“I have seen many men work without praying, though I have never seen any good come out of it; but I have never seen a man pray without working.” — James Hudson Taylor (May 21, 1832 – June 3, 1905) was a pioneer in reaching the unreached for Christ. He was unlike any other missionary of the 19th century (or … Read More
Between Doing And Delegating – The Essential Step To Overcome Pastoral Burnout by Karl Vaters
You can’t do everything yourself. And you can’t delegate tasks to people who haven’t been discipled. They have to be equipped first. When it comes to leading people, many pastors fall into one of two opposite traps. Doing everything themselves, or delegating tasks to people who don’t do them well. Many pastors swing wildly between the two. Here’s why. What … Read More
Living a Fully Engaged Life: The Ultimate Demonstration
Jesus is the ultimate demonstration of God’s engagement in our lives. He is the visible representation of God’s engagement. God sent Jesus to live a perfect life, to die on a cross for our offenses, and then to be raised from the dead–all so that we could be in relationship with him and have new life, both here and in … Read More
Don’t Miss the Last Church Systems Boot Camp of the Decade!
You’re one of the first people to hear this — it’s some pretty big news about this year’s Boot Camp. This will now be my eighth year leading the Church Systems Check-up and Boot Camp. And what I want to share with you is, it will be the last Boot Camp of the decade. That’s right, the next one after … Read More
Maximized Systems = A Maximized Church
Have you ever held a newborn baby? Have you counted tiny fingers and toes or watched a little chest move up and down, drawing breath for the first time? That baby may be a bundle of joy for his parents, but, in reality, he’s also a bundle of something else. He’s a bundle of perfectly formed, intricate systems that are … Read More
Tired of Routine Tasks? Here Are 4 Ways to Handle Them With Efficiency
Most average pastors have at least one area in which they struggle to “touch it once”: physical mail, cleaning, email, clothes, cleaning. If you recognize yourself in any of these examples, you need to learn the Touch It Once technique. It’s simple: when you see a small, routine, or mundane task that needs to be done, just do it. Do … Read More
People Rejoice Over Godly Leaders
“When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan.” — Proverbs 29:2 (NLT)
Hudson Taylor on the Great Commission
“The Great Commission is not an option to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed.” — James Hudson Taylor (May 21, 1832 – June 3, 1905) was a pioneer in reaching the unreached for Christ. He was unlike any other missionary of the 19th century (or arguably any other century) and led missions in China that are still … Read More
3 Keys to Ministry Outside the Bible Belt, from Facts & Trends
Born and raised in the heart of the Bible Belt, Vance Pitman never imagined he’d be ministering in “Sin City,” but that’s exactly where God led him. A mission-minded pastor, Pitman had been doing ministry in the South. As he read Scripture one morning—Luke 4, to be exact—something stopped him dead in his tracks. “I saw some stuff in Jesus … Read More
Help Your People Use Their Spiritual Gifts to Serve Others and Experience Significance
You were born with unique gifts and talents; you need a place to make sure those gifts and talents are being put to their highest and best use. The local church provides an environment in which you can use your gifts and talents for the benefit of God and others. This is part of God’s plan for you to experience … Read More