Receive encouragement and helpful training on current issues your church is facing – in less than 5 minutes
Wise Counsel for Pastors & Church Leaders is a teaching series released 36 times per year. Each video offers encouragement and helpful training on current issues churches are facing. Rick Howerton is the host of the video series. He’s a regional consultant for the Kentucky Baptist Convention and has been a pastor, church planter, campus minister and disciple resource author for Lifeway. You can contact him at rick.howerton@kybaptist.org or (615) 438-8806.
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Wise Counsel Episodes
Click on the appropriate year below to view Wise Counsel episodes.
2021
Episode 1 – Making Time for Family, Hobbies, and Sabbath
Episode 2 – Three Biblical Practices of Pastors Who Affair-Proof Their Marriage
Episode 3 – 5 Reasons Using Gifted Volunteers to do Construction is a Good Idea
Episode 5 – What to do When a Church Member is Concerned
Episode 6 – Sermon Length: How Long Should Yours Be?
Episode 7 – Six Essential Weekend Worship Principles
Episode 9 – Six Staff Members No Senior Pastor Wants (or Keeps) on Their Team
Episode 10 – Preaching That Reaches Millennials and Beyond
Episode 11 – The Church Leader Interrupted: 3 Mindsets That Change Everything
2020
Episode 1 – Prayer and Fasting
Episode 2 – Five Responsibilities of Undershepherds
Episode 3 – Four Ways to Create a Culture of Love
Episode 4 – Loving People Far From Christ
Episode 5 – How to Parent a Spiritual Babe
Episode 6 – Five Ways to Motivate People to Share the Gospel
Episode 7 – Motivating Your Church to Be Evangelistic
Episode 8 – Five Marks of a Spiritually Immature Staff Member and What to Do About Them
Episode 9 – Four Times Procrastination Is the Right Thing to Do
Episode 10 – Creating a Powerful Deacon Ministry
Episode 11 – Six Practices of Pastors Who Exhibit Authority in Meetings
Episode 12 – The Three Lane Church
Episode 13 – Five Undeniable Reasons to Fire a Staff Member
Episode 14 – About the Lead Pastor Job Description
Episode 15 – How to Create a Healthy Staff Culture
Episode 16 – How to Get and Keep Men in Groups
Episode 17 – Wise Counsel for Extraordinary Pastors
Episode 18 – Is Your Church Being the Church or Doing Church?
Episode 19 – Leading Until They Believe in You
Episode 20 – Four Overlooked Reasons Church Members Aren’t Becoming Mature Disciples
Episode 21 – Ten Characteristics of Irresistible Team Leaders
Epiosde 22 – Four Phrases to Avoid When Dismissing a Staff Member
Episode 23 – Ten Easy Way Pastors Can Strengthen Sunday Schools and Small Groups
Episode 24 – Disciple Making, Asking the Hardest Question of All
Episode 25 – How to Get Sunday School Classes and Small Groups to be on Mission
Episode 26 – Pastors Aren’t Exempt – As Far as it Depends on You, Live at Peace With Everyone
Episode 27 – Six Essential Disciple-Making Imperatives
Episode 28 – Six Non-Negotiable Attitudes of a Christian Leader
Episode 29 – Five Unquestionable Reasons Pastors Should Say No to a Great Idea
Episode 30 – Prayer Hairs Worth Splitting, Praying the List vs. Praying in Faith
Episode 31 – Five Practical Questions to Ask When Evaluating a Church Ministry
Episode 32 – Being Sensitive Enough to be Insensitive
Episode 33 – Advice Giving vs. Mining for Wisdom
