In our last post, It’s The Mission Stupid!, we addressed the tendency of organizations to lose focus on their original mission through the gradual broadening of the objectives of the original mission. This process is referred to as mission drift, or mission creep because of its incremental nature. We provided several reasons churches are especially vulnerable to mission creep. Fortunately,... Continue Reading
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 our last post we detailed the impact of the “Friedman Doctrine” on America’s economy and business philosophies and values. We argued that its singular focus on profits forever changed America. In this article we will speculate how embracing Friedman’s ideas filtered down and impacted the local church. Admittedly, there are many factors that influenced the value shifts we’ve seen... Continue Reading
On Sept. 13, 1970, the New York Times published the “essay heard round the world.” In his manifesto, economist Milton Friedman argued that corporations have one – and only one – obligation: maximizing profits for shareholders. Friedman’s “doctrine”, also referred to as the Shareholder Theory, became arguably the most consequential economic idea of the 20th century and, unarguably, changed America forever. Its singular focus on profits became... Continue Reading
When I encounter a church or organization struggling with discovering an effective vision, I often share with them a story from the movie, Gandhi. In the early part of his career, Mohandas Gandhi was encouraged to become involved in politics. Instead, he went on a long train journey visiting the farms and villages throughout India. There he patiently listened to... Continue Reading
Charles de Foucauld chose to define his life with the simple phrase, “Present to God……present to People.” I am intrigued by the simplicity of that life mission of presence, but must confess I don’t always find it easy. I have difficulty being present to God unless I am still and quiet enough to sense his presence. And, I find it... Continue Reading
“The feeling of being hurried is not usually the result of living a full life and not having time. It is, on the contrary, born of a vague fear that we are wasting our life. When we do not do the one thing we ought to do, we have no time for anything else – we are the busiest people... Continue Reading
The story of three bricklayers is a multi-faceted parable with many different variations, but is rooted in an authentic story. After the great fire of 1666 that leveled London, the world’s most famous architect, Christopher Wren, was commissioned to rebuild St Paul’s Cathedral. One day in 1671, Christopher Wren observed three bricklayers on a scaffold, one crouched, one half-standing and... Continue Reading
The beginning of a new year is a natural time to hit pause and reflect on what you discovered, learned, and experienced during the previous year, as well as prayerfully consider changes and goals for the coming year. For me, this annual exercise centers around discerning how I can continue to be my best, most authentic, and truest self in... Continue Reading
For many of the years I served as Executive Pastor at Brentwood Baptist Church in Brentwood, TN we were in some type of building program. This meant I spent countless hours in the City Manager’s Office preparing for various presentations before the Zoning Commission, City Planning Commission, and City Council. During one such meeting the City Manager interrupted our conversation... Continue Reading
Over twenty years ago Jim Dethmer wrote an article that I continue to see play out in churches today. He described the church as having three primary dimensions: Community, Cause and Corporation. Each dimension is found in Scripture and represents how a body of believers is to function. Often the identity and culture of a church can be defined by the emphasis... Continue Reading
A common question church members and staff ask of church leaders is “Where are we going?” The same is true in any company or business, stakeholders want to know where the organization is going. Churches that are crystal clear on their unique and God inspired direction, and have members, staff and ministries moving together in that direction are consistently healthier... 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