Spouse Travel and Expenses
Friday, December 28, 2018
Hey Fletch … Our senior pastor is going to a conference and purchased a ticket for his wife as well. I don’t have any policies regarding spouse expenses. Suggestions?
DRF—The bottom line is […]
How to Review the Elders, Senior Pastors and Staff
Friday, December 21, 2018
Hey Fletch … Our church doesn’t have a clue about how to do reviews. We want to review our Elders, Senior Pastor and staff. Can you help us?
DRF—The place to begin on […]
Understanding the Pentecostal Movement
Friday, December 7, 2018
Hey Fletch … I am in a search of understanding “The Pentecostal Movement.” Can you tell me about that movement? Is there a website or something I can read to learn about […]
Calls from Angry Church Members
Hey Fletch … I’m new to dealing with church relationships. Sitting in the Director of Finance chair, I receive calls from disturbed congregants. I struggle […]
New Leaders and New Decisions
Wednesday, November 7, 2018
Hey Fletch … We are bringing in a new leader to a ministry area in our church. We are hoping that this new person can bring fresh insight and make needed decisions. […]
External Investigator for Sexual Misconduct
Saturday, November 3, 2018
Hey Fletch … I read the “Hey Fletch” column about a policy for handling accusations against a pastor. At the end you said, “I would add to these a policy statement on […]
Do Not Harden Your Hearts in Rebellion
Friday, October 26, 2018
Hey Fletch … I need your help with Hebrews 3:12-15. I think God, through the writer of Hebrews, is warning against unbelief and hardness of heart. Is there a better way to […]
Announcements for Benevolence Offerings
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
Announcements for Benevolence Offerings
Hey Fletch … I read the recent “Hey Fletch” column about the benevolence offering for the woman with cancer. I get that donations cannot be earmarked for a specific […]
Co-Pastors or Peer SP-XP Teams
Saturday, October 13, 2018
Hey Fletch … I am chair of a committee and we are in the initial stages of discerning the future direction of the congregation. Our current structure is to have a senior […]
Millennial Wants Impact
Friday, October 12, 2018
Hey Fletch … I’m a young millennial and working in a great job. The money is good, the business is fine and I’m learning a lot. Yet, I’m wondering how my life […]
Finding Volunteers for the Band
Wednesday, September 26, 2018
Hey Fletch … We had a recent win! Last month, for the first time in many months, we had a full band. We stumbled into it without any great strategy for finding […]
Staff Member Joking About Raises
Tuesday, September 25, 2018
Hey Fletch … I have a staff member who constantly makes jokes about getting a raise. The first few times it was kinda funny, but now the humor has worn off. What […]
Paid Articles on XPastor?
Monday, September 10, 2018
Hey Fletch … I work as a freelance writer and with brands looking to promote their content on sites like XPastor. What are your policies for brand collaboration? Most often the brands […]
Transitioning to Elder Led Church
Friday, September 7, 2018
Hey Fletch … We are in the process of transitioning to an Elder governance system and are currently accepting nominations. This is a major change for this Baptist church but the vote […]
How Your Ministry Can Help Prevent Child Abuse Through a Safety System
In past months, scores of allegations of child sexual abuse have come to light, many for the first time. On the heels of these revelations, churches and ministries have begun to better understand that every […]
Sexual Abuse Risk and Record Retention
Every child-serving organization is responsible for the protection of children in its care. To discharge that responsibility, the organization should take reasonable steps to create an effective safety system that prevents child sexual abuse. These […]
Launching an Initial Elder Board
Tuesday, September 4, 2018
Hey Fletch … I serve as XP of a quickly growing church plant. We are ready to plan for, appoint, and launch our initial Elder Board. What are the best books or […]
Can You Define the Report to the Board?
Tuesday, August 28, 2018
Hey Fletch … I got your answer about our board meetings going too long. The idea of a written report to the board could be significant for us. Can you give a […]
Church Culture Tool from Vanderbloemen
How healthy is your team? Today, organizational culture is more important than ever in attracting and retaining the best team members. Vanderbloemen Search Group has a free Culture Tool to help. Get real answers about your […]
Who Owns the Pastor’s Book?
