Connie Jakab talks about being a brave leader but has noticed people who usually don’t see themselves as leaders: people like parents (even though you’re only raising the next generation), teachers (who only have influenced everyone you see today), and entrepreneurs (who bring new ideas to solve problems and lead change in our world). Here’s how she moved past fear.
What changes are you planning in the future? Don’t stay where you are. Keep moving forward. Make sure that as you change, you navigate through some of these challenges in a healthy way. Whenever we implement change, we can either underestimate or overestimate how complicated it can be.
How can you reach more families with young children? Many churches struggle with this question as they find that they are an older congregation or they think they don’t have the volunteer capacity to reach out to families. Here are some simple ways you can reach families with young children that won’t cost you a lot of money and utilize a lot of volunteers.
How many hours a week are you in your community? I encourage pastors to allocate 5 hours a week to be in their community, connecting with non-believers and building bridges of connection to people not a part of the church. Here are some ways to get out of your office and into your community.
Are you a solution provider in your community? Churches often see themselves as "providers of religious goods and services" in the place where they are located. They relegate themselves to society's "faith and religion" aspects and do their best to stay in their lane. However, the Church of Jesus Christ is called to make an impact on the world it is a part of.
What are some practical and fun things people in our congregation do to focus on the sacred aspects of Christmas? An influential pastoral role at Christmas is helping families pay attention to the sacred, spiritual dimension of the holidays. Leonard Sweet’s book, Dance the Soul Salsa, calls on people to mezuzah their lives, meaning to make mundane moments sacred.
What is the best action I can take to increase giving before the end of the year? The last 31 days of the year are usually prime time for generosity. In fact, 30% of charitable giving is done in December. Individuals and business owners are looking for ways to use their discretionary resources—one way to make the ask.
What kind of strategies will help me break the 100 barrier, and why I should care? The 100 Opportunity is just that – an opportunity to get unstuck, reach people, grow yourself, and your church. We all know that attendance is not the be-all and end-all of church. However, it is one part of the character of your church. Some leaders see 100 in attendance as a “barrier,” but it really is an opportunity. An opportunity to spur congregational prayer, community impact, and make new disciples. Isn’t that what you pray for?
Is your church stuck? Do you find yourself in the tension of organizational structure and relational equity? Once you decide to focus on these seven things, you can begin to work and develop them as you go forward. The blend of organization and organism embedded in each of these areas will keep you growing in numbers while also growing in depth of relationship and commitment to Christ.
Do you manage your time well? Time management is a key component in effective leadership for pastors. Unfortunately, this is an area that many pastors struggle with. The nature of ministry is relational and entrepreneurial; these are often tensions that pull at one another. Is it possible to get things done and develop relationships with people? Here’s a look at how you can excel in managing your time.
How well can you lead changes in your church or ministry? Organizational change is inevitable. Unfortunately, it’s not easy. The true test of any leader is their ability to lead change in an organization. Pastors must lead change. They must lead it well. Here are five things you can do to lead change well.
We are called to spiritual maturity (Hebrews 5:14, Hebrews 6:1-2). There is an expectation that Christ-followers will start out as spiritual infants and mature over time. But a key element of maturity is not our age. There are many believers who are older in years but act very spiritually immaturely. This is because we have erroneously defined maturity as “tenure”. When really, spiritual maturity is about reproduction.
We all get the job description for Christians – “Go and Make Disciples” (Matthew 28:19). But the question I often get asked is, “How do you make disciples?” This is a great question and one that the church in North America hasn’t answered very well. We’ve made attenders and singers and listeners, but I wonder about our ability to make disciples.
Hope can always be found, even if it takes some time to find it. The hope of the resurrection exists for all of us. It is the job of the Church to proclaim this truth especially in the public arena of mental health. Churches are called to become communities of freedom and healing. The Sanctuary Course will help you build such a community.
