by Derek Sanford | Dec 2, 2022 | Uncategorized
The title of this post is not meant to be snarky; in fact, it should be a great relief to those of you in ministry. One of the primary temptations for leaders in the church is feeling the need to be everything to everyone. To be the solution to every problem. The...
by Derek Sanford | Nov 21, 2022 | Uncategorized
CS Lewis once said, “Joy is the serious business of heaven.” It’s true. We need to get more serious about our celebration! Repeatedly, the bible urges us to rejoice, suggesting that we have a say in the matter. Yet, some people think of joy like they think of the flu:...
by Derek Sanford | Nov 13, 2022 | Uncategorized
I have a friend from Germany who got us one of those advent calendar countdown thingies. They capture the anticipation of Christmas. I remember having one as a kid and opening a new little window day after agonizing day. As a child, it was hard to believe how SLOW...
by Derek Sanford | Oct 24, 2022 | Uncategorized
Hint: “We’re not going to pay you” didn’t make the list! At the time I’m writing this, it’s Halloween, a time of year when normal law-abiding citizens turn scaring little trick-or-treaters into an art form. It’s also a time when many pastors and ministry leaders...
by Derek Sanford | Oct 17, 2022 | Uncategorized
As you look across your ministry, where do you have momentum? Where do you lack momentum? And what the heck is momentum? We typically recognize it by experience and not definition. We feel it in a sporting contest when everything starts going your team’s way. Or in a...
by Derek Sanford | Oct 10, 2022 | Uncategorized
I have been a pastor for almost 30 years. I’ve seen it all. I recently heard a young staff person say, “You have no idea what It’s like to have ministry stress like I have.” Actually… well I’ll leave that there for a minute. It got me thinking about the difference...
by Derek Sanford | Oct 3, 2022 | Uncategorized
Many Christians and especially pastors are doing God’s work at a pace that is destroying the work of God in our own souls. While we are diving deep into preaching and leading and helping others, we are just barely skimming the surface when it comes to our spiritual...
by Derek Sanford | Sep 26, 2022 | Uncategorized
Most ministry leaders want to see their ministries grow. I refuse to believe the narrative that this is all about ego or self-aggrandizement. Sometimes it is. But in most cases I think ministry leaders truly do want to see more people impacted for God’s kingdom. We...
by Derek Sanford | Sep 19, 2022 | Uncategorized
One of the most challenging aspects of leading in ministry is spending time and energy reacting to everything that’s being thrown at you. Reacting to the constant drumbeat of another Sunday coming, reacting to moral failures and personal crises, reacting to meetings...
by Derek Sanford | Sep 12, 2022 | Uncategorized
Insecurity is a normal emotion when we’re exposed to something new or something that seems beyond us. However, if we’re not careful as leaders, it can create drama, havoc and pain in the lives of those we lead. In this video, Pastor Derek Sanford discusses the...
