DW

Redeemed by His grace. In love with Makayla. Father of my sweet girl, Colette. Family Pastor at Redeemer City Church. Doctor of Ministry @SEBTS

[DW @Drewwatermann]

The Greatness of God in Salvation:

-HE saves us: God saves us from the penalty of sin.
-HE sanctifies us: God is saving us from the power of sin.
-HE glorifies us: God will save us from the presence of sin.

[Dane Ortlund @daneortlund]

For those who asked, these are my 39 preaching rules through which I run every sermon.

[Luke Simmons @lukedsimmons]

A few ideas on how to make more small groups better.

1. Let some groups recruit their own people. If a group can build with people who already enjoy each other, that's great. (This is how I did my group)

2. In the assimilation process, pay attention to fit. We have a leader who is involved the whole way and keeps a pulse on the current groups. This helps avoid putting people in groups that are unlikely to work. Don't let idealism blind you to reality.

3. Encourage groups to do some kind of retreat, camping trip, etc. Relationships can often forge in a deeper way in one weekend than in a year of weekly meetings.

4. Acknowledge publicly that they are just OK. Part of why groups feel disappointing is because leaders over-promise. When we set the right expectation, it's actually more enjoyable for people.

5. Don't appoint weird people to lead. Sometimes there are godly, smart, Bible people who are socially weird. They want to lead groups, but those groups almost always end up awkward.

[Luke Simmons @lukedsimmons]

It's possible to craft solid, insightful, and practical sermons in 8 hours or less.

Here's an hour-by-hour breakdown of how to do it: 🧵

[Brad Whitt @DrBradWhitt]

Five Ways To Celebrate Wins On Your Team

One of the greatest responsibilities of leadership—especially in ministry—is to keep your people encouraged. Nobody thrives under constant criticism. Nobody grows when their work is taken for granted. And no one wants to serve long under a leader who never notices their effort.

That’s why great leaders don’t just drive their teams toward goals—they stop and celebrate along the way. Coaches don’t wait until the championship to clap for their players. They cheer when someone scores a touchdown or drains a three-pointer. They know that celebration fuels motivation.

The same is true in ministry. What gets celebrated gets repeated. If you want your team to be faithful, fruitful, and focused on the mission, you need to make celebration a normal rhythm of leadership.

But here’s the caution: you can’t celebrate when someone hasn’t done what they were supposed to do or accomplished what needed to be accomplished. You certainly can’t celebrate when little to no effort has been made toward the goal. Doing that undermines and erodes your leadership and breeds resentment in the rest of the team.

Celebration is powerful precisely because it is tied to effort, faithfulness, and fruit. When you celebrate rightly, you lift people up. When you celebrate wrongly, you cheapen the work and damage trust.

That’s why we need a clear, intentional approach to celebrating wins. Not just hype. Not empty applause. Not “everybody gets a trophy.” But the kind of encouragement that actually builds people, strengthens teams, and glorifies God.

So how do you do that in practical, meaningful ways? Let me give you five proven ways you can begin celebrating wins on your team this week.

1. Tell the Story Publicly.
Stories inspire. Data informs, but stories move people. When something good happens in your ministry, don’t keep it in a report—tell the story.

In staff meetings: Begin with, “Who’s got a win to share?” When people share victories—big or small—it lifts the room. Everyone leaves encouraged and ready for the next challenge.

In church services: Highlight moments of God’s work. Share testimonies of salvations, baptisms, new families, or answered prayers. Don’t just announce events—celebrate the results.

In social media or newsletters: Show the church body what God is doing through His people. A photo of volunteers serving, with a short caption about their faithfulness, inspires others to get involved.

And remember, affirmation doesn’t always need to be long or elaborate. Sometimes the simplest words carry the deepest encouragement. A simple and heartfelt, “Way to go. You did a great job!” goes a long way.

Jesus celebrated stories publicly. He called attention to the widow’s offering (Luke 21:1–4). He marveled at the centurion’s faith (Matthew 8:10). He rejoiced when the disciples returned from their mission trip (Luke 10:17–20). When you tell the story publicly, you multiply encouragement and reinforce the values you want your team to embrace.

Framework: Notice the win. Name the person. Narrate the impact.

Pitfall to avoid: Don’t only celebrate the “big” wins. Small stories of faithfulness need telling too.

2. Write It Down.
Words spoken are powerful, but words written last. A handwritten note is still one of the most meaningful ways to celebrate a win.

Keep a stack of cards in your desk. When you see someone serving faithfully, jot a few lines: “Thank you for greeting at the door yesterday. Your smile and welcome made a difference for first-time guests.” Or, “I saw you staying late after VBS to help clean up. That servant’s heart is exactly what Jesus loves.” Or, “I know you had a big goal to meet, and you did. That’s awesome!”

