“It’s The Mission, Stupid!” - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
"It's the mission, stupid" is applicable to an organization’s mission because of something known as “mission drift” or “mission creep.”
3 min read
Jim Baker
Jim Baker
Viewing The Church As Principalities And Powers - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
When systems and powers of the world are allowed to operate as “rulers of darkness and wickedness in high places,” they do immense harm.
4 min read9 Essential Ingredients Of A Good Apology - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Dr. Harriet Lerner, clinical psychologist, and author says there are nine essential ingredients of a good apology.
4 min read
How To Spot Lies On A Ministry Resume - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Here are the most common ways I have observed that ministry candidates tend to stretch the truth on their resumes.
4 min read
How To Interview For Character - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
The most effective form of hiring involves a focus on interviewing for character. How do you interview for character? Here are 5 approaches.
4 min read
The Most Important Character Traits For Ministry Hiring - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Here are 40-character traits seen as desirable for someone in a position of ministry leadership. Select from the list the most important.
6 min read
Why You Should Consider Hiring for Character - Sacred Structures
In this first in a series of articles on how to hire for character we will examine the reasons you should include a strategy for interviewing for character in your church’s interview process. It may be helpful to first answer – what is character?
4 min read
How The Demise Of Church Recreation Ministry Contributed To The Loss of Connection - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Surveys show an increasing loss of relational connection in the church and across society. A trend that started pre-COVID is now an epidemic.
6 min read
How Setting Aside My Denominational Biases Sparked My Spiritual Growth - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
In this post we share sources for spiritual practices and provide 20 spiritual practices to consider adding to your spiritual growth regimen.
4 min read
Demystifying Spiritual Disciplines And Practices - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Faith moves from talking about it to living it when we learn a variety of spiritual disciplines and practices that nurture our spiritual lives
4 min read
Pastor, When You Hear Hoof Beats In The Hall Think Horses, Not Zebras - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Ockham’s razor is a useful tool for trimming the fat off complicated explanations associated with a particular ideology or philosophy.
5 min read
Understanding Sabbath as a Lifestyle - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
What does Sabbath as a lifestyle look like? It is a set of spiritual practices that can be practiced at any moment throughout our day.
5 min read
Slowing to the Speed of Soul - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
We have in fact two existential rhythms – the speed of the mind, and the speed of the soul. The speed of the mind is our default gear.
4 min read
Don’t Neglect the Relational Side of Your Soul Care - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Soul care is about cultivating your relationship with God and spiritual tools are needed to cultivate your relationship with God.
5 min read
Changing The Message Mix For Greater Spirituality And Transformation - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
These seven contrasts are presented as shifts in emphasis for countering the lack of inner transformation in church members,
4 min read
Spiritual Practice: Imaginative Meditation - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
The purpose of Ignatian prayer is so we might encounter Jesus through the medium of our minds and our capacity for imagination.
3 min read
Steps To Develop A Contemplative Dimension To Church Life - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Here are several ideas every church can implement as steps to foster a contemplative dimension to their community life.
5 min readPart II: Contemplative-Mystical Christianity Compared to Mainstream-Evangelical Christianity: A Comparison in Language, Emphasis, and Perspective - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Part II of a comparison of the language, emphases and practices between Evangelical Christianity and Contemplative-Mystical Christianity
6 min readContemplative-Mystical Christianity Compared to Mainstream-Evangelical Christianity: A Comparison in Language, Emphasis, and Perspective - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
In recent years I have come across two types of evangelical Christians who are interested in contemplative-mystical Christianity:
8 min readNew Year Resources For The Minister’s Soul Care - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
The following books draw from a rich heritage of Godly believers and offer practical suggestions for minister’s soul care.
3 min readTop 10 Posts And Resources In 2022 - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Top 10 Most Popular Posts In 2022 10 Tips For Setting Healthy Boundaries For Church Leaders How To Set Boundaries With Harmful People Radical Soul Care For Church Leaders January Is A Great Time To Create An Annual Spiritual Growth Plan Could Code Switching Be Why People Aren’t Returning To Your Church? How To Deal… Continue Reading
1 min read5 Things To Do If You Are Overly Invested In Ministry - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Being overly invested in your ministry can be detrimental to your professional, personal and spiritual life.
