In Mark 12:28-31 Jesus tells a scribe that the greatest and first commandment is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.” How to love God with all of my strength is perplexing to me. What exactly does it mean? Does it mean loving God with all of my effort, intensity, fervor, or energy?... Continue Reading
One of the common challenges I see in churches and organizations is that of ministry or department silos. Silos occur when there are multiple independent ministries or departments working under the same roof. Patrick Lencioni, best-selling author and management consultant, describes silos as “nothing more than the barriers that exist between departments within an organization, causing people who are supposed... Continue Reading
In his book, How Full Is Your Bucket?, bestselling author, Don Clifton, shares a story about the perverse and devastating effects of negativity. Following the Korean War, 1000 American prisoners of war were examined to determine the cause of the 38% death rate in North Korean POW Camps, the highest rate in U.S. military history. Surprisingly, they found the camps... Continue Reading
Recently an Executive Pastor of a large and growing church asked for my counsel on a perplexing organizational issue…..the working relationship tensions between ministry and support staff. As this is a fairly typical issue in large multi-department churches with specialized staff in ministry and support roles, I thought it would be helpful to post my responses to his specific questions.... Continue Reading
You rarely hear of a minister “going postal.” We don’t take an Uzi and shoot up a deacons meeting…….we think about it, but we don’t do it! But, we do get depressed, cheat on our spouses, become addicted, emotionally hurt those we lead, and burn out to the point we do something so stupid they have to fire us. Like... Continue Reading
Recently I went to my family physician for an annual physical. Though visiting the doctor is not high on my list of things I love to do, I have learned to appreciate this annual exercise, mainly because of the approach my physician takes. He is always very thorough in his examination of my core health indicators, he teaches me something... Continue Reading
Dr. Wayne Grudem, noted biblical scholar, professor, and author, shares an experience that may provide insight into what seems to be an epidemic of moral, ethical, and leadership failures of prominent Christian pastors, denominational leaders, and church staff. While working on the translation for the English Standard Version of the Bible, Grudem along with dozens of scholars worked round the... Continue Reading
I have always been fascinated by personality and temperaments. Understanding Carl Jung’s four contrasting profiles (extrovert/introvert, sensing/intuitive, thinking/feeling, and judging/perceiving), the four quadrants of the DiSC assessment, and the Myers-Briggs 16 different personality types has influenced how I relate to people, who I hire, and how I put together teams. Clearly God has given us different personalities and temperaments in... Continue Reading
Church staff restructuring is a decision that every church faces, some more frequently than others. Staff restructuring can be simple or it can be complex, but typically there are a number of factors that should be considered. So, how do you determine when a restructuring should take place and exactly what the new structure should look like? Below are 10... Continue Reading
Your church staff structure can hinder or help, be a cap or a corridor, a chain or a conduit, or a lid or a lane to your church’s growth and effectiveness. Most churches that are stuck or in decline have failed to significantly and consistently restructure their staff. Churches that continue to grow in numbers and effectiveness restructure strategically and... Continue Reading
2018 has seen three religious institutions rocked by clergy sexual abuse allegations and cover up scandals – the Catholic Church, the Protestant Church, and Shambhala Buddhism. Recently the Catholic Church was sent reeling with yet another report of sexual abuse and cover-up, this time by over 300 priests in Pennsylvania. Willow Creek Community Church has spent the better part of... Continue Reading
The causes for a church staff member to underperform and fail to meet expectations are often complex, varied, and difficult to discern. The temptation is to jump to an obvious single cause and effect conclusion when most likely there are many contributing factors. This frequently leads to a “management” approach to the problem, such as transfer or termination, or where... 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