It doesn’t have to be long. It just has to be personal and specific. People will forget a text. They might skim over an email. But a handwritten card often gets tucked into a Bible or pinned to a bulletin board. I’ve had people tell me years later that they still have a note I wrote them.

Paul modeled this. Read Romans 16—he names name after name, thanking people for their service. Those names are still remembered 2,000 years later because Paul wrote them down.

Framework: Be timely. Be specific. Be personal.

Pitfall to avoid: Don’t make it generic. “Thanks for all you do” is polite, but “Thanks for the way you led that small group discussion—it opened the door for three people to share their testimony” is powerful.

A note may take two minutes to write, but the encouragement can last for years.

3. Celebrate with Food and Fun.
You don’t need a seminary degree to know this: people like to eat. Some of the best memories and relationships are formed around a table.

When your team has pulled off a big event or endured a demanding season, reward them with food and fellowship.

- Bring donuts to the office on Monday morning after a big Sunday.
- Take your staff out for a team lunch after Easter.
- Host a volunteer appreciation dinner, inviting families to join.
- Order pizza for the youth leaders after a long weekend retreat.

In the Old Testament, God built celebration into the life of His people through feasts. Why? Because food brings people together and reminds us to rejoice in His goodness (Deut. 16).

You don’t have to spend a fortune. The point isn’t extravagance—it’s intentionality. A Chick-fil-A biscuit says, “I noticed. I appreciate you. Let’s enjoy this moment.”

Framework: Schedule it soon after the win. Keep it simple. Make it fun.

Pitfall to avoid: Don’t let celebration get swallowed by the next thing on the calendar. Slow down long enough to enjoy the moment together.

When you feed your team, you fuel your team.

4. Give a Token of Appreciation.
Sometimes it helps to put something tangible in someone’s hand to mark the win. A small gift doesn’t have to be expensive—it just has to be thoughtful.

- A ministry-related book. (With a handwritten note inside.)
- A framed photo from the event.
- A gift card to their favorite coffee shop.

And here’s where I’m a big believer: match the size of the gift to the size of the win. Smaller, everyday wins might be celebrated with a $5 or $10 gift card—just enough to say, “I see you. I value you. Way to go.” But when someone goes above and beyond, give a larger gift that communicates, “This was significant, and I want you to know how grateful I am.”

It’s not about the dollar amount—it’s about the meaning behind it. When your team sees that you notice not only what they do but the level of sacrifice it required, they feel deeply valued. And that fuels more of the same faithfulness.

Framework: Thoughtful > Expensive. Match gift to win. Add a note.

Pitfall to avoid: Don’t make it transactional. Gifts should communicate gratitude, not bribes for future performance.

Little wins deserve little gifts, but big sacrifices deserve big thanks.

5. Celebrate in Prayer.
The ultimate way to celebrate is to give thanks to God. Every win is His work. Every fruit is His harvest.

- In staff meetings, pause and pray after a story is shared.
- When a volunteer tells you about a breakthrough, stop and pray with them on the spot.
- In worship, lead the whole church to give thanks for what God has done.

Paul constantly celebrated wins in prayer. “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you” (Philippians 1:3). He turned reports of faithfulness into thanksgiving and intercession.

When you celebrate wins in prayer, you remind your team of two things:

- They’re not serving for you—they’re serving for the Lord.
- The glory belongs to Him, not us.

Framework: Stop. Thank. Redirect glory.

Pitfall to avoid: Don’t make prayer an afterthought. If you only pray at the end as a “wrap-up,” you’ve missed the chance to make it the centerpiece.

Celebration without prayer is pride. Celebration with prayer is praise.

Conclusion
When you lead a team, you’re not just managing tasks—you’re shepherding souls. And shepherds know that sheep need encouragement. Wins are worth celebrating not just because of what was accomplished, but because of who God used to accomplish it.

And remember: you can’t celebrate when someone hasn’t done what they were supposed to do or accomplished what needed to be accomplished. You certainly can’t celebrate when little to no effort has been made toward the goal. Doing that undermines and erodes your leadership and breeds resentment in the rest of the team.

So tell the story. Write it down. Share food and fun. Give a token. Pray with thanksgiving. Do it regularly. Do it intentionally. Do it joyfully.

Because here’s the truth: uncelebrated wins fade away, but celebrated wins multiply. And when celebration becomes your culture, people don’t just stay—they thrive. They know their work matters, their pastor cares, and their God is glorified.

Every “way to go” is more than good manners—it’s ministry.

#leadership #pastor #pastoralministry #pastoralleadership #churchministry #churchleadership #teamwork #fivethingsbook

[Brad Whitt @DrBradWhitt]

Five Things for Recruiting Leaders and Volunteers

Church ministries rise on recruiting and run on volunteers. Whether it’s the nursery, the choir, student ministry, small groups, or outreach, every ministry depends on the faithful service of people who give their time and energy for the sake of Christ. When you get this right, ministries move forward. When you get it wrong, they stall—or worse, they slide backward.

