Pastoral Struggles and Advice Zone

What does a toxic church environment look like, and when should you leave?

Love those challenging kids, and know you are making a difference!

Love is not something that can merely be taught; it must be caught.

Ten easy steps to help you get started on your goal to partner with families in your church.

Need a good reason to love Children's Ministry? How about 110 reasons?

Each of us have blind spots in our life and ministry that we may not be aware of.

What small things can you do to make 2019 even better for your ministry?

How do you work on improving yourself? Is it working?

Being the object of criticism can be discouraging and deflating. It can also be an opportunity for growth.

How do you handle discipline in your ministry? Not just punishment, but maintaining control before it gets out of control? Here are some tips to help you run a smooth Sunday morning (or Wednesday evening).

Feel like ministry is on fast-forward mode all the time? Here are four ways to press STOP and learn to pause.

How do you work in leadership with family in order to avoid unnecessary stress?

Change effects all of us in different ways. Make sure you SHOULD make the change before plowing ahead.

An open letter from those who serve in children's ministry to their senior pastors.

Make Sunday mornings easier with these 5 tips.

Use this list as a springboard for your own endeavors in recruiting volunteers.

Avoid these pitfalls that new pastors make. 

Kids matter to God and they should matter to us. Here are 68 reasons why.

Other than take-home papers and a summertime VBS, most people - even church boards - don’t know what children’s ministry should do or be.

Do you know God's commands for your life? Or are you just misunderstanding them? 

Don't lead the same ho-hum meetings. Learn tricks to engage your team!

 Learn how God used a kid to teach us about healthy leadership.

Watch for these signs that your volunteers need to take a break from serving in ministry. 

What happens when you lose the vision for your ministry?

How far must you go to reach Digital Minimalism?

How well is your ministry discipling kids?

Do you preach or do you pastor?

Learn to 'fire' a volunteer while maintaining their dignity and yours. 

You can be the victim in your ministry. Or you can be proactive with your ministry.

As a pastor, you need to seek God's heart, and then tailor things to fit your ministry. 

How do you retain visitors to your church?

Can a Pastor take a day off? Yes, you CAN get a day OFF. And it can be Amazing!

How can you and your volunteers help children deal with stress?

God brings many people (staff, volunteers, parents and children) into our circle of influence. Pray for them, and choose to speak life into their lives. 

What do you call your Church's children's service time?

Some advice on how to manage your classroom at all age levels. 

3 steps to collaborative problem solving.

Discipleship is messy and gritty and sloppy, and that’s the beauty. And some weeks that can also be the tough part of it.

Saying "sorry" is a good thing, but not when your goal is to win volunteers to your ministry and vision.

“Two are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.” – Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 NLT

There’s no question that ministry can be difficult and we all face times when doubt sets in and we think quitting may be easier.

It's important to see people the way Jesus did. We should not see their faults, but rather see a PERSON!

Is your busyness defining who you are and what you are able to accomplish for the Lord?

Stay intentional in your connection with others. 

Advice on how to jump start your new ministry position.

A nursery rhyme can teach you a lesson on brokenness.

In our diverse modern culture, virtually all ministry is “cross-cultural” and effective connections and relationship building will depend up your cross-cultural understanding and communication skills.

What are you expecting of Jesus today?

Take these 4 steps to help run an effective kids ministry service. 

Why and how can playtime be the most important part of your Sunday morning?