Notable Voices (March 8, 2012)

5 Things a Pastor Should Never Say -- Ben Reed

I learned some of these lessons the hard way. We've all said things that get misinterpreted. But as a pastor, you have to be extra careful. This short list is a good place to start, but I'm guessing many of you have some you could add to the list. I know I do.

Christian Colleges and Racial Diversity -- Scot McKnight

Diversity in some parts of the country is the norm. In others, there is still much work to be done. Because of their denominational ties, the makeup of students at Christian colleges tend to be representative of their denominational demographics. This is slowly changing, but it is changing nonetheless.

Before Hiring Staff -- Shannon O'Dell

The hiring of staff is one of the most important and most difficult decisions that face local churches. Don't forget these four tips the next time you meet a prospective candidate.

Why You Need to Make Your Life More Automatic -- Tony Schwartz

Schwartz's premise of "the more of our key behaviors we can put under the automatic and more efficient control of habit, the more likely we are to accomplish the things that truly matter to us" is a good one if done right. Spiritual disciplines do not need to become mindless habits, but the more we can tailor our responses and actions as Christlike, the better.

Four Good Church Planting Resources -- Darryl Dash

Darryl recently left his position as a pastor at an established church in Toronto to plant a church. These four resources would be beneficial to any pastor looking to plant or lead his church to become a "birthing" church.

Why Your Leadership Must Be "Social" -- Brad Lomenick

As one of the most connected and socially aware leaders in evangelicalism, Brad is the perfect person to craft a list like this. Based on what I've seen through my personal research on Millennials, these nine reasons are right on target.