Here’s the truth: when you have to start paying people to do what volunteers used to do, you may not be dying, but you are definitely going backward. Because volunteers aren’t just free labor—they are the lifeblood of ministry. They are the body serving the body, just as God designed.

And we must never forget: we’re in the people business. Ministry is not ultimately about programs, schedules, or buildings. Those are tools. The real work is people—knowing them, shepherding them, involving them, engaging them, and reaching them. That’s why I often remind our team: “Our job is to recruit, train, mobilize, and encourage.”

That's why in this chapter we’ll focus on the first piece—recruiting—because if you don’t recruit well, nothing else in that process can happen. And here’s the sobering reality: when we fail to recruit and deploy leaders and volunteers, we don’t just leave a hole in ministry—we rob people of the opportunity to serve, to grow, and to use their God-given gifts and passions.

Here are five things every pastor and leader must remember when recruiting for ministry:

1. Pray First and Create a Job Description
Recruitment begins on your knees. Jesus commanded, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (Matthew 9:37–38).

Before you ask anyone to serve in preschool, in the choir, or on the welcome team, ask God to raise them up.

But prayer must be joined with clarity. Vague appeals like, “We need more help in children’s ministry” rarely move people. People want to know exactly what they’re being asked to do. When you are unclear, you make it hard for them to picture themselves serving.

That’s why every ministry needs simple job descriptions. These don’t have to be fancy. Just write out clear, concise expectations that answer four questions:
- Who is needed?
- What will they do?
- When and where will they serve?
- Why does this role matter for involving, engaging, and reaching people?

At a previous church we had been asking for “help in the nursery” for months, and nobody responded. Finally, we wrote a short job description: “We need one adult to rock babies during the 11:00 service, once a month, so parents can worship freely.” Within a week, three ladies volunteered. One later said, “I didn’t even know what the need was until you explained it.”

A clear description doesn’t just recruit—it dignifies the role. It shows the volunteer that what they’re doing matters for the gospel.

2. Look in the Right Places.
The people you need are already in your church—you just have to know where to look. When the early church faced a crisis in Acts 6, the apostles didn’t hire outsiders. They told the people to choose from among themselves those who were full of the Spirit and wisdom (Acts 6:3). The solution was already in the room.

Here are some of the best pools for volunteers:

- Faithful Attenders – The ones who show up regularly are usually ready to step up in ministry (Luke 16:10).
- New Members – They’re eager to belong. Service engages them quickly and secures their connection.
- Students and Young Adults – Trust them early, and they’ll grow into strong leaders (1 Timothy 4:12).
- Families of Current Leaders – A choir spouse may thrive in hospitality. A youth parent might make a great small group host.
- Recommendations from Trusted Leaders – Ask your most dependable leaders, “Who do you see God’s hand on?”

Too often we think we need to go far and wide to find workers. The truth is, God has already planted them in our pews. Recruiting is about seeing them and inviting them.

3. Match by Gifting, Desire, Experience, and Personality.
This is where recruiting either succeeds or collapses. Paul described the church as a body with many members, each with different functions (Romans 12:4–6). Every part matters, but every part has a different role. When you put the wrong member in the wrong place, frustration follows—for them and for the church.

Think through four simple filters:

- Gifting – Teachers belong in classrooms, not parking lots. Administrators shine in organizing, not greeting guests.
- Desire – Passion is a clue to calling. If they light up talking about students, don’t waste them on spreadsheets.
- Experience – A schoolteacher may thrive in kids’ ministry. An accountant might strengthen the finance team. A coach could energize youth ministry.
- Personality – Extroverts thrive in greeting or choir. Introverts may flourish in tech or behind-the-scenes service.

Volunteer Fit Checklist:
* Does this role line up with their spiritual gifts?
* Does it connect to their passions and desires?
* Does their past experience equip them for it?
* Does their personality suit the environment?

Misplacing people frustrates them. Failing to invite them keeps them from discovering their gifts at all. But when you match them well, you open the door for joy, growth, and long-term service.

4. Ask Personally and Support Well.
The number one reason people don’t serve? Nobody ever asked them. Announcements rarely get results, but a personal invitation almost always does.

Sample Ask Script: “John, I see how friendly you are with people. You have a gift for making others feel welcome. Would you pray about serving as a greeter once a month? I believe God could really use you there.”

That kind of invitation communicates value and vision. It says, “I see something in you that God can use.”

But the ask is only the beginning. Nothing discourages a volunteer faster than being thrown in with no training or support. Equip them. Pair them with someone experienced. Check in often. A supported volunteer becomes a long-term servant.

I once asked a young man to help with youth. He was eager but nervous. We paired him with a veteran leader. Six months later, he was leading his own group. Today he’s serving in ministry. That never would have happened if we’d just thrown him in alone.

Recruitment without support is exploitation. Recruitment with support is discipleship.

