Strategy

Buffer 3-5 massive screens were in the front of the room. People were packed in. As far as I could see there wasn’t an empty seat in the entire room. (You know something important is about to happen when you notice behavior like this.) The host church dimmed the lights. Loud music began. A young, hipster looking worship band came out ... Read More »

Buffer Growing churches face challenges of scale, reproducibility, and health. What got you where you are won’t get you where you want to go (to an extent). You start to rethink how you are doing church in hopes of doing things in a way that will yield not only different but greater results/impact. But not all churches are growing. Not ... Read More »

Buffer Your church is going somewhere. The question is: where? Do you know? The reality of pastoral ministry is that we all get busy. It is very easy to get immersed in all that must get done. Anyone can convince themselves of the need to do many good things. But are we doing the right things? Over time, all ministries drift ... Read More »

Buffer I have no aspirations of becoming a web designer, nor do I consider myself an HTML code expert. This post isn’t necessarily for the tech-loving types (although they may benefit). Ever wonder what plugins are worth installing on your WordPress website or blog? Many plugins exist and are publicized; however, you may get stuck in the blur of knowing which ones ... Read More »

Buffer Where there is no vision the people perish. (Prov 29:18) So, why is it that very few leaders and organizations effectively cast vision? Or even better said: why is it that even fewer leaders consistently drip vision out to their people? If we’re honest, most leaders have never been trained in the importance of vision clarity – nevertheless how ... Read More »

Buffer Stop measuring things that don’t matter. Start measuring what matters. Yesterday at the Willow Creek Association Global Leadership Summit, author, speaker, and former CEO of HP Carly Fiorina (@CarlyFiorina) reminded everyone about the importance of measuring. Today, the topic came up heavily in the morning sessions here in Chicago as well. The basic truth: we measure what matters. A few important questions ... Read More »

Buffer My back hurt for 6 days straight. That’s not true. It hurt for more like 10 days. Shoveling snow rarely happens in the south. We recently relocated to the Chicago area. We’ve now learned, not only how difficult shoveling snow is, but the value of preparation. Let me explain.   A friend warned me to never let snow sit ... Read More »

Buffer Imagine a day when your drinking water comes from the air. You read that right. Not everyone gets their water from the ground. A technology company in Peru recently wanted to innovate. They needed to create a new billboard but also saw an opportunity to help people. In their region, people struggle due to limited rain. They try to ... Read More »

Buffer Why Not? That was my first thought as I saw Amazon’s video about their new approach to delivering products: Amazon Air. If you haven’t heard, Amazon has been asking the question, “why not?” regarding delivery of their products via a drone like airplane. Yes. You read that right. Amazon is looking to use drones to deliver your next book ... Read More »

Buffer What does a cow and a chicken sandwich have in common? Most people who live in North America can easily answer that question. Many people around the world may be able to as well. Chick-Fil-A undoubtedly has some of the most creative marketing I have ever seen. It is also some of the simplest marketing. But sometimes I don’t think Chick-Fil-A ... Read More »