What do Zappos, Apple, Chick-fil-a, Starbucks, and the Container Store all have in common?
Well, yes, they all are crazy successful, but what else? Give up?
They all contain a culture of authenticity. Employees at each of these companies are known for consistently conveying a genuine love for the company and generally resonate with the company’s core values. Continue Reading >
This blog post caught my eye: 9 Reasons NOT to Plant a Church. It suggests that the church planting movement has missed something along the way.
While the author raises some valid concerns which question the validity of church planting, I still believe it is one of the most effective ways we can continue to engage people in community and expand the Kingdom. Can we learn from mistakes, improve our strategies, and make a greater impact in the years ahead? Absolutely! Do we need to scrap the whole concept of church planting as the author hints? Heck no!
Rather than trying to refute his arguments, I’d like to tap into David Letterman’s comedic genius and create my own Top 10 list as to why we SHOULDN’T plant church. Continue Reading >
Most leaders don’t intentionally do it. It just happens. The shift is so subtle that we hardly even notice it until the signs appear that we’ve lost touch with the people that we lead. Over time…
Church planting is harder than ever. As David Kinnaman points out in 3 Reasons Why Leading Is Harder Than Ever, we aren’t battling other churches as much as we are battling a culture in transition.
David points out three trends he discovered in his research: anti-institutionalism, accelerated life, and increased expectations. The risk in planting churches is great, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a viable way we can grow the Kingdom and engage this world with the gospel. I want to offer some encouragement to those who call themselves churches planters: Continue Reading >
Jenni Catron is one of those people I pay attention to. She has earned her way as a practitioner in local church ministry as executive director of a very influential church, Cross Point Church. She is also deeply invested in helping leaders grow to be more effective in their work.
The Leadership Distinctive outlines are thoughts on the difference between a leader, influencer, or manager. I’ve never really separated those words before, so it was a good exercise for me follow her line of reasoning. In my own life, I can see myself filling those three distinct roles. Sometimes it’s my responsibility to make a decision and move a team forward. Sometimes it’s my responsibility to encourage others to reach for a goal that seems beyond their ability. Sometimes it’s my responsibility to make sure all the boxes are checked and things get done. All of these roles are important. But as Jenni points out, they’re not all leadership. Continue Reading >
Will Mancini is not only a friend but one of the most respected leaders in the church space. I’m grateful he takes my calls and am excited about new opportunities for us to collaborate and work together. He’s even been helping the leadership team at Church Community Builder become clearer and more specific about who we are and where we are headed. His process will exhaust you, but it’s so worth it. We want to be good stewards of the resources and opportunity God gives us to help churches make better disciples and multiply their Kingdom impact.
In Great Vision, Bad Execution, Will outlines six reasons why great vision won’t help you achieve the results you want in your church. Two of them stood out to me: Continue Reading >
