Are you a control freak? It's easy to do, whether you are a leader of a large organization or the mother of small children. It’s amazing to me how many leaders I know tell me they struggle with control. I come by the subject honestly because I, too, am a recovering control freak. Most people have a love-hate relationship with control. Control freaks love it when they’re in...
Type: Article
Author: Carey Nieuwhof
If you could only tell your top leaders a few things, what would you tell them? 1. Your competency will take you only as far as your character will sustain you As a young leader, I was 100% convinced that competency was the key to effectiveness in leadership. I no longer believe that’s true. Sure, competency is important. Incompetence doesn’t get you or your mission...
Type: Article
Author: Carey Nieuwhof
You may be fighting a losing battle. First-time guests to your church make up their minds whether they’re coming back or not in the first ten minutes of their visit. Think about that. Before they hear the first note of music, before they hear the first word of a sermon or before anyone stands up and says “welcome” in the service, most first-time guests have already made...
Type: Article
Author: Carey Nieuwhof
Carey Nieuwhof is a Canadian pastor with a perceptive, and (possibly an objective) view of American society today. "Regardless of where your politics lean, many would sense that American culture is quickly becoming both post-truth and post-fact. It’s happening right before our eyes. Don’t like the outcome of what’s happening? Claim it never happened. Bothered by what the...
Type: Article
Author: Carey Nieuwhof
When you’re a church leader, you feel a lot of pressure. Almost every leader feels the pressure to do more when the key to effectively accomplishing your mission is often doing less and doing it well. As Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger argued a decade ago in Simple Church , the most effective churches these days are often the churches that do a few things and do them...
Type: Article
Author: Carey Nieuwhof
Church leaders, times are changing, but the real question is how quickly and how deeply? In fact, unless you’re under 25, the world into which you’re born doesn’t really exist anymore. You may have heard of the the Beloit College Mindset list. It comes out every year and often makes the news. The list is designed to get college faculty (and others) into the headspace of...
Type: Article
Author: Carey Nieuwhof
We all have them. Actually, worship wars started with Gregorian chant. Some monks got bent out of shape over the newer, fancier plainchant. Pastor Carey Nieuwhof has some sagely advice for pastors: "So let me guess: someone recently complained about the music at your church. It doesn’t matter what style of music your church features or how traditional or edgy your music is;...
Type: Article
Author: Carey Nieuwhof
Do Christians annoy non-believers? Yes. Often. If you spend two minutes talking to almost anyone outside the Christian faith and you’re almost certain to hear a list of complaints they have about Christians. The problem has been around awhile. As Mahatma Gandhi famously (and sadly) said: “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your...
Type: Article
Author: Carey Nieuwhof
Circumstances. You face them every day, you are always reacting to them–positively or negatively. Think about it. What situations in your life do you wish would change right now? A different work environment that doesn’t suck the life out of you Better health A happier marriage A closer connection with God A more understanding boss Less pressure I mean, I get that....
Type: Article
Author: Carey Nieuwhof
So you’re a bit of a control freak. And you’re a leader. That’s not surprising. People who like control seem to have a natural ability to get into leadership positions. Or sometimes they create positions, start things and build their own organizations. For years, I resisted the control freak label. I wasn’t a control freak. I was… Passionate. Detail oriented (of...
Type: Article
Author: Carey Nieuwhof