We all have people to whom we compare ourselves, it’s natural. But relative deprivation is when you have the perception that you are worse off than other people you compare yourself to or your current situation falls short of your standard. A feeling of deprivation occurs when you perceive something has been taken away or withheld from you, usually unfairly.... Continue Reading
It is essential that church leaders who initiate change understand the psychological cause-effect relationship between dissatisfaction and motivation. Simply put, any time there is dissatisfaction a desire for change is the affect; and any time there is a desire for change, it is caused by dissatisfaction. Without sufficient levels of dissatisfaction, church members will not be motivated to act on... Continue Reading
The British-American author D.H. Lawrence said that “the world fears a new experience more than anything. Because a new experience displaces so many old experiences. A true experience changes us, and human beings do not like to change.” Even in the face of overwhelming evidence, many church members will resist change because they are fearful of the implications and so... Continue Reading
Though I like to think of myself as someone who uses both sides of his brain, my job as an Executive Pastor overstimulated my left brain, the seat of analytical thinking and logic. Without consistent monitoring I found my right brain, where feelings and emotions reside, would atrophy. Fortunately, I had a Senior Pastor with a right brain orientation who consistently... Continue Reading
Empowerment is a commonly used buzzword. Everyone is for it but find it difficult to achieve. In his thought provoking book, Deep Change, Robert Quinn defines two opposite orientations to empowerment in most organizations. Mechanistic – Starts at the top and involves clarity, delegation, control and accountability Organic – Starts with the individual and involves initiative, risk, growth and teamwork... Continue Reading
Change is a word that strikes fear in the hearts of most ministry leaders. They have personally experienced or know of a peer that has experienced the pain and disappointment of well-intentioned change. Change is never easy in any organization yet in churches the difficulty and complexity of change seems to go up exponentially. It is understandable that many ministry... Continue Reading
Our last post examined “An 8 Step Biblical Process for Leading Change in the Church” found in Acts 15. Another resource for church leaders to consider is the now-legendary eight-step organizational change process found in John Kotter’s groundbreaking book, Leading Change. By outlining the process organizations use to effectively lead change and identifying where they are prone to derail... Continue Reading
The heart of leading change in the church is listening – to God and others. When the Apostles were leading the New Testament believers in Acts 15 to question their belief that Gentiles must be circumcised to be saved they couldn’t rely just on their ability to think strategically. So they first listened, and then responded to what they heard. Eight Step Biblical... Continue Reading
Anecdotal evidence suggests nearly half of the hires in most churches prove to be less than a perfect fit. This shouldn’t be surprising in light of the fact Ministers are usually not formally trained in how to conduct an interview. Successful hiring goes beyond just being a “good judge of people.” Among other things, it involves a plan built around... Continue Reading
My pastor, Dr. Mike Glenn likes to say, “There is a reason Baskin Robbins has 31 different flavors.” His point is that God has purposefully designed each church distinctive and unique from any church that ever has or ever will exist. With that unique design comes a calling and a set of ministry assignments that are distinctive. Just as an... Continue Reading
A plumb line is a simple but accurate tool used for determining whether or not something is perfectly vertical or upright. Used since ancient times, a plumb line consists of a line and weight of some sort, usually a stone or piece of lead. References to the use of a plumb line in the Holy Scriptures are usually that of... Continue Reading
In a recent blog post Brentwood Baptist Church Senior Pastor, Mike Glenn, and Executive Pastor, Jim Baker, shared their thoughts on their differences and how by valuing their right brain left brain differences they can have a much bigger Kingdom impact. Mike Glenn, Senior Pastor You don’t have to know me long to know that I’m not real good at... Continue Reading
Jim is a Church Organizational Leadership and Management Coach, Consultant and Trainer. Throughout his career Jim has demonstrated a passion for showing Pastors and Ministers how to use organizational tools for church and personal growth and health.
More About Jim“For I may be absent in body, but I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see how well ordered you are and the strength of your faith in Christ.” Colossians 2:5