Episode 34 – Getting 100% of the Story
Episode 35 – Don’t Be an Over-Leader Pastor
Episode 36 – Helping Church Members Understand (Supposedly) Unanswered Prayer
2019
Episode 1 – Being Chosen as a Leader/Pastor is a Miraculous Thing
Episode 2 – Dealing with Church Members who are “New-Averse”
Episode 3 – The Biblical Mindset for Church-Growth
Episode 4 – Where Choir Should Fit Into Your Church
Episode 5 – Pastors Who Are Unteachable Will Soon Fail
Episode 6 – 9 Characteristics of Teachable Church Leaders
Episode 7 – 4 Questions to Guide Effectiveness of Your Staff
Episode 8 – Reasons We Don’t Effectively Make Disciples
Episode 9 – When the Leader “Misses” the Moment
Episode 10 – Encouragement During Hard Times in the Ministry
Episode 11 – Embracing “Shepherding”
Episode 12 – Effective Leaders Don’t Fly by the Seat of Their Pants
Episode 14 – Setting Effective Visions for Your Church
Episode 15 – 5 Things to Think About When Determining a Church’s Vision
Episode 16 – Think Like a Church-Planter, Not a Church-Reviver
Episode 17 – Effective Pastors Are Preachers, Pastors, AND Leaders
Episode 18 – Don’t Confusing “Feelings” With Heartfelt Worship
Episode 19 – The Key to Discipleship: Spend Time With God Daily
Episode 20 – Pastors of Growing Churches Dream BIG
Episode 21 – Having the Right People in the Right Places Doing the Right Things is Crucial
Episode 22 – Making Hard Calls – Reaching Others With the Gospel
Episode 23 – Characteristics of an Effective Pastor
Episode 24 – Leaders Must Lead, Avoid Fear
Episode 25 – Seven Ways to Saturate the Church Body with the Vision Statement
Episode 26 – The Right, Reasonable, and Biblical Responsibilities of the Local Pastor
Episode 27 – The Revolutionary Principle – Being an Experimental Church
Episode 28 – Your Church’s Work Environment – Which is it?
Episode 29 – One Statement Pastors of Growing Churches Never, Ever Make
Episode 30 – How to Purposefully Attain and Retain Volunteers
Episode 31 – Should Your Church Have a “Meet and Greet” Time?
Episode 32 – Practical Practices of Pastors Who Make it to the End
Episode 33 – Seven Excellent Elements of a Vision-Casting Talk
Episode 34 – “On Your Knees” Leadership
Episode 35 – The Most Important and Most Overlooked Principle When Budgeting
Episode 36 – Two Sensible and Wise Ways to Kill an Ineffective Ministry
2018
Episode 1 – 5 Undeniable Resolutions Transformational Pastors Should Make
Episode 2 – The Art of Saying, “No”
Episode 3 – Four Pitfalls Every Church Leader Should Avoid Like the Plague
Episode 4 – Four Creative Ways to Say Thanks to Church Leaders
Episode 5 – Six Reasons a Church-Wide Campaign is Great for Your Church
Episode 6 – Are You a Leader? Leaders Take People Where They Need to Go.
Episode 7 – Church Discipline, Protecting the Church You Lead
Episode 8 – Five Words of Wisdom for Courageous Pastors and Church Planters
Episode 9 – Four Types of Post-Christian Era People and the Needs of Each
Episode 10 – Is an out of Control Church the Best Kind?!
Episode 11 – Is Your Church a Disciple-Making Church? Six Behind-the-Curtain Indicators
Episode 12 – Koinonia in a Post-Christian Era
Episode 13 – Leading a Church … What Moses Teaches Us
Episode 14 – The 8 Y’s of TEAM
Episode 15 – Pastor/Leader or Preacher/Boss, Which Are You?
