Church leadership. Articles and resources for pastors and lay leaders on leading small and rural churches effectively.
Most small church pastor searches take 12-18 months. Most search committees expect 3-4 months. That gap is where most searches go wrong. Here is what to actually expect, month by month.
Most small churches cannot afford a full-time pastor. That is not a failure. It is a reality that has several workable solutions. Here is how to evaluate your options honestly.
Most small churches do almost nothing to onboard a new pastor. They announce his arrival, hand him the keys, and expect him to figure it out. Here is what to do instead.
The candidating weekend tells you how someone preaches. The interview tells you whether they will last in your specific context. Here is how to interview for rural fit, not just pastoral competence.
Most church profiles fail to attract bi-vocational candidates because they were written for full-time pastors. Here is how to write one that speaks directly to the bi-vocational pastor you are actually looking for.
A year’s worth of youth group devotion ideas, one for every week. Each includes a Scripture, a big idea, a discussion question, and a practical application for the week.
A lock-in is one of the most powerful youth ministry tools you have. It is also one of the easiest to waste. Here is how to run one that students will actually remember.
The right question opens a conversation that a lesson cannot. Here are 50 discussion questions organized by topic that actually work in small youth groups.
Rebuilding Trust After a Painful Pastoral Departure A painful pastoral departure leaves a congregation wounded and skeptical. Here is how
The Shared Staff Model How two small churches can afford one great ministry leader, and how to structure the arrangement