Thursday, August 23, 2018
Hey Fletch … I found the XPastor page with the intellectual property policy of Christ Community Church of Chicago to be informative. I am a member of a church board, and […]
Governing Board Meetings Going Way Long
Wednesday, August 22, 2018
Hey Fletch … You have got to help us. Our board meeting last night began at 7:00 pm and ended at 11:30 p.m. There was so much discussion on important but not […]
Well Paid Pastor Has No Retirement
Friday, August 17, 2018
Hey Fletch … Our Senior Pastor is in trouble. He has been at the church for most of his working life and wants to retire. He can’t afford it. He has $300,000 […]
Mandated Reporting of Sexual Abuse
Thursday, August 16, 2018
Hey Fletch … I’ve been reading in the “Hey Fletch” columns about sexual abuse. Normally I think of that as between an adult and a minor. What about sexual activity between two […]
Book Review—Charting the Course: How to Navigate the Legal Side of a Church Plant
In his first book, Tim Beltz guides the church planter on a profound yet simple journey to establish a new church—both legally and above reproach. Charting the Course is a practical and relevant guide to […]
How Often Do Campus Pastors Preach?
Thursday, August 9, 2018
Hey Fletch … Quick question—from your experience gained through XPastor or otherwise, do you have a sense on how often a campus pastor typically teaches in a video-venue model where the lead […]
How to Change a Church Constitution
Wednesday, August 8, 2018
Hey Fletch … Can you describe to me how a church amends its constitution?
DRF—The first place to look for amending a church constitution is in the document itself. There should be a […]
Sexual Abuse in the Church
Friday, August 3, 2018
Hey Fletch … Do you have any articles concerning sexual abuse policies in the church?
DRF—Attorneys Gregory Love & Kimberlee Norris are some of the best people working on the subject of sexual […]
How Can We Keep Our Church Safe?
Monday, July 30, 2018
Hey Fletch … With all the craziness in the world, our church is concerned about safety and security. What can you recommend?
DRF—Here is what the Federal Bureau of Investigation says: “The […]
Who Owns a Book that the Pastor Writes?
Saturday, July 28, 2018
Hey Fletch … I have a quick question that may require a long answer. If a pastor is writing books, who gets the royalties and why? I’m confident that this question has […]
What Is Grooming in Sexual Abuse?
Tuesday, July 24, 2018
Hey Fletch … In the area of sexual abuse, I heard the term “grooming.” What does this mean?
DRF—That term took me aback when I first heard it. I’m not an expert in […]
A Private Hallway Conversation
Sunday, July 22, 2018
There you are in the hallway. A friend joins you and before you know it, you are having a confidential conversation. The problem is that you are in a public space.
If you […]
Chapelstreet Church Motivates Good Neighboring
A few weeks ago, Fletch had the pleasure to be with multisite Chapelstreet Church of Geneva, Illinois. While there, he saw a 10-page magazine, Neighbor, summer 2018 […]
10 Questions Church Leaders Should Ask—But Probably Aren’t
Questions have a curious function in the life of a leader. A good question can often propel us forward more than a great answer. Our roles in leading our churches requires us to not only […]
Scam Artist Wants Refund of Donation
Wednesday, July 18, 2018
Hey Fletch … Have you heard about this scam? According to police in Troy, Michigan, a church received a $4,500 donation for hurricane victims. Later that day, police say the donor contacted […]
A Church Security Team
Monday, July 16, 2018
Hey Fletch … I have a question concerning our security team. There are as many opinions about a security team as there are people, so I wanted to check and see if […]
Vision and Leading Indicators
Thursday, July 5, 2018
Hey Fletch … I’m interested in using some leading indicators to help our staff get an idea on how things are really going in the church. What do you think?
DRF—One of the […]
A Capella to Instruments in Worship
Saturday, June 30, 2018
Hey Fletch … Our church is moving from a cappella singing to including instruments in our worship services. How does this communication statement sound to you? “The shepherds have lifted a restriction […]
Questions on Church Leadership Structures
Wednesday, June 27, 2018
Hey Fletch … Our church is wanting to look at our leadership structure. In the last ten years we have grown from one campus to many campuses. We want to continue to […]
Insurance for Sexual Abuse, Part 2
Saturday, June 16, 2018
Hey Fletch … Our church has $2 million in umbrella insurance. Does that cover sexual abuse as well?
