Before I left on my sabbatical trip, someone said to be curious and to enjoy the moments. On Thursday I drove up the coast north of Sydney intending to visit Waratahpark Earth Sanctuary, where I could see samples of Australian wildlife in their natural habitats. I plugged the name into my GPS, found it in [...]
Speaking with authority! A tale of an ambassador and a receptionist
When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law. Matthew 7:2-29 My phone rang at 5:40 Tuesday night and a voice said, “John, my name is [first name only] and I am on staff [...]
A healthy approach to competition
What’s the best way to convince donors to give to your ministry? This will sound counter-intuitive, but hear me out. I’ve visited hundreds of ministries, heard many leaders explain their program design and rationale, and I know how compelling and confidence-inspiring their explanations are. The greatest opportunity for more effective fundraising is to increase the complexity of [...]
A leader’s intimacy with God
My friend Marvin Brubacher invited me to teach a class at Heritage Seminary for pastors about the practical aspects of leading a ministry. At the end, he asked, “John, what one final thing do you want to tell these ministry leaders? The one piece of advice they must hear?” Without a moment’s hesitation, I said “Never, ever lose your [...]
Ministry leadership a century at a time
In October, I had the chance to review an entire century of leadership in one ministry when I attended the 100th anniversary service of the church I grew up in, Timothy Eaton Memorial Church. Reviewing its senior pastors decades at a time rather than years at a time gave me some really high-level insights into leadership that were sobering, inspiring, encouraging [...]
Rev. John Pellowe, MBA, DMin
