Articles on Staffing
Whether you have a staff of 3, 30 or 300, your staff leads the way in growing the church in your community. Having the “right people on the bus, in the right seats” is important for the health of your staff and church. Are you treating your staff right and helping them grow in their abilities and spiritual walk?
Is Your Church Eligible for the Clergy Renewal Program Grant?
In a grant landscape that can be challenging for faith-based organizations, Lilly Endowment stands out as a funder that provides some opportunities specifically for churches. One such grant is The Lilly Endowment National Clergy [...]
Keys to Successful Hiring and Firing—Part 2
The number 1 resource that Executive Pastors manage is human resources. The top two keys to stewarding human resources is how we hire and fire. In part 2 of this webinar, we will finish [...]
Keys to Successful Hiring
The cost of a bad hire could be up to $250,000! That figure is from to the Society of Human Resource Management, an expert HR organization. Say what?!? How can that be? When you [...]
Keys to Successful Hiring and Firing
The number 1 resource that Executive Pastors manage is human resources. The top two keys to stewarding human resources is how we hire and fire. In this webinar we will talk about the values [...]
10 Steps to Communicate a Pastoral Transition
The decision to let a pastor go is never an easy one. But once the decision has been made, it's important to handle the situation with grace, dignity, and respect. After all, this is [...]
Not the Fun Guy on Staff
Hey Fletch … I’m not the fun guy on staff. Do you have any ideas or resources for doing some fun or creative or helpful activities together that might help us? I’m thinking eating [...]
Fletch Answers Your Salary Questions
Bring your salary questions. This special episode is devoted to the issues that you raise. Bring your biggest headache, the hardest question or a common issue. See if Fletch can answer it. Our money [...]
Avoiding Succession Sins (or Potholes)
What has changed since Covid on Pastor Succession? What are the biggest mistakes and traps that do-it-yourselfers in this process tend to make? The webinar will address these topics and: How a church can [...]
Compensation: A How-to from the Salary Guru
Fletch knows church salaries! He will walk you and Mike through how to set compensation for your church staff. This will feature the just released Salary Forecaster 2025. The Forecaster is free and has [...]
Is There Life After Ministry?
Helping Staff Transition To What's Next A question that lingers in the hallways of church offices and in the hearts of some pastors is, "Is there life after vocational ministry?" We know ministry work [...]
When and How to Change Ministries
Questions to Consider Before and After You Decide to Leave Feuding Cripples Church— That headline was plastered on page 1 of the city newspaper. By a 17-6 margin, the deacons and trustees had voted the [...]
Five Reasons You Might Not Be Hired
You can learn from other’s mistakes. If you avoid these areas, the chances of a long-term successful career at your next church will be greatly improved. I recently had the opportunity to correspond with [...]
When the Ground Shifts: Understanding the Magnitude of Ministry Transitions
Growing up in Southern California had its constants—the eternally pleasant 75-degree weather, the ever-congested freeways, and the notoriously high cost of living that always seemed to outpace a pastoral salary. It also had its [...]
5 Ways to Protect Against Being a Bad Boss
There was a recent study that showed that two Walgreens stores had completely different success metrics and employee retention even though they were close to each other, had the same clientele, had the same [...]
Unleashing the Potential of Performance Evaluations
Performance reviews: Everyone knows they’re necessary. Almost all organizations have the expectation that employees will participate in at least an annual review—a few attaboys or some harsh scolding—that will motivate that employee through their [...]
Is There Life After Vocational Ministry?
When I was a pastor, I would have days where I thought I was the luckiest person on earth. Standing in front of a couple renewing their wedding vows, preaching a message I was [...]
Sabbaticals—Sayonara or Siesta?
Leading a church can be a 24/7 role. Even when taking a regular day off, stress can accumulate over the months. Many churches have instituted sabbatical policies to help their key leaders get needed [...]
The Two Biggest “Misses” in DIY Senior Pastor Succession Plans
Pathbreaker Pastors and their churches deserve to see ministry momentum multiplied through a planned pastor succession process. Sadly, that rarely happens with churches and pastors that do it themselves. Why is that? Dave Travis [...]
An Important Ingredient in the Hiring Process
Long before I entertained the idea of being on staff at a large church, I was asked by our Executive Pastor to go to dinner with a candidate for our open Children’s Pastor position. [...]
The Power of a Restorative Sabbatical
Pastor, could God use a sabbatical to re-energize your passion, realign you with His direction for you and your church, and restore your soul towards sustainability in the next season of serving? Let me [...]
This is the Perfect Season to Add a Residency
When resources are tight, and getting tighter, it could be the perfect time to add a residency to your staff team. Residency is a two year ramp towards full time employment that gives you [...]
Managing Creatives
Creative types are leaving the church. Many feel overworked, burned out or had unrealistic demands. The creative person is essential for your church and has a huge role to play in Christ’s kingdom. Some [...]
Letting Your Pastor Go: Without Destroying the Pastor or Your Church
Church transitions are difficult, but they don't have to be destructive. No one gets into church leadership to scatter the sheep. They often want the best for the church and its members, but the [...]
Marketplace Team or Ministry Family?
If you knew there was someone out there who could tell you your future, wouldn’t you want them to tell you? In my book Transitioning Well, I give a glimpse into a possible future and [...]