3 min readHow To Know When You Are Overly Invested In Your Ministry - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Invariably, negative traits begin to surface when you are overly invested in your ministry. And over investment can look like this.
3 min readHow To Tell An Employee They Made A Mistake - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
If you are responsible for supervising people one of the most difficult parts of your job is to point out the mistakes of those you work with
5 min readWhat To Do When You Are In Over Your Head - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
In this article we will look at what to do if you find yourself in over your head. Here are 7 practical tips for you to consider.
3 min readHow To Tell When You Are in Over Your Head - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Here are 8 signs of being in over your head that I learned to keep an eye out for. In our next post we’ll explore ways to avoid this problem.
4 min read20 Bad Boss Attributes And How To Avoid Them Part II - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Though not exhaustive, these remaining 10 attributes along with the previous 10 include the most negatively impacting of bad boss attributes.
5 min read20 Bad Boss Attributes And How To Avoid Them - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Hopefully, the following list of 20 prominent bad boss attributes and ways to fix them will provide help and guidance.
7 min readSteps You Can Take If You Discover You Are A Bad Boss - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
In this article we take a look at six potential steps you can take if you do discover that you are a bad boss.
3 min read12 Signs That You May Be A Bad Boss - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Let’s take a look at twelve different indicators that you may be a bad boss.
3 min readSolutions To The Peter Principle Problem - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Luckily, there are ways to prevent employees from falling into the Peter Principle trap and steps you can take to prevent the problem.
4 min readWhat Is The Peter Principle? - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
The idea of the Peter Principle is that people tend to get promoted until they reach a position which they cannot perform successfully.
4 min readHow To Increase Your Network - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
How to network strategically is an incredibly powerful career. In this article we will share some ways to improve your networking skills.
3 min readWhy Your Network Is Your Net Worth - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Networking is a skill has always been important, but maybe now more than ever. Let’s look at a several reasons why.
4 min readSteve Jobs 3-Point Formula For Leading Effective Meetings - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
With some tweaks, here’s the “Meeting Rule of 3’s” inspired by Job’s approach to leadership meetings that lead to more effective meetings.
4 min readShould Specialists Or Generalists Sit At The Church Staff Leadership Table? - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Specialists and generalists typically bring different perspectives to the table, and each has its own set of strengths and weaknesses.
3 min readThe Value Of Deep And Wide Thinking - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Though debatable and not exhaustive, here are 10 common examples of deep and wide thinking to consider, and ways to develop them.
4 min read11 Ways To Move Groups Into Greater Trust - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Shelly Francis has identified eleven “touchstones” or “ground rules” to help move groups into greater trust, belonging, and understanding:
3 min readHow To Deal With A Control Freak Boss - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Here are some tips to consider in dealing with a controlling boss.
3 min readWhat Makes A Control Freak Boss - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Most control freak bosses have a common set of characteristics that are easy to spot. Let’s take a look at several.
4 min readThe Challenge Of Context Switching – Mastering the Art of Focus - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Context switching is a silent killer of focus, accuracy and productivity. Context switching is constantly moving from one task to another.
5 min read
Why It Is Important For Church Leaders To Understand The Adaptive Cycle - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
The Adaptive Cycle is a way to understand the natural evolutionary stages of an individual, system, organization, church or even a society
3 min readWhy Religious Leaders Abuse Their Power - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
The Most Frequent Warning Signs Of Abusive Power provide clear warning signs for both leaders and followers to be on the lookout for.
4 min read5 Effects Powerful Leaders Are Blind To - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Many powerful leaders are totally oblivious to the effects the power of their words and actions have. Let’s look at five of those effects.
5 min readSome Things You Just Can’t Learn From Working At Home - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
There is plenty of evidence that there are benefits to remote work. Yet recent research points to eight big downsides to working from home.
4 min readYou Are Who You Are With - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Peer pressure to conform and capitulate may look different in adolescence than adulthood but the reasons are virtually the same.
4 min readChange Agent Leadership and Process Driven Leadership Are Not Mutually Exclusive - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Why are change agent leaders often resistant to putting their proposed change through a process? Six possibilities come to mind.
6 min readThe Power Of The Minimum Allocation Of Resources Principle - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
The Minimum Allocation of Resources Principle is an approach to resource management that every effective and efficient manager understands.
