First Six Months

As a new XP, where do you start? What will be the actions that will bring you lasting success in ministry? Below are some articles from experienced XPs, outlining some of the steps to take, as well as the actions to avoid.

Shooting for the Top … Almost

April 24th, 2019|Comments Off on Shooting for the Top … Almost

I believe in the Executive Pastor position to my core. There is tremendous value that an Executive Pastor can offer a church. God has been preparing me for this role my entire life and [...]

From Business Executive to Executive Pastor

May 5th, 2017|Comments Off on 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 [...]

Book Review: The New Leader’s 100-Day Action Plan

August 1st, 2015|Comments Off on Book Review: The New Leader’s 100-Day Action Plan

The New Leader’s 100-Day Action Plan: How to Take Charge, Build Your Team, and Get Immediate Results, written by George Bradt, Jayme Check and Jorge Pedraza, is a book about helping executives succeed in transition. [...]

A Shameless Plug for XPastor Online Courses

November 13th, 2013|Comments Off on A Shameless Plug for XPastor Online Courses

To all my fellow XP’s out there---many who, like me, have come out of marketplace---I say, “If you 'wanna learn' what you need to know to be an effective pastor, administrator, leader, and coach, look [...]

The XP’s First 100 Days

December 6th, 2012|Comments Off on The XP’s First 100 Days

When a United States President enters office, there is a lot of press given to his first 100 days agenda. The reason for this is everyone understands the early days of the new administration will [...]

Hired from Within to be the XP: A Case Study

December 5th, 2012|Comments Off on Hired from Within to be the XP: A Case Study

In the American religious landscape, there is no clear path for an individual to become an Executive Pastor. Whether a man or woman comes from the executive or church world, there are a variety of paths [...]

Helping Your XP Succeed

December 5th, 2012|Comments Off on Helping Your XP Succeed

“I felt my heart strangely warmed.” Those were the words Jonathan Wesley used to describe his conversion the night he attended a meeting on Aldersgate Street in London. The words also describe how I felt when [...]

Tips for a New XP

December 5th, 2012|Comments Off on Tips for a New XP

April 23, 2003 is a day that Natalie Gilbert will never forget. On that day, when she was 13 years old, she was scheduled to sing the national anthem for the 2003 NBA Playoff Game [...]

Hiring an Executive Pastor?

December 5th, 2012|Comments Off on Hiring an Executive Pastor?

A couple of months ago, I was asked to give a presentation entitled, “Executive Pastor: If, When, Why, How?” As you can guess from the title, the focus was on churches that were thinking about [...]

A New Beginning: Suggestions for a New Pastor

May 5th, 2009|Comments Off on A New Beginning: Suggestions for a New Pastor

Steve's phone call was filled with excitement. It was his first church. I had known him from his home church where he was a fine lay leader. Now he was on his own. He [...]