DRF—When I get a question on insurance issues, I always turn to the professionals. Insurance […]
Insurance for Sexual Abuse, Part 1
Friday, June 15, 2018
Hey Fletch … Our church has $2 million in umbrella insurance. Does that cover sexual abuse as well?
DRF—When I get a question on insurance issues, I always turn to the professionals. Insurance […]
Issues with a New Non-Profit
Thursday, June 14, 2018
Hey Fletch … I met you years ago. I continue to read and enjoy the columns and posts at XPastor.org but it’s been a long while since we were in touch.
Recently, […]
The Structure of Multisite Leadership Teams
Chris Mavity and David Fletcher talk about leadership teams in churches that have multiple campuses. Chris Mavity is a national leader in helping churches work through multisite issues. What should the all-church leadership team look […]
Review of “Through Colored Glasses”
I recently had the pleasure to interview Tom Harper, CEO of Networld Media Group and publisher of BiblicalLeadership.com.
Tom recently released Through Colored Glasses: How Great Leaders Reveal Reality which addresses a leadership challenge identified […]
Being Directive with Staff
Tuesday, May 29, 2018
Hey Fletch … I am struggling with how directive to be with my staff in terms of “expectations”?
DRF—For me, setting expectations is one of collaboration. I find that when I can have […]
5 Reasons People Aren’t Inviting Friends To Your Church
When people in your congregation personally experience a spiritually transformed life and see it in others, they are encouraged and inspired. Stories of life change represent the power of the gospel, and those stories need to […]
Church Grew to 2,000 in 5 Years
Thursday, May 24, 2018
Hey Fletch … I attended the XP-Seminar a few years ago and took one of your XPastor Online Courses. I am now on the leadership team of our church. We have grown […]
Knowing God’s Call to a Ministry
Saturday, May 19, 2018
Hey Fletch … Question! What do you do, if you know God has called you but not sure what He is calling you to do? Moreover the person in question is careful […]
Measuring the Size of Your Church
Friday, May 18, 2018
Hey Fletch … In the XPastor Compensation Survey, it states it is based on average weekly worship. Do children who go to Sunday school during the worship get factored into the […]
Boss Stole My Idea
Thursday, May 17, 2018
Hey Fletch … my boss stole my idea and said it was his. What gives?
DRF—That’s a hard one to hear. I’m so sorry that you had this experience. Can you go back […]
Knowing the Giving of Congregants
Tuesday, May 15, 2018
Hey Fletch … What is your position on the XP knowing the financial giving of a) the entire congregation, b) volunteers and key leaders, c) staff & elders and d) none at […]
Unclear Instructions to Administrative Assistant
Thursday, May 3
Hey Fletch … You are certified in the Myers Briggs Type Indicator, so let me ask this. As the Senior Pastor, I have an assistant who is an ISTJ. He often says that […]
Solutions to Church Conflict
Tuesday, April 24, 2018
Hey Fletch … There have been some good developments and resolution on the ‘leading the leadership team’ front. A person from the denominational ‘church health team’ has spoken to our leaders. He […]
Larry Osborne Responds on Multiple Worship Services
Thursday, April 12, 2018
Hey Fletch … In response to the March 8, 2018 “Hey Fletch” column, let me add (and feel free to use my name here): In regard to how often our people come […]
People Attending But Not Buying Into Vision
Wednesday, April 11, 2018
Hey Fletch … If I were to put our problem in one line, I would say, “People are not leaving our church but they haven’t bought into our vision.” Could you give […]
Can Our Church Join the ECFA?
Tuesday, April 10, 2018
Hey Fletch … I’ve heard about the Evangelical Council of Finance Accountability. Is that something that a church can join and how could I find out if my church qualifies? Would they […]
Hurting Pastor in a Jungle of Chaos
Friday, April 6, 2018
Hey Fletch … You know, there’s a lot of material for counseling marriages. There is little out there that I’m aware of for counseling for pastors who take the shots and still have […]
Board Member Goes AWOL on Church and Family
Thursday, April 5, 2018
Hey Doc … In your experience, what are the best practices for a church board when a fellow board member goes AWOL, wants his wife to leave the home and wants a […]
Post-Ministry Event Evaluation
Wednesday, April 4, 2018
Hey Fletch … We are attempting to develop some type of post-ministry evaluation form for the purpose of getting feedback from attendees of selected ministries or outreach events. Do you all have […]
Public Television Research on Circuit Preaching
Monday, April 2, 2018
Hey Fletch … I am a researcher for a public television station. I wondered if you have ever heard of a trend where a pastor in a small, rural area may minister […]
What is the Purpose of the Church?
