A Long Obedience: The Secret to Leading for the Long Haul

Leadership has a drift problem.

Not because leaders wake up one morning and decide to abandon their calling. It almost never happens that way.

Instead, it happens slowly. Quietly. Almost imperceptibly.

One urgent request. One exciting opp...

The Beach Moved

It's really easy to drift.

Picture yourself swimming in the ocean on a perfect day. The sun is out, the water's just right, and you're having the time of your life. Then you turn to look back at the shore — and the beach has moved. You didn't feel it happen. You weren't doing anyth...

One of the most daunting aspects of leadership is the continual challenge to keep the vision clear and hot.

If you’re a pastor, you know exactly what I mean. Every week you’re caring for people, preparing messages, solving problems, developing staff, overseeing budgets, and making hundreds of decis...

Why clarity should come before action

Leaders love momentum.

Give us an opportunity, open a door, and we’re ready to sprint. We don’t like waiting. We don’t like uncertainty. We want to make something happen.

I’ve done it more times than I can count.

The problem isn’t that we’re moving. The prob...

We often think courage is something we’re either born with or we’re not.

But after years of leading people, coaching pastors, and navigating difficult decisions myself, I’ve become convinced that courage usually isn’t the problem.

Avoidance is.

Most of us know what we need to do. We simply don’t ...

Recently I had one of those strange leadership days. For about eight hours, everything was clicking. Conversations were productive. Ministry was moving forward. I was energized. Then one difficult hour happened.

It wasn’t catastrophic. Nobody died. The church didn’t implode. But one frustrating int...

How to Find Rest in a Busy Season

If you're a pastor, ministry leader, entrepreneur, or high-capacity leader, you've probably noticed something: Busy seasons don't ask for permission. They just show up.

A big ministry initiative.

• A building campaign.
• A new staff member.
• A family crisis.
• A la
...

One of the questions I've been thinking about lately is this: What keeps a leader spiritually strong over the long haul?

Not for a week. Not for a season. Not during a conference high or after a breakthrough moment. What keeps someone steady, stable, and spiritually vibrant for decades?

I was refl...

Have you ever felt like you're holding it together on the outside, but inside you're slowly dying a little bit every day you lead?

You show up. You preach. You coach. You lead meetings. You answer emails. You make decisions. People assume you're doing fine because you're still functioning.

But fun...

Resistance Is Building You

Most people think resistance means something is wrong.

Wrong job.
Wrong season.
Wrong opportunity.
Wrong decision.
Wrong calling.

But what if resistance isn’t evidence that you’re off course?

What if resistance is evidence that you’re growing?

Lately I’ve been thinkin...

It’s Easter week.

And if you’re anything like me, you’re coming off a busy weekend.

Four services.
A board meeting.
A worship night.
A vision tour.

And now… you’re staring down the biggest weekend of the year.

For us? Seven Easter services. The most we’ve ever done.

Let’s be honest—this isn’t a no...

The Fastest Way to Unlock Your Possibilities

If you look at the leaders you admire most—the ones who make you feel seen, heard, and valued—you’ll notice something they all share:

They are fully present. 

They’re not rushing ahead to the next task.

They’re not replaying yesterday’s conversation.