Eastern Religions and Eastern expressions of Christianity have been known to refer to Western Christianity, especially Christian Evangelicals, as an adolescent religion. When I initially read this I had feelings of righteous indignation well up inside me, but upon closer examination of the evidence used to support their claim I came to better understand that perception. The Case For The... Continue Reading
In recent articles we have examined several sources of power in leadership in the local church: Power Over, Power With, and Power Within. In this article we will take a look at a fourth source of power – Empowerment. Empowerment is a commonly used buzzword. Everyone is for it but find it difficult to achieve. In his thought provoking book,... Continue Reading
Despite the many abuses of power documented throughout history as well as in the Bible, power itself is not inherently bad. If we do not name the good meaning of power, we will most likely become resigned to the bad. In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit is described as dynamis, which means power (Acts 10:38; 1 Corinthians 2:5). Jesus tells... Continue Reading
The dictionary definition of power is “the capacity or the ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events.” We use phrases like economic power, political power, balance of power, the powers that be, in power and out of power. Yet, more important than any of these are two other phrases whose prepositions make all... Continue Reading
Last week in our post, Approaches To Power In Church Leadership, we unpacked two sources of leadership power in the local church, Personal Power (Me Power) and Polity Power (We Power). But there are other ways to view power that deserve attention as well, specifically Power Over, Power With, Power Within, and Empowerment. First, we want to make a distinction... Continue Reading
Though the term power is fairly easy to define, “the capacity or the ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events,” it is much more complex and nuanced in application, especially in the local church. In the coming weeks I will be sharing comparisons and experiences with various approaches to power in the church:... Continue Reading
After decades of observation I can say with some assurance that churches in America tend to lean toward either authoritarian or egalitarian philosophies in their polity and leadership structures. And, that an increasing number of Protestant churches have made a conscious and determined choice to embrace patriarchal authoritarianism. Further, most see patriarchal hierarchy as divinely ordained and planned by an... Continue Reading
Baptist News Global recently published the results of a study by the American Sociological Association that examined the correlation between structural sexism in Christian churches and women’s negative health. The results merit the attention of the leadership of every church. This study shows that structural sexism—defined as systematic gender inequality in power and resources—within religious institutions can negatively shape individuals’... Continue Reading
A question that is often asked in career discussions is, “are you willing to pay the price?” It is common to think that the price is limited to the effort to attain a position. That you can simply work hard to attain a position, then you can sit back and enjoy the rewards. In reality the price you pay to... Continue Reading
My biggest regret, from a leadership development perspective, is that I didn’t taking coaching seriously or pursue a certification in coaching earlier in my career. My experience in the effectiveness of one on one coaching conversations with my direct reports is backed up by one of Gallup’s most famous leadership breakthroughs, based on meta-analytics of 100 million employee interviews. And,... Continue Reading
The idea that intelligence is more multi-faceted than simply book smarts has been widely proven. It’s now acknowledged and accepted that personal intelligence is a combination of EQ (emotional intelligence), IQ (intellectual capability), and personality (innate traits). Emotional intelligence, intellectual capability, and your personality traits help to make you uniquely you. Increasingly, those in leadership and management positions are viewing... Continue Reading
In our last post we talked about the importance for those in ministry to possess the qualities of empathy and what those qualities look like. In this article, we’re going to cover the different kinds of empathy so you can choose what is appropriate for different relationships and situations. The thing is, not all empathy looks and feels the same;... 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