5. Celebrate and Multiply.
Ministries thrive when volunteers feel valued. They decline when volunteers feel invisible. Celebrate your nursery worker. Honor your Sunday School teacher. Thank your choir member. Write notes. Share stories. Let them know their service matters.

Celebration not only encourages—it multiplies. When volunteers feel appreciated, they invite others to join them. When leaders invest in training replacements, ministries don’t just survive—they grow. Paul told Timothy, “The things that you have heard from me… commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2). That’s multiplication in action.

One of our youth leaders was publicly thanked in a Sunday service. The next week, another parent came and said, “If you need more help, I’d like to serve too.”

Celebration breeds multiplication.

Every celebration says, “You matter. What you do matters. And God is using you to advance His kingdom.” That kind of culture draws people in and keeps ministries moving forward.

Final Word:
Church ministries don’t rise on preaching alone, on programs alone, or even on budgets alone. They rise on recruiting and they run on volunteers. Paychecks can’t replace passion. Staff can’t substitute for the saints. And, again, when you have to start paying people to do what volunteers used to do, you may not be dying, but you’re definitely going backward.

But even more: failing to recruit and deploy leaders and volunteers isn’t just a leadership gap—it’s a discipleship failure. When you don’t invite people into ministry, you rob them of the opportunity to serve Christ, to use their gifts, and to follow their passions in ways that grow them and bless others.

Because, and I can't say this enough, we’re in the people business. Our job is clear: involve people in ministry, engage them in the life of the church, and reach more people with the gospel. Recruitment is not about keeping programs afloat. It’s about advancing the mission of Christ and unleashing God’s people for His glory.

So recruit prayerfully. Write clear job descriptions. Place people wisely. Support them faithfully. Celebrate them joyfully. Every time you recruit a volunteer, you’re not just filling a spot—you’re shaping a disciple, engaging a family, and reaching a community. That’s the work that keeps ministries moving forward in strength.

#pastor #pastoralministry #pastoralleadership #churchleadership #churchministry #churchlife #fivethingsbook

[Brad Whitt @DrBradWhitt]

Five Things for Developing a Leadership Pipeline

"The growth and development of people is the highest calling of leadership." — John C. Maxwell

Great leaders don’t just attract followers—they develop leaders. That’s the legacy we’re called to leave behind.

One of the greatest gifts a pastor can give his church is not simply good preaching or faithful shepherding (though those are essential), but a consistent, intentional development of future leaders. It doesn’t happen by accident or wishful thinking. And it certainly can’t be outsourced to a conference or a curriculum. If you're called to pastor, you're called to raise up leaders. A healthy church isn’t built on the back of a superstar, but through the investment of that leader in others who will carry the gospel farther than he ever could alone.

Here are five things I believe every pastor should focus on when developing a leadership pipeline in the local church.

1. Start With Who You Have
You don’t build a leadership pipeline with who you wish you had. You start with who God has already given you. David didn’t recruit mighty men from other kingdoms; he discipled the distressed, the indebted, and the discontented (1 Samuel 22:2). These weren’t the elite. They were discouraged, broken men hiding in caves. But under David’s leadership, these same men would eventually become known as David’s mighty men—courageous warriors listed by name in 2 Samuel 23. Men like Benaiah, who killed a lion in a pit on a snowy day, and Eleazar, who stood his ground when others fled. They didn’t start as heroes—they were developed into them.

Get to know them. Watch who shows up. Pay attention to who takes initiative. Ask: Who volunteers without being asked? Who lingers after the service? Who brings others with them? These are seeds of leadership.

Start small. Invite two or three into a monthly breakfast or coffee group. Read a short book on leadership together. Ask questions and listen. Pray with them. Give them room to grow.

Encourage them to lead in their current context. Whether it's organizing a team, facilitating a devotional, or coordinating an event, leadership starts small. Forward progress in leadership begins with faithfulness in small things.

2. Create a Culture of Development
Leadership development should be the air your church breathes. It doesn’t mean everyone is called to be a pastor, but everyone should be expected to grow. From greeters to small group leaders to deacons, everyone should know that they are being poured into so they can pour into others.

This starts with expectation and language. Regularly communicate from the pulpit: "We're not just trying to grow a crowd; we're seeking to grow people." Shift the conversation from "What can I do?" to "Who can I raise up?"

Create on-ramps. Have a next-step card or QR code for those who feel called to ministry. Offer "exploring ministry" nights once or twice a year where they can hear from seasoned leaders and ask questions.

We’ve seen this work through mentoring young couples, discipling summer interns, walking with pastoral residents, coaching small group leaders, and training worship leaders. It’s not just about giving people something to do—it’s about shaping who they are becoming. Mentoring isn’t a program; it’s a posture.

