Alban at Duke Divinity School

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Who else thinks there’s a problem?
Sep 28, 2026 · original
Lazaros Papavergos / Unsplash Why do most change efforts fail? Because the people who lead them do not address the most important step in the process. Before you make a major change, it’s vital to consider whether anyone else thinks there’s a problem. If you’re the only one, or one of only a few people, who thinks the organization has a problem, the new initiative will meet an ambivalent embrace in the best-case scenario. More than likely, you will encounter outright opposition. You can have wonderful ideas for a project and a captivating vision for the future, but most people are not receptive to new initiatives unless they feel dissatisfied with the current reality. According to John Kotter’s eight-stage process of change , leaders need to help others see there’s a problem with the way things are before they attempt to cast a vision for something new. Kotter calls this step “creating a
Understanding mental models
Sep 21, 2026 · original
Khyati Trehan for Google DeepMind / Unsplash How do congregations work? What factors influence the way a congregation solves problems? The answers to these questions are rooted in the concept of mental models. Mental models are assumptions or deeply held beliefs that influence how we think and perceive reality. These are cognitive frameworks that operate below the conscious level, which makes it hard to recognize and change them. However, every leader — whether they lead a congregation, a company or a committee — must discern and understand the mental models that drive individuals and groups to do what they do. The ways that congregations make decisions and set priorities are rooted in their mental models about stewardship, leadership, community, justice — even Jesus. When leaders recommend moving the church in a new direction, the resistance that emerges is connected to congregants’ men
Make meetings matter
Sep 14, 2026 · original
Mapbox / Unsplash As church leaders, we convene a lot of meetings. Unfortunately, however, most of us are not trained in how to organize and manage meetings so that they keep everyone engaged and purposefully move the church’s mission forward. Seminaries do not typically offer courses in how to plan meetings (not that they should). But as soon as we assume a position of leadership, whether as clergy or lay leaders, one of our first responsibilities will be to lead regular meetings. But, as the saying goes, don’t confuse movement with progress Let’s be clear: the mission of ministry is so important that the way we meet to discuss the work really matters. Most leaders learn how to lead meetings by trial and error. We carry forward what we see other leaders do. We try not to repeat what was not valuable. But is there a better way? What wise habits can prevent this essential part of our lead
Choose the right response to conflict
Sep 8, 2026 · original
Arisa Chattasa / Unsplash People often seem surprised by congregational conflict. But when was the last time you read the New Testament? Take 1 Corinthians. The Corinthian community was divided over its loyalties to different leaders. Members disagreed about the authenticity of Paul’s apostleship. Interpersonal issues spilled over into the courts. Disciples held sharply different opinions about a variety of religious practices, including whether to eat food that had been sacrificed to idols. Despite these competing agendas and divergent theologies, Paul attempted to cultivate koinonia and embody “the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16b). When we realize that conflict is as inevitable in our churches today as it was in the Corinthian church, we must examine the ways we experience and manage it. Interpersonal conflict is a key factor in emotional exhaustion, which is one of the indicators
Why generosity matters
Aug 31, 2026 · original
G + L / Unsplash As congregational leaders, we often think about giving and generosity — or at least, we should. Congregations have mortgage payments to make and payrolls to meet, and we need money to fulfill these obligations. We need people to give generously. For some pastors, however, talking about money is uncomfortable. We don’t want people to think we are begging from the pulpit. We don’t want visitors and new members to think the church is “all about money.” So we may just say nothing and hope for the best. One of the assumptions that holds churches back is that the value of generosity is limited to meeting the church’s obligations. Encouraging people to be generous with their money is reduced to sustaining church operations. Inviting people to be generous with their time is reduced to filling volunteer ministry positions. As important as it is to cover the costs of ministry oper
The danger of heroic leadership
Aug 24, 2026 · original
TK / Unsplash We sometimes confuse commitment with over-functioning. It’s a common leadership mistake, especially in congregations. A volunteer drops the ball, a ministry struggles or conflict surfaces; pastors and key leaders often respond by working harder, carrying more and filling the gaps themselves. This may look like faithful leadership, but over time it often produces the opposite of what leaders want. As Edwin Friedman observed in “A Failure of Nerve,” when leaders habitually take responsibility for problems that belong to others, they can unintentionally create a system in which others take less responsibility for their own growth, decisions and ministry. The result is a congregation that becomes increasingly dependent on heroic leaders and increasingly less interested in functioning as a healthy, resilient community. When we try to fix everyone’s problems, we weaken the instit
Stay fruitful under pressure
Aug 17, 2026 · original
Quino Al / Unsplash Leadership inevitably brings pressure. Every decision carries consequences and every responsibility adds weight to our calling. The good news is that the impact of stress is not always negative. The right amount can provide the motivation and focus we need to get things done. But if we carry too much stress for too long, we make poor decisions and can suffer physically and emotionally. We cannot eliminate pressure from our lives and work as ministry leaders. The question is not how to avoid pressure and strain altogether, but how to remain faithful and fruitful while carrying it. In his second letter to the Corinthians, the apostle Paul personified the kind of resilience we need. He wrote, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (4:8-9). Paul’s words remind us tha
Is your leadership strategy grounded in hope?
Aug 10, 2026 · original
Ichida Sonny / Unsplash A quick glance at the headlines will tell you we are dealing with a pervasive sense of instability in our culture, our politics and our world. Political polarization dominates public discourse. The global economy keeps even the brightest economic minds guessing about what’s next. Geopolitical conflicts have turned longtime allies into cautious, even wary, acquaintances. The word that defines our current reality is “uncertainty.” Churches, regardless of denomination or location, have not been spared. For instance, from one week to the next, many congregations never know how many people will show up in the sanctuary when streaming Sunday services from home is so convenient. Leaders must operate within this air of uncertainty as they seek to be catalysts for ministry that is faithful to the gospel of Jesus Christ. When it’s difficult to make predictions about the nex
Tell great stories
Aug 3, 2026 · original
Joyce Hankins / Unsplash This summer, families will gather in groups large and small for reunions and vacations. Eventually, after a satisfying meal, someone will say, “Do you all remember when…?” That’s the beginning of a story everyone probably knows — yet it will be retold, and people will laugh or cry like they are hearing it for the first time. Stories are not just for celebrating history and connection. Good stories are the lifeblood of great leadership. In organizations, as in families, stories connect people across different generations and from different walks of life. When congregations revisit their origin or leaders cast a vision of what is possible, they don’t simply convey historical facts or provide statistics. They invite people to remember old stories and imagine new ones. Christian leaders have a distinct advantage because the sacred text that undergirds our mission is
What’s your theology of delegation?
Jul 27, 2026 · original
Rodeo Project Management Software / Unsplash Good leaders are often rewarded for their efforts with the opportunity to take on more responsibility. When they learn to excel at those additional responsibilities, they receive more opportunities to do more good work. This positive feedback loop generates excitement and energy — at least, until it doesn’t. Eventually, our capacity to do more reaches its outer limit. At that point, leaders have at least two options. They can step out of the leadership role, or they can delegate authority to others. Delegation is not simply a good management decision. Delegation, in both big and small congregations, is a strategically sound choice that has theological implications. In Exodus 18, we read about a definitive moment in Moses’ life: one in which he learned a valuable lesson about delegation. When the Hebrews settled into their new life in the wilde

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