“Quiet down before God, be prayerful before him.” - Psalm 37:7

What do you do in times of uncertainty?  How do we lead when anxious people look to us for stability and a road map when we don’t have one? 

Times of uncertainty are certainly not new but when they come, we are called upon to act in such a way that provides help and hope for those depending on us. To do that, however, we have to get our inside world put right.  

For me, what has helped me get my inside world right is Psalm 37:7 and the promise found within. 

Quiet down before God, be prayerful before him.

These words are an anchor in the storm.  A beacon in the fog.  A rock amidst shifting sand. A place to lay down our weary lives.  

We quiet down before God not just as an escape from our duty but as a place to go in order to fulfill our duty. I (not unlike many of you) have had to deal with canceled events, lost opportunity, financial loss, health concerns,...

Working with churches in transition is challenging work and requires a certain type of leadership. The season of transition is messy and filled with a wide range of emotions and experiences.

After spending a few days training some transitional leaders and hearing stories from the front line, I made a few observations and gained some fresh insights I wanted to share with you hear. Feel free to add to this conversation.  

7 Insights to Help Shape Your Thinking and Practice

1. To learn new skills you have to get uncomfortable.

Pastors are often ill-equipped to be coach-like facilitative change management specialists. They must learn to use and strengthen new muscles. They must be aware of their learning gaps and be willing to go through the awkwardness of unlearning behaviors that get in the way of being an effective transitional pastor, leader, and coach.

It’s not easy or automatic to make the shift to a more coach-like approach to ministry. Pastors are trained to...