Use tools like the PLACE assessment, DISC analysis, or spiritual gift inventories to help identify people’s natural abilities, passions, personalities, and God-given wiring. These tools help clarify direction, build self-awareness, and allow you to match people with the right roles in ministry. When someone understands how God has uniquely shaped them, they’re more likely to serve with joy and confidence—and that leads to forward progress.

Train your staff and key leaders to see leadership development as their primary job. I teach our team to focus on four key responsibilities in ministry leadership: Recruit, Train, Mobilize, and Encourage.

Recruit: Constantly be identifying and inviting people into opportunities to serve and lead. You’re always building the bench.

Train: Equip them with the vision, tools, and skills they need to succeed. Don’t just assign—develop.

Mobilize: Release them into real responsibility with purpose. Let them lead, not just assist.

Encourage: Walk with them, cheer them on, and speak life into them along the way. Leadership grows best in a culture of affirmation and support.

This rhythm—Recruit, Train, Mobilize, Encourage—keeps the leadership pipeline flowing and healthy.

And don’t underestimate the value of access. It’s incredibly important for those being developed into leaders to have regular opportunities to ask questions and spend time with higher-level leaders. Whether through roundtables, ride-alongs, or monthly leadership lunches, proximity leads to growth. When upcoming leaders sit across the table from someone they respect, they not only learn ministry—they learn maturity, humility, and vision.

Celebrate growth publicly. When a student leads worship or a young man preaches for the first time, celebrate it from the platform. That creates a culture where people begin to believe, "If God can use them, maybe He can use me too."

3. Be Intentional, Not Accidental
Hope is not a strategy. If you want a leadership pipeline, you have to plan for it. Set aside time weekly or monthly to gather potential leaders. Teach them theology, train them in leadership, and give them opportunities to serve. Use real-life ministry situations as your classroom.

Structure your development process around tangible benchmarks. A healthy pipeline includes exposure, engagement, and empowerment.

Exposure: Bring them into staff meetings and leadership discussions. Let them shadow you and your team. Give them visibility into how ministry decisions are made.

Engagement: Assign real tasks. Let them lead a small group, plan a ministry event, or organize a training. Give them ownership within structure.

Empowerment: When they’ve proven faithful, give them responsibility that stretches them. Let them lead leaders. Let them make mistakes. Just don’t leave them alone in it.

Track progress. Keep notes on what they've led, how they’ve grown, and where they still need help. Leadership development is stewardship. What you don't track, you can’t multiply.

4. Let Them Lead Before They’re Ready
This might make some of us nervous, but it’s critical. If you wait until someone is 100% ready to lead, they'll never lead. Jesus sent out the 72 knowing they were still rough. Peter preached Pentecost weeks after denying Christ. The early church grew because leaders were developed quickly and released with accountability.

Give young leaders real responsibility. Let them teach, lead, plan, and fail. Have them organize a training, preach a Wednesday night message, or lead a prayer service. Set boundaries, but give them a long leash.

Walk with them in the process. Provide feedback loops and regular check-ins. Schedule debriefs: What worked? What didn’t? What would you do differently next time? Growth rarely happens without reflection.

Failure isn’t final. In fact, it’s often the forge God uses to shape resilient, humble, Spirit-led leaders. Let your church be a safe place to fail forward. That’s where future leaders are forged.

5. Model What You Want to Multiply
You can’t reproduce what you don’t live. If you want servant leaders, be a servant leader. If you want faithful Bible teachers, faithfully teach the Bible. Your pipeline will reflect your priorities.

Leadership is more caught than taught. Invite others into your life. Let them see how you prepare your messages, how you handle criticism, how you pray with your spouse, how you handle pressure. Your life is their most powerful classroom.

Be honest about your journey. Share your past failures and current struggles. Show how you’re growing. Leadership development isn’t about creating polished performers; it’s about forming authentic, faithful disciples who lead others with integrity and love.

That’s forward progress—living out what you want to see grow in others.

Final Thought: Leadership Is a Long Game
A church with a leadership pipeline isn’t built in a day, but it is built daily. It requires prayer, patience, and a long view of ministry. It requires what I call "forward progress"—a consistent, intentional movement toward gospel-centered maturity and mission. Forward progress doesn’t always mean big leaps. Sometimes it’s just showing up, asking good questions, taking the next small step, or failing forward with grace.

Leadership development doesn’t require perfection, just progress. But when you look around years from now and see men and women you poured into leading ministries, planting churches, and making disciples—you’ll realize it was more than worth it.

Remember, Jesus didn’t build a platform. He built people. So should we.

#pastor #pastoralleadership #leadership #pastorlife #churchleadership

[Luke Simmons @lukedsimmons]

This year we started doing something at church that has become one of the most life-giving parts of my month.

We call it an "ownership lunch."

Here's a little bit about how it works & why it's so valuable.

How it works:

1. About a month in advance, we invite 10-12 highly committed people to come have lunch with me and a few of our pastors.

