Church Leadership
![11 Self-Care Steps For Leaders Who Are Barely Holding On 11 Self-Care Steps For Leaders Who Are Barely Holding On](https://www-images.christianitytoday.com/images/116648.jpg?h=168&w=300)
Lately, it’s hard to remember what day it is.
Without the usual markers, one blends into the other in a confusing emotional haze.
My sleep is off, too. And with my sleep goes my ability to think and lead clearly.
You too? Yes, me too.
So how can we stay stable and sane in ...
![When You’re Trying To Lead Others, But You’re Barely Holding On When You’re Trying To Lead Others, But You’re Barely Holding On](https://www-images.christianitytoday.com/images/116395.jpg?h=168&w=300)
This is harder than I expected.
No, I’m not sick. And none of my loved ones are. So, for those of you who are sick or who are dealing with the illness or (God forbid) the death of a loved one, I cannot imagine your burden.
But even for those of us who are simply being asked ...
![Change Is Exhausting – Don’t Attempt It Without A Way To Recharge Change Is Exhausting – Don’t Attempt It Without A Way To Recharge](https://www-images.christianitytoday.com/images/114553.jpg?h=168&w=300)
Doing new things is scary. For some.
Doing new things is exciting. For others.
But even if you fall more into the second category than the first (as I do) doing something new is always exhausting.
And it’s more exhausting when you’re attempting to change something you’ve ...
![How Did Those 10-Year Vision Statements Turn Out For Everyone? How Did Those 10-Year Vision Statements Turn Out For Everyone?](https://www-images.christianitytoday.com/images/114303.jpg?h=168&w=300)
How many of my fellow pastors are prepping their 20/20 vision statements right now, I wonder?
It reminds me of what happened in 2010. Back then, there were a whole lot of churches, ministries and individuals promoting their 10-year plans for their 2020 vision.
The idea of having ...
![10 Principles To Get The Best From Volunteer Church Leaders 10 Principles To Get The Best From Volunteer Church Leaders](https://www-images.christianitytoday.com/images/92907.jpg?h=168&w=300)
Volunteer leaders are the backbone of the church.
This is true in churches of all sizes, but especially in small churches which may be led exclusively by volunteers.
After all, volunteers can quit at any time. And when they do, it actually frees up more of their spare time. So ...
![“We Only Need To Be Faithful” Can Never Be An Excuse For Ineffective Ministry “We Only Need To Be Faithful” Can Never Be An Excuse For Ineffective Ministry](https://www-images.christianitytoday.com/images/91898.jpg?h=168&w=300)
You don’t have to be a big church, you need to be a faithful church.”
I’ve said and written that, or some version of that, so many times I’ve lost count.
On the other hand, I’ve read and heard other Christian leaders say “it’s not enough ...
![The Distracted Pastor The Distracted Pastor](https://www-images.christianitytoday.com/images/91726.jpg?h=168&w=300)
Last week, I came across a wonderful Twitter thread. I asked the writer, Matt Henslee, if he would edit it into a blog post that I could use here. He had just done so for his own website, but he also gave me permission to pass it along to you. (Karl Vaters)
![Are You Called To Be A Small Church Pastor Or A Big Church Pastor? Are You Called To Be A Small Church Pastor Or A Big Church Pastor?](https://www-images.christianitytoday.com/images/91570.jpg?h=168&w=300)
Some pastors are called to do ministry in a big church. But most are called to small church ministry.
So how do you know which one you’re called to? Is there a way to figure this out without trying and failing at one or the other?
In my decades of personal ministry experience ...
There’s something very freeing about letting go of the need to perform.
Even when our goal is something noble.
Recently, I had the chance to observe this in a very tangible, personal way.
I was speaking at a conference to a bunch of pastors – mostly from small churches ...
![This May Be The Most Disruptive, Counterintuitive Truth In Church Leadership Today This May Be The Most Disruptive, Counterintuitive Truth In Church Leadership Today](https://www-images.christianitytoday.com/images/90817.jpg?h=168&w=300)
Great ideas are disruptive.
They don’t follow common wisdom.
But after you hear them, you often think, “of course! How did I not see that all along?”
In church leadership today, there’s no more common wisdom than this: if your church is not increasing in ...
Read More from Karl
![Small Church Essentials: Field-Tested Principles for Leading a Healthy Congregation of under 250 Small Church Essentials: Field-Tested Principles for Leading a Healthy Congregation of under 250](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41qsejNasDL._SL500_.jpg)