Church Leadership

22
Nov
2025

The Day Jesus Joined the Church Staff Meeting

Shepherd

Part of the problem with the American church’s biblical worldview isn’t just biblical ignorance, it’s neglect. As I’ve written before, a distorted view of God happens when His shepherds fail to tend to the flock. I must confess my own shortcomings in this matter or risk being hypocritical. I am not a pastor, nor am I part of a church staff, but as an introvert’s introvert, it is more comfortable for me to keep fellow believers at arm’s length and avoid the messy, real-life problems of other disciples.

I am repenting of this, yet I fear slipping back into comfortable routines where I seek the quiet of my home to study and ponder another portion of Scripture. If we are going to imitate Jesus, it means spending time with people. The truth is, caring for the hurting and walking alongside those in need is not only the church staff’s job, but also the responsibility of every Christian. Keep that in mind as you read the fictional story below of “Any Church, USA.”

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Posted by Eddie Lawrence in Biblical Worldview, Church, Church Leadership, Fiction
09
Nov
2025

Why Fixing the Church’s Worldview Is a Catch-22

Worldview

American churches face a serious problem: only a small minority of believers think biblically. Recent research shows that just 13% of born-again Christians hold a biblical worldview. Among pastors, the number rises to 37% which is better but shockingly and unacceptably low.1 This is more than a statistic; it is a crisis. Without a biblical worldview, Christians adopt cultural practices rather than applying God’s Word. Without it, the church loses its power to influence the surrounding culture, which now shapes the church instead.

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Posted by Eddie Lawrence in Biblical Worldview, Church Leadership
19
Apr
2025

If Your Pastor Thinks Church Is Business, He Shouldn’t Be Leading One

Business

The staff meeting started like most others. Coffee in hand, laptops out, the church’s leadership team gathered around a long table. On paper, things looked good. Sunday attendance had ticked up. The church social media account showed steady engagement. The fall festival drew nearly 1000 people. “Business” looked good! The youth minister shared plans for giveaways and a new sermon series designed to “attract young families.” The Senior Pastor added, “Along with the sermon series, maybe we should do another big giveaway like we did last year. Maybe a kayak this time to attract more men to the church.”

Kathy, the church secretary, shifted in her seat. When it was her turn, she spoke gently. “I know we want to grow. But should we be doing all this? It feels like we’re operating a business instead of a church. We spend more time planning promotions than we spend with congregants. We give away gift cards, but we don’t even know who’s missing from the pews.”

The room fell quiet for a moment. Then the pastor smiled. “That’s fair,” he said. “But the church does have business aspects. We’re trying to reach people. And to do that, we need to think strategically.” No one challenged him. The meeting moved on.

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Posted by Eddie Lawrence in Church Leadership
07
Dec
2024

Was the Apostle Paul Anti-Women?

Anti-Women

When it comes to discussions about women in the Bible, the Apostle Paul is a controversial figure in some circles. His letters contain both encouragement for women and passages that, at first glance, seem restrictive. Some readers accuse Paul of being misogynistic, or anti-women. They interpret his letters in ways which make him far more restrictive than he really was. However, a closer look at Paul’s writings, along with the historical and cultural context, paints a more complex picture. Paul was far from anti-women; in fact, his ministry included and elevated women in ways that were radical for his time.

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Posted by Eddie Lawrence in Church Leadership, Women
24
Apr
2023

Selecting Pastors The New Testament Way

Selecting Pastors

How do most churches go about selecting pastors? In the vast majority of cases the church forms some sort of search committee which manages the effort to find and screen pastor candidates. At a high level, the process differs little from a business’s Human Resources department which attempts to attract talented individuals who can contribute positively to the organization.

In most instances, the pastor search team evaluates the ministry resumes of complete strangers. They may get a good lead through a mutual contact who has given the candidate a good reference, but for the most part the church and the pastor candidate have no familiarity with each other. Like interviewing for a secular job in the business world, it is very difficult to gauge a person’s fitness for the role based on a few brief face to face meetings.

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Posted by Eddie Lawrence in 1 Timothy, Church, Church Leadership