2. We cater a simple meal (slightly elevated quality — not over the top, but not burgers & hot dogs).

3. Four rectangle tables are set up in a square so everyone can see and hear each other.

4. After everyone is served, we go around the circle and people share: (1) what they do during the week, (2) how they are involved at church, and (3) one thing the church has meant to them.

5. Then I share for about 5 minutes about some things that are coming up and vision for the next season. This is usually more off-the-cuff than scripted, though I'm certainly intentional about it.

6. Then we open it up to any questions. "Is there anything going on that you've wondered about or that would help to have more information on?"

7. We have a card where we collect a prayer request from each person at the end and commit to spend the next month praying for them.

8. We schedule it for 75 minutes and be sure to end on time, but many people end up lingering.

Why it's so valuable:

• It's a great window into how God is at work — we inevitably hear things we didn't know that are an evidence of grace.

• It reconnects me to my calling — as people share what the church has meant to them, I always hear things that remind me why I'm grateful to have planted the church and love pastoring it.

• It deepens relationships with people who are too easily be taken for granted — the squeaky wheels usually get the grease (in the form of new and going-through-junk people). But I don't want to take these folks for granted.

• It honors people who deserve honor — people always feel honored to get an unexpected invitation to this, and it's a sweet way to love and honor some of our best people.

• It connects & networks people into new relationships — in a large church, not everyone knows each other. But everyone leaves with more layers of connection and possible friendship.

• It forces me to keep casting vision — I know I'll have a moment where I'm expected to share about where we're headed. That pressure keeps me looking ahead.

—

I highly recommend this kind of experience, especially for any pastor leading a church of 300+ people.

Every single time I leave it thinking, "I love these people, and I love my job."

I also want to thank the team at Lakepointe Church who introduced this idea to me. It's been a profound gift this year.

Follow me @lukedsimmons for more tools and resources for healthy pastoral ministry.

[Luke Simmons @lukedsimmons]

Want to stop hearing complaints that "I'm not being fed" or "it's not deep enough"?

10 ideas:

1. Do fewer topical series & more sequential exposition

2. Call the topical series "theology" series

3. Stand for a pre-sermon Scripture Reading

4. Take communion weekly

5. Stop using the Bible as a launching point & instead explain, argue from, and apply THIS text

6. At least every 4-6 weeks, give a textual, historical, or cultural insight that most people haven't heard before

7. Use an iPad or touchscreen to "mark up" the text in front of people

8. Add some liturgical elements to the service (Nicene Creed, Lord's Prayer, etc.)

9. Preach on some tough texts or unpopular passages

10. Invite people into 40-day or 90-day challenges that stretch their faith

BOTTOM LINE:

Most people with this complaint aren't totally crazy or nitpicky (a few are). Rather, they are responding to the reality that IT'S NOT VERY DEEP OR INSIGHTFUL. Substance trumps sizzle, even for seekers.

[Caleb Morell @calebmorell]

Mark Dever finishes ever @9Marks weekender conference by talking about nine things he does to seek to raise up and develop leaders.

Here’s all nine 👇

🧵🧵

[DW @Drewwatermann]

@calebmorell @chbcdc Yes! Could you please share these with me as well? [email protected]

[Luke Simmons @lukedsimmons]

My advice to a first-time lead pastor:

1. Accept that you are the spiritual & relational thermostat of the church. Individuals will certainly be more godly than you. But in a mysterious way, you will set a tone that will permeate the congregation as a whole. So raise your game when it comes to reliance on Jesus.

2. Arrange your weekly calendar to prioritize your most important responsibilities. A reactive approach to time management crushes many lead pastors. Identify where you make the biggest difference and make sure you give those activities enough time.

3. Lean hard into disciplines of renewal (sabbath, retreat days, vacation). The job is a black hole. Always more you could do. Renewal rhythms are crucial for not letting it crush you.

4. Invest in personal & professional development. A counselor, coaching, and training in key skill areas are worthwhile investments for the future — and provide a key network when things get off track. The best athletes invest the most in coaching. (also this often pays for itself)

5. Get fluent in all things money-related. You must learn how budgets & cash flow work, how to read financial statements, how to raise funds, key stats on giving, and — most of all — how to talk comfortably about money in all settings.

6. Improve your preaching. One of the main ways you lead the church is through the pulpit. Don't mail it in or rely on your gifting. Be a craftsman who is always growing, learning, seeking feedback, and getting better.

7. Level-up your management. Everything they taught you in seminary is the fun stuff (preaching, counseling, disciple-making). But what eats your lunch is managing staff and volunteers. Read a bunch by Patrick Lencioni or take a course from @dklineii.

8. Spend consistent relational time with your elders. The relationships among this group will profoundly shape the church. Build relational capital now so that when crisis points hit, you have lots of trust banked up.

