Links of the Week (2/14/16)

Each Saturday we point you to the best content we have encountered on the internet during the week.

Links of the Week

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7 Church Communications Tips to Boost Your Reach This Easter – by Thom Rainer

Earlier this week on Rainer on Leadership, Dr. Rainer and I discussed eight Easter planning tips. Many of those tips were church-wide efforts or ministry specific ideas to aid in preparing your church for one of its biggest weekends of the year.

What To Preach–And When: Build Your Preaching Calendar – by Hal Seed

One of the preacher’s greatest challenges is choosing what to preach and when. Three years ago, this challenge escalated for me when we started adding off-site campuses with live preachers. Planning for multiple locations has forced me to think farther ahead and formulate concrete principles around which we build each series.

10 Characteristics of a Narcissistic Church – by Tony Foglio

Few, if any, of us would self-identify as a narcissist: self-centered and egotistical with a grandiose view of one’s own talents. Narcissists aren’t aware of their narcissism; they usually think everyone else has the ego problem. They’ll say, “If others were sensible, they would agree with me.”

28 Tips, Tricks, Apps and Hacks for Senior Pastors – by Brian Jones

If you‘d like to get more done in less time, here are a number of my favorite time saving tips, tricks, apps and hacks for Senior Pastors in the trenches.

3 Things That Are Sabotaging the Church’s Future – by Carey Nieuwhof

Without a doubt, you’ve already realized it’s more complex to be a church leader today than it was even a few decades ago.

With the vast majority of churches struggling in some way, it’s time to rethink our future mission.

Four Reasons Why Preaching is Leading – by Chris Hefner

I remember my first Pastoral Ministry class in Bible college. One of my heroes and professors, Dr. Thad Dowdle, shared that pastoral responsibilities can be divided into preaching, caring, and leading. Broadly speaking, I find that observation to be true. Pastors cannot neglect leadership, care of the congregation or preaching. But I don’t believe these three aspects of pastoral ministry are necessarily equal in status. Preaching is the foundational ministry responsibility for the pastor. Paul admonished Timothy, “preach the Word” (2 Timothy 4:2). The neglect of preaching God’s Word is a ministry error that cannot be overcome.

7 Core Disciplines of Every Great Spiritual Leader – by Ron Edmondson

A spiritual leader, in my opinion, is called to lead well.

All leaders should lead well, but when one claims to be a follower of Christ, their leadership reflects on his or her walk with Christ.

What Christians Can’t Forget About Work – by Aaron Armstrong

One of the worst times in my life was when I was underemployed for several months immediately after college ended. I’d spent months trying to find work so I could graduate and go to work the next day. I’d done my best with interviews (though I interviewed terribly at the time), and tried to put together a winning portfolio and résumé. I’d taken all the advice I’d been given and in the end? I was still working at the bookstore in the mall, rather than in my field of study.