Clear Priorites

Drive Good Decisions

As XPs, our lives are a massive, interconnected web of relationships and responsibilities. We are faced with decisions nearly every waking hour of every day. From little things like "Which staff pastor should I take to lunch today?" "If I turn right at this traffic light, will I get to my... 

If Nothing Changes...

Nothing Changes

Change is hard.

No, I mean real change is really hard! Oh sure, we all dream, imagine or wish that something in our lives will be different or better tomorrow; but taking the steps necessary to make that happen...that's really hard! How many times have I used the statement that "insanity" is defined as doing the same thing over and over but expecting...

Living In The Hallway Is A Nightmare!

Recently I came across an uncommon word in my reading that I had never seen or heard before-"liminal". Adfter lookin it up, I discovered it is a great defination of a common condition we all...

Roles,

Responsibilities and

Decision Making

At some point in the life of many churches the roles and leadership responsibilities of the "staff" and "board come into question and need a thoughttful review.  This seems especially true in multi-staff non-denominational settings. In the early days of such churches, the vision alone is...

A Contrarian's Journey Through Staff Evaluations

I never would have called myself a contrarian until recently. Now I can look back and see the seeds of it being planted in my college years during the turbulent '60s. The school of architecture I was attending went through a radical shift, rejecting the design approaches of the past and, with a new sense of ethical responsibility, began a quest for more humane places of work and home. Attending that school also threw me head first into...

The One Thing You Need To Know

Quick...what's the single key difference between checkers and chess? Both have two players, alternating moves, the same board and both need advnced strategic thinking...now if you are already sying, "Hey, I know, it's obvious" then, according to Marcus Buckingham, Author of "The One Thing You Need To Know" you have an...

From Vision To Execution 

Wherever you go today, everyone is talking about vision. Vision is the current buzzword. It's the discussion in boardrooms in executive offices and in managment-consulting firms. It's the leading topic of discussion in synods and in board of elders meetings. Any good list of books about successful companies, leading practices, or management strategies focus on... 

Changing Our Church Name

Richland Bible Church is located in the small West Michigan town of Richland, about 9 miles northeast of Kalamazoo. The church was organized in March of 1983, when 75 people came together to form a new congregation led by Pastor William Sherbert. Later that year, the attendees voted to...