9. Make it life-giving for your wife & kids. Some days and seasons are hard. But you don't have to kill your family to have a strong ministry. Figure out how your wife wants to be involved (or doesn't), and cultivate that dynamic. Include your kids in the fun stuff of ministry.

10. Toughen up, but don't get hardened. You'll know way more ick in the lead chair, and you'll field way more complaints. You've got to get thicker skin. But be careful! A hardened heart will make you cynical. Make this your prayer: "God, give me a soft heart and a steel spine."

—

Jacob, being a lead pastor is a huge privilege and joy. God bless you as you begin this endeavor!

Follow me @lukedsimmons for more pastoral ministry resources.

[Luke Simmons @lukedsimmons]

Preachers, looking for a good illustration to help drive home the good news on Easter?

Here are a handful of my favorites:

[Luke Simmons @lukedsimmons]

Preachers, still looking for some insight for your Easter sermon?

Here are my 15 all-time favorite Easter quotes:

[Luke Simmons @lukedsimmons]

One pastor said, "I had become a full-time pastor and a part-time Christian."

That's called losing your soul.

It's too common in church leadership, but doesn't have to be.

15 STRATEGIES FOR KEEPING YOUR SOUL

1. Connect regularly with God — as a Christian who needs him (not primarily as a pastor or sermon-prepper)

2. Prioritize solitude — my favorite definition is from Cal Newport: “time spent free from the input of other minds”

3. Rigorously practice weekly Sabbath — rest to pray, play, and intentionally lay down any striving

4. Spend time with real friends — people who don’t really need you as their pastor

5. Identify your personal warning signs & invite input — give trusted people permission to point out areas of concern.

6. Invest in counseling — an experienced person to help you process limits, losses, and the wear-and-tear of life.

7. Use every minute of vacation — it’s not lazy (“a lumberjack never wasted time sharpening his axe”)

8. Develop healthy pressure release valves — the pressure will come out one way or another, so intentionally decide for it to come out in good ways

9. Create sweet personal & family practices for Christmas & Easter — these are moments to practice being a private Christian, not just a public pastor

10. Don’t let other people decide what is an “emergency” — their emergency is rarely your emergency

11. Regularly practice retreat days — time to zoom out, take inventory, & invest in yourself

12. Create a folder of ministry implosion stories — read and review this annually as a warning to your soul

13. Develop a plan for intentional sabbaticals — this will be healthy in the long-run for you, your family, and the church

14. Structure your week with margin — you can’t red-line forever

15. Put “developing leaders” on your job description — it’s the only way to build a sustainable ministry that doesn’t depend on you

—

Follow me @lukedsimmons for more resources to help you have a faithful & fruitful ministry that endures.

I'm pulling for you!

[Truth Vindicated @TruthVindicated]

Speaking of sermon prep times, I am really struggling lately. I find myself sitting in front of the blinking cursor more often than not. I can't seem to get all my thoughts organized.

Any tips from other pastors on how to get over a mental block like that?

[Luke Simmons @lukedsimmons]

20 years ago today I began in full-time ministry.

It was a dream come true. And it's been a wild ride.

HERE ARE 20 REFLECTIONS ON 20 YEARS OF MINISTRY (and they're fairly random):

1. Everything hinges on your spiritual health, and you are responsible for it. The #1 job is to be close to Jesus. You have to put your oxygen mask on first.

2. Few people will insist on your spiritual health, so treasure those who will. Most folks will assume you're fine (and then be horrified if you fall). A few will know that being in ministry doesn't guarantee maturity. Invite them to speak into your life.

3. Ministry can be a rich blessing to your family. The key ingredients: a church that provides a good salary & benefits, has reasonable expectations of your time, and — even more — a culture that lets them be themselves & not have to perform.

4. Ministry is a black hole of things that are never "done." There's always more to do, one more person to help, one more idea that could be pursued. You must learn to handle the unfinished nature of it.

5. You must learn how to manage your own time & energy. The open schedule is awesome. But it will crush you if you don't figure out how to manage it.

6. Perhaps the biggest danger over time is cynicism. People you love hurt you. People claim one thing but live another. Even when it goes well, it's easy to know "why it worked." Prayer is the crucial antidote.

7. You can't rely on a flood of inspiration; you have to dig a well to draw from. Sometimes the Spirit gushes with fresh insight or ideas. But when he doesn't, you must have dug a well through reading & learning.

8. If it's not written down, it doesn't exist. Ideas, plans, sermons, resources, & strategies that only live in your head will have a very short shelf life. But if you write it down you can pass it on & continue to leverage it down the road.

9. You need to cultivate & treasure friendships with people who don't need your ministry. Dang, this is a hard one. Especially when you hit mid-life and start craving connection, you'll want "real friends," not "deal friends."

10. It's really good to do ministry with your friends. Some people say you shouldn't be friends with your ministry colleagues. I think that's crazy. Ministry friends can't be your only friends (see #9), but it's way more fun if you enjoy the people you're serving with.

