“I’ve Seen Master Plans Before.”

“I’ve Seen Master Plans Before.”

I had been working at a large church for several years when they announced a multi-phase $40 million capital campaign to completely transform the layout of the campus and provide needed improvements. The church’s leadership held a vision meeting to show off the...
Seasons and Cycles

Seasons and Cycles

As we journey deeper into this fall season, it is easily apparent that change is in the atmosphere. The is a chill in the morning air, leaves changing colors and starting to fall to the ground, and retailers begin promoting fall flavors, smells, and images. Many love...
“No Strings on Me”

“No Strings on Me”

Anyone who has worked in the church or non-profit world knows the dangerous game of courting the support you need. We all know that support freely given is never truly free. Those who donate, volunteer, and give to your organization have opinions on how it should...
First Day of School Feelings

First Day of School Feelings

There’s something magical about the first few days and weeks of school. There is so much possibility in new beginnings, fresh starts, new opportunities, and new friends. It is a time where anything could happen and there is always the possibility of things being...
Sacred Systems

Sacred Systems

In his classic book The E-Myth, Michael Gerber outlines one of the fundamental misconceptions of how an entrepreneur runs a business. It is easy to assume that if you are good at something – baking, graphic design, programming – you can start your own...
Stolen Tomatoes

Stolen Tomatoes

The Harvest Squirrels ate all of my mother’s home-grown tomatoes this year. My parents have always kept a garden, and my mother had to learn to do all of the work herself after my father died. It hasn’t been easy. After months of struggling with bird nets and...