I remember when this question was first posed to me about 20 years ago. I had no idea what that meant. I said, “Yes to both.” The expert in front of me said, “Nope, it’s one or the other.” As we began to move into multiple locations at Granger, I began to understand the difference. And now that I’ve worked with hundreds of churches, and am back in the seat of Executive Pastor of Campuses and Culture at Willow Creek – it’s become even more clear.

It was Tuesday morning on a cold day in March 2021. We were gathered in Dave Dummitt’s office for our weekly senior leadership team meeting. Dave came in with an intensity in his eyes.

“Now is the time. We need to put new language to why we exist and what we are about. We need to begin talking with our people about our mission and vision. We can wait no longer.”

I have been close friends with Jenni Catron, Founder and CEO of The 4Sight Group, for nearly twelve years. Jenni is an exceptional author, speaker, and leader, who has inspired, encouraged, and equipped others for success for over fifteen years.

Tony is the founder and lead strategist of The Unstuck Group, a company that helps leaders grow healthy churches by guiding them through experiences that focus vision, strategy, and action. Tony presented findings from the Unstuck Report and offered invaluable advice to our members about strategizing in the new normal.

I sat down (virtually) with my friend and former boss, William Vanderbloemen, Founder and CEO of Vanderbloemen, to discuss what he has seen in the world of staffing recently. Even after working for William for nearly six years, there is still so much I learn from him every time we speak.

I had the opportunity to interview Luke Hesher from HouseRight Production. I love all things technology, so the conversation with a leading contractor for all things audio, video and lighting was captivating. Luke and I both have a passion for planning major projects well — starting from mission and vision before you start buying speakers or soundboards.

Last month, Phil and I talked about buildings, design, changes since Covid, and more.

I don’t love conferences. It’s not the best environment for me to learn. I need engagement and conversation with others to take a deep-dive on topics that matter to me. I need time to think, a place for hallway conversations, and the sharing of ideas over good food and drinks. For years I’ve wanted to plan the type of gathering that I would want to attend, the environment where I would be most likely to learn — and then invite others to join me. It’s happening.

I lived in the midwest in the United States, and heard about a church nearby that was focused on reaching people far from God. It had started in a movie theater -- and in fact was still holding services in that theater when I first attended. My work at the time gave me the opportunity to personally work in more than 500 churches, but this was unlike any church I had ever visited. They weren’t going after the “already convinced.” Instead, they were focused on people who were uncomfortable with the idea of church.

On Monday, January 25th, we held our first Executive Pastor Coaching Network session of the year. Our speaker Dan Reiland, an author, speaker, and Executive Pastor of 12Stone Church, offered an hour full of thoughtful and timely insights into the art of coaching your team members well.

Get to know a little about our cohort leaders, Taleah Murray, Dennis Richards, Milan Ford, and Trace Rorie.

This year I have revamped the Executive Pastor Coaching Network in light of our virtual conditions. This allows us to do more than we have ever done before. Sign up today and join our first coaching session in January 2021.

I’m inviting Executive Pastors to join me beginning in January for my LeadingSmart Executive Pastor Coaching Network, a monthly coaching community that will be practical in content and will feature peer-to-peer connection every month. Join at any time!

A white man was driving from Montgomery to Birmingham when he was carjacked. The perpetrators took everything he had, including the clothes he was wearing, and beat him unconscious, leaving him nearly dead on the side of the road …

If racial reconciliation is not a part of your spiritual formation then it will never be on your spiritual radar for how you understand the gospel and your part God has called you to play in it concerning racial injustice.

Hey Willow Creek—I can’t wait for you to meet Faith Stevens. I don’t know another human on the planet who is more relational and encouraging. She loves people deeply, and those who end up in her friend circle feel very blessed.

We can’t just acknowledge that the world around us is broken, we must engage and use the God-given influence we have to live out a better way.

It was our first week in the office together, and Dave Dummitt and I were already talking about what succession might look like at Willow Creek. We both acknowledged we are in temporary roles. Hopefully, it will be 15-20 years before the next transition. But however long it is — it will eventually happen.

I think authenticity is a commodity that people crave now more than ever. The more human, the more raw, the more we lean in. And the opposite is true as well—the more polished and scripted and produced…the harder it is to relate.

Rebuilding Willow is not the goal. The goal is to continue the building of a thriving local church where people can take their next step toward Jesus; where those far from God can begin to find their way back; and where the love of Jesus becomes real for people as their human needs are being met.