11. Brainstorming is fine, but bringing a proposal is better. More often than not, the best ideas come when you get away and work on a proposal for the team to interact with. It gives something concrete to improve, refine, or even reject. But constant brainstorming feels like going nowhere.

12. Most small groups are OK at best — and that's OK. I started as a small groups intern & then pastor. I was always looking for the silver bullet to make groups better. Time has told me that most groups are pretty "meh." But they're crucial — especially when life gets really hard.

(BTW, here's how I approach being in a group as a pastor: https://t.co/z0PJaW0rpF)

13. When you empower people to do the stuff you hate, it's a gift to them. You assume that nobody would want to do the stuff you hate doing. But some people are wired to love it. You have to learn to ask & empower them to use those gifts.

14. Hiring a coach rapidly accelerates your development. Free mentors are awesome. But investing money to work with a coach puts more skin in the game. As a result, you're more intentional and more committed to growing.

(Practically, it also pays for itself. Here's how: https://t.co/YSGQnx680T)

15. You don't need to be a scholar, but you should be able to swim in the deep end of the theological pool. Fluency in the Scriptures & church history requires not shrinking from deep thinkers. You don't need to live there, but you should be able to visit. It will give you confidence and wisdom — and help you refute error.

16. Heartache is coming, so humble yourself and get a counselor. Much of ministry is about how you handle your limits & losses. It will crush you if you don't get help processing the grief. Some recommendations:

https://t.co/1mxUkMZC4y
https://t.co/OMReulzMnu
https://t.co/xX1F2uGLmN
https://t.co/Ri8dc68FeP

17. Repent of trying to be God. Most pastors try to be everywhere, know everything, and do it all. The theological words for that are omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent. That's God's job — trust him to do it. (See Zack Eswine's must-read book, The Imperfect Pastor)

18. A good sign of church health is vitality in the student ministry — so invest in it. The next generation infuses the church today with energy & sharpens the missional focus. It's a huge deal and needs to feel like it in the church.

19. Few things matter more than the culture you create. The culture of your ministry will shape things more than almost anything. And it will live beyond you.

(Here are five crucial activities for shaping culture: https://t.co/FkEnD584EZ)

20. You are always interim. Life is a vapor. Your ministry won't last forever. Do your best and invest in those who will carry the torch when your time is up. Hold it loosely. And enjoy it — it's a privilege.

—

Thanks for reading. Follow me @lukedsimmons for more stuff like this.

Also, join my email newsletter where I send out free coaching and encouragement to more than 3,000 pastors: https://t.co/wfuySsAEbA

[Brad Whitt @DrBradWhitt]

Five Reasons I Manuscript My Sermons

1. Clarity. Writing out my sermons gives precision. As Begg says, "Write yourself clear." It's the difference between saying, "The precious spilled blood of Jesus" and "The precious shed blood of Jesus." Words matter.
2. Brevity. On Sunday morning, I preach three times in 3.5 hours with a 20-minute drive in between. I know that I have 28 minutes for my sermon. Manuscripting my sermons helps me stay within my time needs, communicate what I need to communicate, and avoid chasing rabbits.
3. Intentionality. Writing out my sermon avoids redundancy. We all have our usual way of saying things, getting into our sermons or making transitions. Writing it out helps me notice those habits and "ticks" and switch it up occasionally.
4. Repeatability. If a sermon is worth preaching once, it's worth preaching twice. So, I manuscript my sermons not so much for the first time as for the next time. This also ensures I don't lose my research or forget illustrations. (R.G. Lee preached his famous sermon, "Payday Someday" over 1000 times.)
5. Posterity. My sermon manuscripts are books waiting to be published and are a legacy of my ministry for my children.

BONUS: I learned to manuscript my sermons by looking at the sermon notes of my mentors Adrian Rogers and James Merritt. Rogers's early sermon notes were much simpler than his later notes. I believe this is because of #5 and maybe #1. His sermon notes have since been turned into books and resources by LWF. Merritt's sermon notes have always been pretty full and developed. I was influenced in my early years much more by how he does it than anyone else.

#preaching #expositorypreaching #pastoralministry #churchlife #pastor #textdrivenpreaching

[Matt Smethurst @MattSmethurst]

Flattery: saying to someone’s face what you’d never say behind their back.

Gossip: saying behind someone’s back what you’d never say to their face.

(via Kent Hughes)

[Stephen Rummage @StephenRummage]

The first and last 2 or 3 minutes of your sermon are vital.

Here are 12 simple techniques for strengthening the beginning and end of your message to make your preaching impossible to ignore or forget.

[Ligon Duncan @LigonDuncan]

My social media strategy:

1. Relentlessly encourage, edify & inform.

2. Ignore trolls, mockers & slanderers into oblivion.

3. Starve dissensionists, narcissists, & errorists of the attention they crave.

4. Point people to sound people & resources.