts and catalysts. Leaders must accurately describe reality. Leaders must create for a better future. An analyst has a proper understanding of present reality. A catalyst knows what to create for a better future. The analyst helps followers understand the present. The catalyst inspires followers to move towards the future.
Read More >2 unseen benefits of being an established church
The “established” side of the established church is often viewed with some derision. I certainly understand why.The establishment can be stodgy, stuck and stuffy. Being established, however, is what you make it.
Read More >How to select a mission partner
The requests come through different means — email, in-person, lunch meetings, over coffee, phone calls, and social media. The asks all differ slightly, but the spirit of most of them is the same: Will you support my ministry?
Read More >Listening when you can’t possibly hear everyone
If you’re like me, you want your voice heard — even at the top levels of leadership. I may not be able to have lunch with the President of the United States, but I do want to feel like he’s listening to me. I don’t believe it’s an unreasonable expectation of followers to want their voices heard by top leaders.
Read More >2 key filters for evaluating senior leaders you don’t know
Perhaps you’ve noticed, but a few people are beginning to campaign for the presidential election in 2016. Ultimately, the field will narrow to two (maybe three). I’m not a political junkie, but I try to pay attention to someone who might end up leading my country.
Read More >Why the generation gap is larger now more than ever
Many cultural changes affect generation gaps. For instance, my father’s choice of 1960’s rock is quite different than my preference of 1990’s rock. And we all know music style can be a contentious issue in the Church.
Technology, however, is often cited as the main wedge between generations in the U.S. culture.
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