HomePastorsPastor How To's

Pastor How To's

Pastors and Pay: A How-To Guide for Negotiating Your Salary

It seems awfully unspiritual to talk about the pastor salary, especially during the candidating process. But our rejection of greediness does not constitute a vow of poverty. Here are a few thoughts, especially if you’re considering a pastoral transition.

How to Start Your Thanksgiving Diet

Why wait until the fourth Thursday of November? Our Thanksgiving diet can begin today, by meditating on his goodness and giving thanks.

Eugene Peterson: The Jesus Way Vs. The American Way

Eugene Peterson thinks Jesus as the truth gets far more attention than Jesus as the way. Discover the Jesus Way.

A Foolproof Guide to Identifying Your Pastoral Leadership Style

Job satisfaction—to say nothing of missional effectiveness—results from knowing your pastoral leadership style and thriving in it. Do you know where you fit into the mission? 

9 Reasons We Don’t Invite Our Friends to Church

"As I have traveled the world, I have yet to find an invitational church," says Michael Harvey.

How Can We — Should We — Motivate Bible Reading ?

Whatever else goes into the mix of a personal devotional life, being exposed to the Scriptures is a critical ingredient.

Comparison Is the Thief of Joy ? No, It’s Worse . . .

What of comparison is WORSE than the thief of joy?

R.C. Sproul – We All Struggle to Read the Bible

R.C. Sproul - Once you understand the basic framework, you are much better equipped to overcome the struggle to read the Bible.

Francis Chan: What Is the Key to Unity in the Church?

Unity in the church is important. But so is not compromising the truth. Francis Chan wants to know: How do Christians pursue unity without compromising the essential doctrines of the faith?

Teamwork – The Cure for Most Bad Decisions

Slower decisions are often better decisions. If you feel the tendency to make a quick decision, (especially in something high-stakes), do yourself a favor and embrace teamwork. Let the team you down.

5 Words You Should Ban From Your Church Core Values

A mistake I often see in a list of church core values: many of the items aren’t core values. It’s not that the items are evil or bad, the problem is their list of core values tells you almost nothing about who they are as a church.

How to Deliver a Sermon – 9 Preaching Tips

Effective preaching is more than just about what you say. It’s also about how you say it, and not every preach knows how to deliver a sermon.

5 Strategies for Summer Church Services

I’ve been peppered in recent weeks with questions about summer church services and how to address the summer slump in attendance. Here are some ideas:

Coping With Disapproval – A Pastor’s Guide

A disapproving facial expression stirs up the flight-fight part of our brain and heightens anxiety, even more than an angry facial expression does. I’ve experienced those disapproving looks and have learnedabout coping with disapproval.

Pastors, How Do We Protect the Flock ?

One wolf in a sheep pen can ravage the whole flock. The same is true in the church. One false teacher in the congregation can cause untold damage. An essential component of pastoral leadership is the call to protect the flock.

Run 4 Experiments This Summer to Help Find Changes in the Church This Fall

Summer Church Experiments - Rather than looking for the “perfect” strategy for your church, it’s better to consider your practices as a series of experiments with changes in the church and then watch the results.

How to Perform a Wedding Ceremony: The Pastor’s Complete Guide

When it comes time to officiate a wedding ceremony, don't be caught off guard. Here are all the things you need to know about how to perform a wedding ceremony.

This Is No Time for Generic Preaching

Generic preaching can create all kinds of pain, especially when we are vague about the expectations we have of other people. I believe clarity counts for a lot in the arena of preaching.

Four States Of Transition Management

What is missing from nearly every change process is transition management. It’s helpful to understand why a change process isn’t sufficient for most change efforts.

12 Sticky Issues Facing Pastors’ Wives

Viewing pastors wives as a “second-class” citizen is hurtful, not to mention sinful. There are no easy answers other than loving them strongly and caring deeply for them—being sensitive to the pressures they are also experiencing being in the ministry.

‘The Church Is Called To Salt, Not Sugar,’ Says Pastor John...

John Amanchukwu Sr. serves as the First Assistant to the Senior Pastor and the Youth Pastor at the Upper Room Church of God in Christ in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Andy Bannister: How Pastors and Churches Can Stop Living as ‘Undercover...

Dr. Andy Bannister joins “The Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast” to talk about how pastors and church members can share their faith boldly, strategically, and without fear.

Pastor How To's