Episode 16 – Biblical Goal Setting
Episode 17 – Five Words That Are Derailing Disciple Making
Episode 18 – 10 Things I Learned From My Dad Every Pastor Needs to Know
Episode 19 – The Stand Alone Pastor
Episode 20 – The Transitioning Church Leader … 10 Practices Learned in the Trenches
Episode 21 – The 4 Most Important Questions a Pastor Will Ever Ask
Episode 22 – Leader … How to Protect Yourself from Your Own Tendencies
Episode 23 – The Most Important Qualities and Skills of An Effective Leader
Episode 24 – Three Statements and One Undeniable Reality for Churches Considering Revitalization
Episode 25 – Leading the Unleadable
Episode 26 – Helping Church Members Understand Faith and Doubt
Episode 27 – 3 Practical Necessities for Pastors Who Lead Volunteers
Episode 28 – Do You Have to Love the Staff You Lead?
Episode 29 – Getting Shame, Guilt and Sin Out Into the Light
Episode 30 – Seven Words of Encouragement for the Volunteers You Lead
Episode 31 – Three Questions Every Pastor Should Ask Daily
Episode 32 – What to Do on the Days You’re Overly-Sensitive
Episode 33 – The One Word That’s Jump Starting Disciple Making
Episode 34 – When Hiring Staff Members, Be Aware and Beware of Your Personal Biases
Episode 35 – 3 Things Pastors Could Learn from My Emergency Room Doctor
Episode 36 – The Power of a Synergistic Conversation
Episode 37 – Wise Awarenesses Pastors Should Keep in Mind During the Christmas Season
2017
Episode 1 – Four Essential Leadership Principles That Are Learned In the Trenches
Episode 2 – 3 Redemptive Acts That Will Make Your Church a Magnet for Sinners
Episode 3 – Seven Stages to Membership, Getting Guests to Stick
Episode 4 – Barriers to Church Growth: Overcoming Facility Barriers
Episode 5 – Barriers to Church Growth: Overcoming Pastor Barriers
Episode 6 – Barriers to Church Growth: Overcoming Outreach Barriers
Episode 7 – Barriers to Church Growth: Overcoming Financial Barriers
Episode 8 – Barriers to Church Growth: Overcoming Leadership Barriers
Episode 9 – Barriers to Church Growth: Overcoming Mindset Barriers
Episode 10 – Barriers to Church Growth: Overcoming Internal Structure Barriers
Episode 11 – Barriers to Church Growth: Overcoming Sunday School Barriers
Episode 12 – Barriers to Church Growth: Overcoming Spiritual Barriers
Episode 13 – Preaching, Three Encouragements of Jesus
Episode 14 – Building Relational Equity: Becoming a Coveted Conversationalist
Episode 15 – Building Relational Equity: Sharing the Right Spaces
Episode 16 – Seven Rules for Pastors Who Want to Experience a Rejuvenating Vacation
Episode 17 – Creating a Compelling Vision Statement
Episode 18 – Four Comments Pastors Should Ignore…Almost Always
Episode 19 – Leverage and Leadership
Episode 20 – The Most Effective Way to Recruit Long-Term Volunteers
Episode 21 – Pastor, Do Your Church Members Want to Be Healed – Really?
Episode 22 – How You Might Experience Inner Peace
Episode 23 – 5 Reasons to Leave the Church You’re Serving
Episode 24 – Pastor, Are You Growing the Kingdom of God or Building an Efficient Organization?
Episode 25 – Subculturing… The Church Must Escape Her Own, Evangelistic Necessities
Episode 26 – 7 Necessities for an Efficient Team Meeting
Episode 27 – The Most Dangerous Person in Any Meeting
Episode 28 – Living a Life of Leadership: 5 Expectations of Pastors Who Get It
Episode 29 – 5 Reasons to Remain at the Church You’re Serving
Episode 30 – 5 Often Overlooked Equity Building Leadership Necessities
Episode 31 – 5 Churches That Will Never Make Many Mature Disciples
Episode 32 – 5 Audacious Guidelines for Deacons and Elders Aspiring to Unity With the Church Staff
Episode 33 – 10 Practices of Senior Pastors Who Lead Change and Survive
Episode 34 – Four Mistakes Church Leaders Often Make During the Christmas Season
Episode 35 – Three Gifts Every Pastor Should Give Their Family for Christmas