Business vs Spiritual Side of Church Leadership
Thursday, January 3, 2019
Hey Fletch … I’m a new XP and struggling with this dichotomy of business and spiritual aspects of what I do. The rest of the pastors get to focus on ministry all […]
For-Profit Background
Wednesday, December 19, 2018
Hey Fletch … A friend referred me to you. I’m currently working as a CFO of a church but that is coming to an end soon. I have lots of for-profit experience […]
Every Church’s Business Environment is Complex
Whether a church has 100, 1,000 or 10,000 people, the business of church is complex. According to industry research, there are approximately 300,000 churches in the United States. Of those 300,000 ninety percent have around […]
Books on Church Administration
Wednesday, July 25, 2018
Hey Fletch … I’m teaching a course on church administration and am looking for a good, current textbook. Any suggestions? Most I’ve come across are at least 5 years old. Thank you!
DRF—Here […]
Preaching Excites Me but Administration is My Gift
Tuesday, July 17, 2018
Hey Fletch … I really appreciate the advice you recently gave me. I’m sure you get lots of emails from inquisitive folk! I have another question. The thought of preaching excites me, but […]
Was an Elder, now I’m an XP
Saturday, June 2, 2018
Hey Fletch … I have been an elder in our church for many years. Just last month, I became the new executive pastor. What are some of the major things that I […]
Business Guy Doesn’t Know Church
Saturday, April 21, 2018
Hey Fletch … We hired an XP about a year ago and he is killing us. He is gruff, direct and all business. He doesn’t get what it means to be a […]
Transition to Ministry after 30 Years in Government Service
Thursday, March 29, 2018
Hey Fletch … Good morning! I am searching for a church that has leadership development as its culture and focus. I just finished a seminary degree in Virginia Beach, VA and am […]
Modern Day Matthews—Transitioning from the Marketplace into Ministry
“You are destroying the church I love!” “You are not a godly man and I hate you!” “Sometimes I do not understand the way you think!” “You are making my church too corporate!” After you […]
From Business Executive to Executive Pastor
A variety of paths can lead to the role of executive pastor (or executive director) in a church. One of the most common is the businessperson who is already a volunteer leader in the church […]
Organizing Selectively
“To organize or not to organize? That is the question.” While this may be a bad take-off on Shakespeare, it’s a key issue for second chair leaders. One possible response to this question is, “Don’t bother […]
Leadership Challenges of Leaders in Industry and the Church
Throughout my many years of ministry, I have had the opportunity to coach executives of Fortune 500 companies and church leaders. My vantage point is fascinating; I enjoy the challenge of identifying best practices that […]
Not for the Faint Hearted …
My first ninety days as an Administrative Pastor at my church was not for the faint hearted. Take your pick of the more interesting opportunities for growth that I experienced in my new position in […]
Before even opening this book, the title caught my eye. Whenever we think of words with the prefix “re” before it—words like review, rewind, re-do—we automatically 
Executive Pastor or Administrator?
An examination of hundreds of responses to the Executive Pastor Indicator (which has become the People Patterns Indicator) documented some of the differences between Executive Pastors and Church Administrators. Many churches have both of these […]
A Biblical View of Administrative Leadership
Church administration is an organizational approach that translates the purposes of God revealed to church leadership into effective ministry that reaches the unique goals and purposes of the church. Administration is ministry, not methods; people, […]
Leading with a Business and a Ministry Response
Here’s the situation. Your giving to the General Fund is down, not to mention missions and other special giving. Some of your people are losing their jobs, and many others are in fear of that […]
Strangers in a Strange Land: The Corporate Refugee
We are truly “strangers in a strange land.” In Robert A. Heinlein’s Hugo Award winning science fiction novel by that title, the main character, Valentine Michael Smith, returns to Earth as an adult after being raised on […]
A Different Church Organizational Structure
As the Executive Pastor of our church, (a non-denominational, evangelical, contemporary-styled church) I was the first person our Lead Pastor came to with his idea of adding two other staff members that would serve at […]
Moving from Secular to Sacred Employment
Working as a Town Planner, my work often varied and was rewarding as I helped shape and establish existing and new communities. After thirteen years and working for four different local government authorities, I had […]
From Business Executive to Executive Pastor
In 2000, and after only a few months without a Senior Pastor, Woodinville Alliance Church made a “coup” in the pastor-hiring category. In 2004, Mary Jammerman began as Executive Pastor at Woodinville … in October of that year, Senior Pastor […]
Changing Hats: Moving from Business to the Executive Pastor Role
Every year at the XP-Seminar, I ask, “How many of you came from the business world?” In 2005, about 25% of the XPs raised their hands; by 2008, over 50% said “yes.” Current estimates are […]
Every Church Needs a CFO
I once heard a good definition of a CFO: “Someone who solves a problem you didn’t know you had in a way you don’t understand.” There is some truth in this statement. However, in actuality, […]
The Business of Church
There is a distinctly business-like aspect to overseeing a church: churches have assets to manage, employees to pay, and members who rightfully demand accountability for their financial contributions. The business side of church leadership is […]
Deep Change in Organizational Culture
Because I have an interest in organizations, I often have an eye out for signs of excellence, or lack thereof, in my everyday dealings. It becomes apparent when there is an obvious emphasis by an […]
From Corporate America to Full-Time Ministry: My First Six Months as an XP
Andrew Behm went from working in the business world to being the Executive Pastor of the church he had attended for years. Below are accounts of his joys and struggles during his first 26 weeks […]
The Role of Social Networks and Interpretation in Planned Organizational Change
David Fletcher ran into Dr. Booth’s paper while attending a class at the Kellogg School of Management. Measuring change is tough in a church and yet so necessary, considering how much change occurs! This is […]