In the last article, we explored the idea of ministry bottlenecks. Like a traffic jam caused by one narrow chokepoint, churches often slow down not because everything is broken, but because one part of the …
How to Find and Relieve Ministry Bottlenecks
Have you ever been in a traffic jam? Traffic gets backed up for miles and moves at a snail’s pace, adding a half hour to your trip. When this happens, it is usually not because the …
The Importance of Campfire Stories
When I served as a counselor at Camp Roger, a camp in Rockford, Mich., we would head out each week for a night in tents. After dark we gathered around the fire and told stories. …
Facing Reality: Deep Hurt and Fragile Unity
Today, we are concluding a series of newsletters naming and responding to the most common challenges churches are facing today. This week, we will address a daunting challenge, deep hurt and fragile unity in the congregation. …
Facing Reality: Blurry Vision
In this series of newsletters, we have been naming six challenges churches today cannot ignore. Today, we’ll turn to the fifth challenge, blurry vision. In many churches, pastors, staff members, office-bearers, and volunteers are working harder …
Facing Reality: Leadership Pipelines Running Dry
At the end of 2025, we named six challenges churches today cannot ignore. After naming and facing reality, we can begin to meet these challenges head-on — both prayerfully and strategically. We have already discussed the first …
A Look Back: Fresh Ideas From 2025
This year, we shared many ways to help your church take bold steps of renewal. Below are ten fresh ideas we think are worth re-visiting as the year comes to an end! Ten Fresh Ideas …
How Pastors Can Beat Burnout
The difficult work of church renewal can push pastors into burnout. If you feel like you’ve hit a wall, it doesn’t have to be the end of your ministry. It can be the beginning of a new chapter …
What Causes Pastors to Burn Out?
The work of church renewal can be exhausting! If pastors give without being replenished for long enough, the body will eventually say, “Enough,” and burnout will set in. Last week, we began a series on burnout by looking at …
Warning Signs of Pastor Burnout
About two in five pastors may be at high risk of burnout, according to a recent study. On the heels of Pastor Appreciation Month, let’s acknowledge that we live in a time when 42 percent of pastors say they have …