Saturday, March 31, 2018
Hey Fletch … My question to you is ‘what is the purpose of the church’?
DRF—That’s a pretty broad question and I don’t know what perspective you are coming from. So, let me […]
Speed Racers
Speed Racers are just getting started at 60 mph. Racers are built for speed, topping out at over 200 mpg. While you can go fast, it’s easy to run out of gas—or worse, crash!
At the 2018 […]
Pastor & Assistant Falsifying Timecards
Wednesday, March 21, 2018
Hey Fletch … A pastor here at the church allows his assistant to work overtime and then they don’t put it on the assistant’s timecard. I have warned both of them but […]
Managing Upward to a Board
The monthly board meeting is coming up on Tuesday night. The agenda is packed and you have key items to bring before the board. Your items could take thirty minutes to two hours to discuss! […]
Ultimate Tax Avoidance?
Monday, March 19, 2018
Hey Fletch … Someone who is a supposed tax expert emailed me the following letter in response to a question: “If you buy everything you need or want in the name of […]
Stolen W-2s: Follow-up
Friday, March 16, 2018
Hey Fletch … There was a column on January 14, 2018 that all of a church’s W2s vanished. Some insurance policies have coverage for this and the church may have a legal […]
Spiritual Trucks
Trucks are built solid. On a dirt road, you can easily drive from 30 to 60 miles per hour. On a paved road, a truck could top out at 100 mph. Trucks are built to […]
Ministry Leads to Weight Gain
Thursday, March 15, 2018
Hey Fletch … This one is rather personal. Your column is a safe place for me to ask it. I have been gaining weight. Often I am at breakfast and lunch meetings, […]
Easy Onramps for Visitors
Monday, March 12, 2018
Hey Fletch … I have heard you talk about “easy onramps” in a church. What do you mean by that?
DRF—Every church needs places where newcomers can easily “get on board.” Existing attenders […]
Visitors Find Our Church Chilly
Saturday, March 10, 2018
Hey Doc … I’m trying to gauge how warm our church is. I feel that it is a super encouraging place to be, but some visitors are telling me otherwise. Any thoughts?
DRF—Here […]
Soapbox Racers
Driving 80 miles per hour in a Soapbox Racer is absurd. You will quickly crash. Accelerate your Soapbox Racer from 10 mph up to 30 mph. You will rejoice at going 30 mph. But your main […]
How Often People Attend Worship in a Month
Thursday, March 8, 2018
Hey Fletch … In Australia the trend is quickly moving away from every week attendance. People who almost never missed a Sunday, maybe missed once a month, now maybe only come once […]
Ministry Leaders Need a Holistic Picture and Planning
Tuesday, March 6, 2018
Hey Fletch— I so love the resources that you are providing on XPastor. I recently transitioned into the Operations Pastor role, which for us is similar to an XP in most churches. […]
Church Planting & Running a Business
Saturday, March 3, 2018
Hey Doc … Here in India I am pioneering a church planting ministry. We, are doing some income generating projects based on the people and the places. I would like to request […]
Some Want Others than the Senior Pastor to Create Vision
Wednesday, February 21, 2018
Hey Fletch … I am a Senior Pastor here in Australia. We just formulated an Executive Pastor role description. I have operated as ‘leader of the leaders’ in terms of bringing values […]
We Had a Narcissist on Staff
Monday, February 19, 2018
Hey Fletch … I’m on the other side of the international date line from you, but church issues are the same the world over. We had a Narcissist on our staff and […]
Who Creates the Vision in a Church
February 15, 2018
Hey Fletch … I would love to know if you have any further comments on the Elder Job Description on XPastor. I’m interested your ideas on the role of discerning and setting […]
Cancel an Obligation for an Exciting Invitation?
