Healthy Sheep Make the Best Shepherds
There is a subtle danger that comes with ministry. I don't think it happens intentionally. It just happens little by little. We spend our days preaching, leading, visiting hospitals, sitting with hurting people, and trying to help others follow Jesus. When trouble comes, people call us. When a decision needs to be made, they look our way. After years of doing that, it's easy to become so accustomed to being the shepherd that we forget a very important truth. We are st
2 days ago3 min read
Why Trust Is the Currency of Change (Part 1)
I was 24 years old when I became the pastor of a small church in a growing northern suburb of Cincinnati. For the first few months we averaged between 20–25 people in worship on an average Sunday, and honestly, the church didn’t look much like the community around us. New neighborhoods were going up. Young professionals and families were moving in. The community was changing and growing fast. Our church was growing too. Just not fast. New people were coming, and many enco
Aug 214 min read
Leading Change Without Losing Yourself (or your Church)
Without a doubt change is inevitable. It is one of those things pastors simply cannot avoid if they want to remain faithful to the Great Commission. Every church will go through seasons of change. Neighborhoods change. Generations change. Churches that were once successful begin to experience decline. New opportunities and challenges arise. And often the church must change just to stay true to the mission. I can say with absolute certainly that leading through chang
Aug 154 min read
When Criticism Cuts Deep
I will never forget the moment Archie walked into my office at FBC Cleves and said, “Boy you are over your head, you are picking a fight you don’t want to pick, and you are not going to last long!” I’m pretty sure I heard a voice say, “welcome to the ministry!!” I was the 21-year-old pastor of FBC Cleves, getting blasted by the chairman of the deacons because I didn’t want him and another gentleman smoking cigarettes in the church’s basement on Sunday mornings. I remember
Jun 93 min read
The Administrative Trap
For many pastors, one of the quiet frustrations of ministry is not theological controversy, congregational conflict, or even the weekly responsibility of preaching. Instead, it is the steady accumulation of administrative responsibilities that slowly consumes hours that once felt reserved for shepherding people. Most pastors entered ministry because they sensed a call to preach the Word, disciple believers, evangelize the lost, and care for people. Yet a large portion of
Mar 44 min read
With Eyes Lifted: Four Dreams Guiding Us into the Year Ahead
There is something quietly sacred about the turn of the year for pastors and ministry leaders. Long before goals are written or calendars fill, most shepherds begin with dreams not about buildings or budgets, but about people. We dream about what God might do in hearts, homes, and churches if we walk faithfully with Him in the months ahead. Even after challenging seasons, surveys continue to show that most pastors retain a strong sense of calling and genuine hope for the
Dec 19, 20253 min read
Pastor’s Christmas Survival Guide
Finding Joy in a Beautifully Busy Season Christmas is one of the most meaningful seasons in ministry, and yet one of the most demanding. Pastors and ministry leaders often move from sermon prep to Christmas programs, from Life Group parties to benevolence requests, from community events to staff gatherings… and somewhere along the way, the joy of Christ’s birth gets buried under the weight of the calendar. You’re not imagining the pressure. Nearly half of all pastors say th
Dec 3, 20252 min read