7 Keys in Hiring Pastoral Staff
One of the greatest constants in my ministry as a pastoral coach is walking with young ministers who are in transition, aka hiring or being hired. It is possible that the single most important decision a lead pastor makes is in the hiring of staff pastors: a poor choice can add dead weight, obstacles, or poison to a pastoral team and church. A wise choice can multiply mission, ministry, and life. So who to hire? How...
12 Great Quotes on Pastoral Coaching
Leading businesses have known for years that one of the keys to growth is a retained and trained leadership team. Fortune 500 companies invest heavily in their young leaders, knowing that the investment will reap rewards over and over again, not only in the business, but in the employee. Coaching is a key component of their program and success. Coaching was also a key component of Jesus’ “program” and success when he ministered on earth....
The 5-10-5 Rule & the Church’s Best Source of Growth
Several years ago, the magazine, "Inc." published an article that began like this: "... Businesses tend to spend so much of their time and money acquiring new customers that they often overlook their best source of growth: retaining and growing their existing customer base." Interesting! The best source of growth for a company is not in acquiring new customers, but in retaining and growing its existing customer base. It’s a principle as old as commerce...
Journey’s Favorite Vacation Destinations Part II
Our family of four was privileged to serve as missionaries to France and Belgium for many years. That meant that every one of our vacations was a European vacation. From our home south of Brussels, we could be in London before lunch, the Swiss border in five hours, Paris in three hours, Amsterdam in two hours – all by car. When we lived in Tours, France we could be almost anywhere in France within...
Special Vacation Edition: Journey’s Favorite European Vacations – Part I
Our family of four was privileged to serve as missionaries to France and Belgium for many years. That meant that every one of our vacations was a European vacation. From our home south of Brussels, we could be in London before lunch, the Swiss border in five hours, Paris in three hours, Amsterdam in two hours – all by car. When we lived in Tours, France we could be almost anywhere in France within just...
“The Covers Are Too Far Apart!”
I love to visit bookstores. Like my wife loves good chocolate, I love good bookstores. I walk in the door and my pulse quickens, my fingers twitch, and my eyes flicker like I’ve had ten Italian espressos. This is especially true of used book stores where X marks the spot for hidden treasure just waiting to be discovered. X definitely marks the spot in one of my favorite places in the world: the tiny village...
For Such a Time As This
Esther was an orphan. She had never known her homeland, only life in exile. Her nation had been conquered and its people carried off. She lived as a third-culture citizen: she was from neither here nor from there. Officially, she and her people were free to return home, but life in a foreign land was all they had ever known, so there they had stayed. All of this could have been acceptable to Esther and...
The List
Years ago pastors were expected to handle FIVE primary tasks, but studies today reveal that the number has swelled to SIXTEEN. This increase in primary responsibilities has at least TEN effects on pastors and churches: 1. The sheer number of tasks means the pastor does each task with less excellence and effectiveness; 50% of pastors admit they are unable to meet the current demands of their job; 2. The pastor has to labor longer hours...
Choosing the Right Pastoral Coach
At Journey Pastoral Coaching, we learn as much as those whom we coach. One of the essential things we've learned is that the optimum coaching experience takes place with someone you have personally known for a significant amount of time. This is true because the key factor of a meaningful coaching experience is a relationship of trust. Nothing else is even a close second. Building this relationship with a coach can take time, and, sadly,...© [2015] — Journey Pastoral Coaching