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Millennials and Mentors

By Eddie Pipkin November 21, 2017 A couple of weeks ago, long-distance runner Shalane Flanagan won the New York City Marathon, the first American woman to do so in 40 years (with an impressive time of 2 hours and 26 minutes).  It was an amazing individual accomplishment, but inspiring as it was, there is something [...]

Gratitude as Leadership Strategy

By Eddie Pipkin November 17, 2017 Happy Thanksgiving!  I begin this blog by expressing my thanks to all of you who read regularly.  It is a privilege to write for you every week, and we at Excellence in Ministry Coaching wish you joy and success in your ministry endeavors, as well as a delightful time [...]

Stewardship Done Better, Part 2

By Eddie Pipkin November 10, 2017 Continuing our discussion of stewardship season from last week, it wouldn’t hurt us to take some valuable lessons from secular nonprofits.  There are thousands of community organizations out there doing good deeds financed solely by the kind-hearted donations of compassionate people.  They recognize the reality that the deeds aren’t [...]

Stewardship Done Better

By Eddie Pipkin November 3, 2017 It’s that time of year when many churches are undertaking their annual stewardship campaigns.  Although helping congregants build a lifestyle of biblical generosity is one of the core elements of a life of discipleship, many of us are less than enthusiastic about this yearly emphasis (some would say necessity).  [...]

What Rocket? Missing the Seemingly Obvious

By Eddie Pipkin October 27, 2017 Do you ever feel like God is doing amazing things in your local ministry, but you just can’t seem to get anybody to pay attention?  Sure, the few people directly involved are seeing God at work in inspiring ways, but the folks in your expanded faith community seem oblivious.  [...]

Finding Our Niche

By Eddie Pipkin October 20, 2017 Bigger is not always better.  I am a fan of the so-called second tier attractions here in Orlando where I work and live.  We are famous for our theme parks and their multimillion dollar tributes to princesses and wizards, but there are lots of mom-and-pop tourist attractions out there, [...]

The Church and Mental Health

By Eddie Pipkin October 16, 2017 My teenage nephews visited me last week during their fall break, and it was a great opportunity to quiz them (as I routinely do all young folk) on the ways they use their smartphones and social media.  Many of you reading this are like me, a middle-aged person, relatively [...]

Passive Aggressive Customer Service

By Eddie Pipkin October 9, 2017 Have you had an experience of passive-aggressive customer service?  Everybody understands the concept of good customer service.  Most everybody in ministry agrees that it’s crass to think of congregants as customers.  But customers and congregants (and those who serve them) agree that many of the same basic rules of [...]

Churches as the Next Town Square

By Eddie Pipkin October 2, 2017 What if churches were more than clubhouses for select memberships?  What if churches were community gathering spots where people converged to learn, grow, help one another and hang out in a safe environment?  At its most recent publicity event to announce new products and initiatives, Apple revealed a sweeping [...]

If They Don’t Get It, It’s Our Fault

By Eddie Pipkin September 22, 2017 I love conversations with 20-somethings.  They can be inspiring, eye-opening, hopeful, and—on occasion—a stinging reminder of how we as ministry leaders have blown it.  Take, for instance, the fundamental spiritual discipline of generosity (phrase it as the biblically accurate “extravagant generosity,” if you like, or the more high-toned “stewardship,” [...]

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