The Bible says, "A good name is more desirable than great riches." In other words, your self-worth is more important than your net-worth. The common mistake most people make is thinking that reputation is a matter of "image." So they worry themselves with questions...

After talking with many of you, I'm convinced that discouragement is Satan's most effective weapon against those of us in ministry. We put in long hours, we experience a unique form of loneliness, and we face difficult decisions everyday. It's easy to get...

Clearly, one of the reasons for Saddleback's growth is because we've maintained a harmonious atmosphere. When a church loves, it attracts people like a magnet. When a church really offers love to each other and those who are welcomed into it, you have to lock the...

Conflict happens. There's no avoiding it. Conflict happens at work, at school, in the home—even in the church! Many people try to ignore conflicts that arise, hoping the situation will just go away. It won't. When conflict comes up, you have to deal with it head...

We think it can - when it's a night dedicated solely and purposefully for your family. Both of us grew up as pastors' kids, so we've seen from both angles how ministry constantly demands your time. There's always someone else who needs to hear about Christ and...

When asked what he considered the most valuable skill in employees, John D. Rockefeller once replied, "The ability to get along with people!" One of the most important skills needed to succeed in ministry is knowing how to handle troublemakers. If you learn how to...

" ...Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind...Love your neighbor as you love yourself" (Luke 10:27 NCV). Cultivating Community Requires Commitment If you're tired of fake fellowship and you would like to...

I was talking with some people after a weekend service once, and I mentioned that we really needed someone to create a multimedia videotape for an upcoming event. The person I was talking to said, "Why don't you get her?" And he pointed to a woman standing a few...

Before you can move your church toward greater growth, you've got to fully understand it and your role in its growth. There are essentially three phases of a church as it grows, and your role as pastor must change with each new phase. Speaking to basic structure,...

Do you realize that if your weekend attendance totals about 90 people, you're an above average church (at least in the United States and when measuring by such numbers)? If you're wondering what you need to do to grow, here are eight steps that can help you break...

Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you,...

(Note: The following is part one of an interview with Rick Warren conducted by "Preaching Magazine.") Preaching: Where does preaching fit into the purpose-driven matrix? Warren: The bigger the church gets, the more important the pulpit becomes because it is the...