11 Top Blog Posts from 2015 by Brad Bridges

2015 has come to a close. As you anticipate the new year ahead, you may be reflecting on your 2015 and what things you have to celebrate, be grateful for, and learn from.

I’ve composed a list of the some of my most visited blog posts for you to check out from the past year… in case you missed them the first time or want to check them out again.

11 top blog posts from 2015 by Brad Bridges

11 Top Blog Posts from 2015 by Brad Bridges

1. 9 Characteristics of a Leaderless Church

These 9 characteristics of a leaderless church should motivate you to assess your ministry, make personal changes, and then serve as a catalyst to address these areas in your church. As a church leader, God has sent you to your specific community and you have an opportunity make your church unique. Take bold steps to lead by modeling what you want to see throughout the church in the weeks, months, and years ahead…
<<READ FULL POST HERE>>

2. 25 Ways to Encourage Your Pastor

You may find yourself frustrated with pastoral behavior in pastors like Creflo Dollar requesting funds for a private jet, but I still see many reasons to provide resources like this post on “25 Ways to Encourage Your Pastor.” Simply put: pastors do a lot for their church, for their communities, for their families, and ultimately for God. A lot of what they do goes unnoticed. (Although God obviously sees it all.)
<<READ FULL POST HERE>>

3. 10 Reasons You Need to Get Up Early Every Day

If you know me at all, you’re probably shocked by that headline. I used to be someone who always preferred to stay up late at night, then sleep late in the morning as well. I do, however, believe there is quite a bit of evidence to support the decision to get up early before others.
<<READ FULL POST HERE>>

4. 15 Essential Quotes from Bill Hybels – Global Leadership Summit

Bill Hybels is one of best visionaries I’ve ever heard speak. The Global Leadership Summit takes place at Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago, IL, each fall. Read these Bill Hybels quotes to grow as a leader (and don’t forget to share them with your team).
<<READ FULL POST HERE>>

5. 9 Public Speaking Tips for Leaders

Public speaking tips are something everyone who speaks in public could use. In general, public speaking scares the life out of most people. If you speak to audiences regularly, you know how much time goes into preparation. I can’t tell you how many pastors I’ve heard talk about the how difficult it is to preach a new message every Sunday.

As I’ve attended many conferences, worked with many businesses, and visited many other non-profit civic organizations and churches the past few years, I’ve noticed many areas of public speaking where leaders, like yourself, could make minor improvements and see significant results. This list will prepare or reinforce for you the best practices in public speaking for leaders of all backgrounds.
<<READ FULL POST HERE>>

6. 10 Coaching Questions Every Leader Needs to Ask

Ask these coaching questions of yourself. Go through them with your team. No matter what you do, pursue clarity around what you are trying to achieve, how you’ll get there, and how you’ll know and measure that you did in fact deliver the intended result or arrive at the intended destination. If you use these coaching questions regularly, you’ll be encouraged by the changes that come about as long as you stay committed to execution.
<<READ FULL POST HERE>>

7. Top 10 Ways Churches Retain First-Time Guests

Guest retention matters. You need to not only plan for guests, but also determine how you will retain those guests. Churches that do this tend to do a much better job integrating those guests into the life of the church.
<<READ FULL POST HERE>>

8. 7 Ways to Begin Your Speech with a Bang

People listen to you with their eyes before you even begin to speak. People listen with all their other senses before you, as a speaker, even begin to talk.

So how in the world do you have a chance to influence their opinion, if they’ve already formed it before you speak? The answer might surprise you…
<<READ FULL POST HERE>>

9. Top 5 Church Social Media Trends in 2015

The culture today is constantly changing. In order to make the most of every opportunity, we need to grow and make adjustments along with these changes. We also need to evaluate the way we “do Church” by looking through the lens of social media and technology. In doing so, we may find increased retention, a growing populace, and many more ways to expand the Kingdom for His glory.
<<READ FULL POST HERE>>

10. 26 Innovative Community Outreach Ideas for Pastors

If you hope to impact your community, you have to take the time to serve your community. Does it sound easier than it looks? These innovative community outreach ideas for pastors looking to engage their community are intensely practical, easy to utilize, and examples from pastors all over the country. Take a look and see what outreach ideas might work for you, your leadership team, and your congregation.
<<READ FULL POST HERE>>

11. 15 Most Common Mistakes Churches Make

Over the last few years I’ve noticed some common mistakes churches make. We are all guilty of these…I know I am. It is easy to get into a comfortable rhythm that ignores opportunities to impact our neighbors, to improve a church’s focus, or to more strategically align church vision with ministry realities.
<<READ FULL POST HERE>>

How do you plan to address any of these topics from the 11 top blog posts from 2015 by Brad Bridges? Let me know if I can be of any assistance in meeting some of your goals for 2016. I’d be happy to walk alongside of you to help you propel your leadership and career forward.

You can also contact a member of our team at the Malphurs Group to retain a pastoral leadership coach for 2016 or request an on-site church consultant for creating your church-wide strategic plan with vision clarity to get you to 2020. Our team utilizes Dr. Aubrey Malphurs’ industry leading church strategy and operations roadmap coupled with training about what makes your church unique, how to design a leadership pipeline, and the essentials for cultivating a disciple-making culture in your church.