February 14, 2018
Hey Doc … This is a big one. I have some obligations next week at church and they can’t be moved. But now I just received an exciting out-of-town invitation with an important […]
Growing a Small Church in Africa
February 12, 2018
Hey Doc … I have just been posted to a very small church in Africa, just 15 older people. What should I do to help grow the little church? What are some of […]
You Are Not a Pastor
February 7, 2018
Hey Fletch … I’m a hurtin’ puppy in Oklahoma right now. Got my tail between my legs. A fellow pastor on staff came into my office and said, “You are not a Pastor. […]
Elder Role Descriptions
February 3, 2018
Hey Fletch … When we have our coaching call later today, can we talk about role descriptions for elders?
DRF—Few churches lay out a role description for their elders (or deacons, trustees or other […]
Just Got Dissed in an Email
January 31, 2018
Hey David … This one is personal and hard to write. I just got an email that seems to say that I wasn’t on a project any longer. I’m totally shocked. I thought […]
Creating an Irresistible Workplace
Excerpt from Culture Wins: The Roadmap to an Irresistible Workplace
I’ll never forget the first time I hired someone and felt good about it. We shook hands over a cup of coffee, and I walked away […]
Staff Culture
January 25, 2018
Hey David … We are wanting to get a feel for how our staff is doing. What can you suggest? We want to understand how our staff feel and get a handle on […]
Elder Decisions in a Church of 600
January 24, 2018
Hey Doc … We have grown to a church of 600. Lately some of our Elders are asking, “Why did you two (the SP and XP) make this or that decision? I thought […]
Board Member Not Giving to the Church
January 18, 2018
Hey Fletch … I have a board member who wants a new vision and direction for our church. Also, he told me that he hasn’t given to the church in nine months. Now […]
Stolen W2 Statements for All Staff
January 14, 2018
Hey David … A shipping firm claimed they left the W-2s for all of our employees at the church’s front door. No signature was required and they left the package at 9:00 pm. […]
Simple Steps to Online Safety
Malware. Ransomware. Identity and data theft. Phishing. Corporate account takeovers. Denial of service attacks. As recent headlines illustrate, cyber attacks are a real and growing risk for all organizations. It’s no longer a question of […]
7 Reasons Not to Become a Multisite Church
When I launched the first video-based campus of Willow Creek in 2001, the primary question was, “Can this work?” Thousands of multisite churches later, the question has shifted to, “Should my church go multisite?”
What started […]
5 Characteristics of Church Staff Teams that Break the 1,000 Barrier
Rich Birch was a featured speaker at the 2018 XP-Seminar. Enjoy this great article from him … and join us at the next XP-Seminar. Rich has plenty of experience in ministry, business and […]
Concealed Weapons in Church
As the need for a more formalized approach to security becomes the norm for many churches, some congregations are developing plans and policies to better protect their congregants and staff from active shooters.
A matter of […]
Seven Productivity Tips Every Pastor Should Master
Do you arrive at work hoping to tackle your to-do list, only to slog to your car feeling defeated? Do you look back on your days and feel disappointed at how much time you wasted—or […]
Survival Skills for Managing Moral Failures Among Your Leaders
Ministry is more than numbers. Yet church leaders are, by nature, scorekeepers. We use dashboards to evaluate how well we’re doing at church. We use numbers to get to know one another at conferences. What […]
Why Churches Love to be Centralized
Think about your church for a minute. How are decisions made? Not the little ones, like who’s going to watch the two-year-olds next weekend, but the big ones: should we start that new ministry, how […]
Captivating Church Changers
It’s a dirty word in some circles. “They mostly grow by transfer.” This critique implies that the church is not reaching people with the gospel, just “stealing” people from other churches like TMobile does to […]
Launching Strong: Five Key Strategies
A record number of new churches are launching across North America. Most will initially choose to meet in a rented facility—often a school, movie theater or community center. While church is never only about the […]
Four Types of Churches That Will Soon Die
Death is not a topic we enjoy. Death of churches is not a topic I enjoy. You see, I love the local church. I love it, despite its flaws, sins and hypocrisies. Jesus loves me […]
What Makes a Great Campus Pastor?
Ask any multisite church leader today what the most important component is in multisiting and the overwhelming answer is the campus pastor. When I went to Willow Creek in the year 2000 to pioneer the multisite strategy, […]
Pastor’s Wives … An Easy Journey?
Being a pastor’s wife is not an easy journey. She is expected to be nice, perfect and always available to others. Her family is the poster of Christian living (completely unrealistic). And if you’re looking […]