During this pandemic, I’ve been doing everything.  And, I’m sure you have been too.  This season has required so much leadership that I’ve been involved in many decisions that normally don’t require me.  And now, I’m asking the question, “Wait a second...what am I supposed to be doing again?”  It feels like it’s time to refocus on what I’m supposed to be doing—what I’m called to do and not do...well, everything I’m doing. Are you with me?   This week, I heard a leader in my life frame his role...

For the past few months, our churches have experienced significant challenges. Our staff and volunteers have carried the weight of change, stress, and uncertainty. We’ve asked them to pivot and pivot and then pivot again. (I’m starting to think of the word “pivot” as a curse word.)  While I’m proud of how my church has adapted and grown, it has been stressful for our whole team. It’s been an exhausting season filled with uncertainty, and social distancing and remote work has put a strain on...

Many churches have started, or likely will soon be, returning to some form of in-person services. Something we’ve been wrestling with, that perhaps resonates with you is this: How do we provide a hospitable and inviting experience without shaking hands, being close to each other, hugs, trays of cookies, etc. Can it be done? I’ve been learning a lot from our director of hospitality, who has a ton of experience in the field. She describes hospitality this way, “Making people feel at home in your...

Have you ever had one of those, “How did I end up here?” moments? Before smartphones and Google maps, it used to happen to me almost every other day. Sometimes, we experience moments like this in life and ministry. We end up in places saying, “How did I get here? I never wanted to be in this spot.”   I’ve been spending a lot of time in Proverbs lately and, in particular, a story from chapter seven. The narrator of Proverbs gives us a story that sheds light on why we end up in undesired...

The last few weeks have been shocking and painful for so many. How as churches do we respond to the cultural upheaval? What’s our role? Answers to these questions may differ significantly for every church. In fact, I’m not going to tell you how I think you should respond in these moments. However, I do want to share a few resources that might be helpful as you and your church process how to think and respond amid the racial tension we are experiencing in America.   If you’re wondering what...

A few months ago, when the COVID-19 crisis first hit my region, I was always  on social media to stay up-to-date on the latest information. I don’t know about you, but I only open social media now when I have to. I think a lot of people are getting burned out from information.   So, what should your church’s social media strategy be when people are tuning out? Do we just shut it off and wait until everything settles back down?   I don’t think that’s the solution. What we likely need is yet...

This feels like a dangerous time, and not just because of COVID-19. I’m talking about division and how we treat each other.   There are a lot of tensions right now: racial, reopening our churches and economy, political tensions as we head towards another presidential election, etc.   Here’s what I know about my church: We are made up of Republicans and Democrats. We have people who diligently wear masks in public, and people who purposely don’t even own a mask. We have people whose businesses...

Like many of you, I’m part of a small group. We’ve been meeting together for over four years. Before COVID we met weekly for breakfast and these days we meet digitally over Zoom. This week, during our small group time, everyone was sharing how exhausted they were. One after another the theme was, “I’m exhausted and I need a break.” As I was listening, I was thinking to myself, “Wow.  Everyone is hitting the wall.”   Then, the next day, exhaustion hit me like a freight train. The weight of...

One of the essential roles of a leader is to provide clarity around vision and mission. This is important at all levels. Your people are looking to you whether you’re the senior pastor, children’s director, or a hospitality coordinator. We are leaders and we set the tone.   So, how do we provide clear vision with so much uncertainty? Most of us don’t even know when we will be allowed to gather in our church buildings again.   Kevin, a senior pastor I’m connected with, recently shared how he is...

Many churches are engaging in the same conversation right now. What does it look like to reopen our church building? This has been the main topic with our church leadership team this week. We see this as our “Chapter 2” response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Chapter 1 was broadcasting our church services exclusively online, preaching from our living rooms, and figuring out how to lead communion virtually. Chapter 2 is…well, we’re not 100% sure what it’s going to look like yet. We’re still working...