3 min readThe Power Of Scarcity Mentality - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Is a scarcity mentality all bad? Not necessarily. Especially when viewed through the lens of organizational management.
6 min readThe Power Of Abundance Mentality - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
With the right support system and a commitment to these attributes you can recognize and change thought patterns toward an abundance mindset.
5 min readLeadership Lessons From The Stone Soup Fable - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
The Stone Soup Fable serves as a metaphor for at least three necessary leadership attributes that include the following:
4 min readHow To And Not To Support People In Pain - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Being equipped with practical dos and don’ts for supporting those going through pain is a good step for overcoming our uncertainty.
7 min readDo I Stay Or Do I Leave? - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
When contemplating whether to stay or to leave a situation ask the following questions
4 min readWhen You Are Undervalued - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
If you are undervalued or lack opportunities commensurate with your gifts, don’t try to change your current audience, change audiences.
4 min readHow To Set Boundaries With Harmful People And Boundary Violators - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
It isn’t easy to set boundaries with people who you find toxic, unhealthy and personally harmful, but you are not powerless.
5 min read
Ten Tips For Setting Healthy Boundaries For Church Leaders - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Setting boundaries doesn’t come easily or naturally to many church leaders, but you can learn to set healthy boundaries.
4 min read
Four Types Of Personal Boundaries Every Church Leader Needs To Build - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
There are many types of personal boundaries and different ways of classifying them. Four are essential for church leaders to understand.
9 min read
Understanding Healthy Boundaries – What Are They Anyway? - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Many ideas are rooted in a misunderstanding of exactly what healthy boundaries are and what they accomplish.
3 min read
Radical Soul Care For Church Leaders - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Radical soul care is unapologetically taking care of your spiritual growth needs first, however that may look.
4 min read
Now Is The Time For Radical Self-Care - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Radical self-care is the assertion that you have the responsibility to take care of yourself first before attempting to take care of others.
6 min read
Now More Than Ever We Need The 7 A’s of Biblical Confession and Reconciliation - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
In Ken Sande’s book, Resolving Everyday Conflict, he shares the 7 A’s of biblical confession and reconciliation.
3 min read
Could Code-switching Be Why People Aren’t Returning To Your Church? - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Jeremy Hall offers five possible solutions for churches to eliminate or at least mitigate the need for code-switching.
4 min read
There Are Only 3 Possibilities In Any Argument - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
In the midst of discord, it is helpful to remember that there are really only three possibilities with any argument.
4 min read
Church Leaders Should Emulate This CEO’s Example Of Emotional Intelligence - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Bob Iger’s reason for resigning, “I started listening less,” is a rare example of emotional intelligence from any CEO or leader
4 min read
How To Follow Up With Someone Who Doesn’t Reply To An Email - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
We’ve all been there: You email someone providing them with information or asking for an appointment or input and you get no reply.
5 min read
3 Questions Every Church Must Answer To Improve The Onboarding Experience For New Hires - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Many facets of onboarding will vary from employee to employee, but answering the following three questions should be central
2 min read
Practical Strategies for Church Leaders For A Better Staff Onboarding Process - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
The following strategies help supervisors/managers create an onboarding experience that includes the people, learning and process elements
4 min read
The Three Common Elements New Employees Want In An Onboarding Experience - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
In this article we share the three common elements that new employees want in an onboarding experience according to research
4 min read
The “Stay Conversation” – The One Conversation Church Leaders Should Now Be Having With Their Staff - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Stay conversations can reveal challenges and risk factors for turnover and maybe more importantly, show church staff that you truly care.
4 min read
What Will You Let Go Of In 2022? - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Letting go always feels somewhat like death. Letting go and letting God is in fact a form of dying….dying to self.
4 min read
January Is A Great Time To Create An Annual Spiritual Growth Plan - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
An Annual Spiritual Growth Plan Template, completed each January, can provide a plan for meaningful engagement with spiritual practices.
2 min readTop 10 Most Read Church Leadership Resources In 2021 - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
The Sacred Structures Website offers 75+ free church leadership resources. Here are the Top 10 Most Read Church Leadership Resources In 2021
1 min readTop 10 Most Read Posts In 2021 - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
I like to take the opportunity at the end of each year to share the most read blogs on my website. Here are the Top 10 Most Read Posts In 2021
1 min read
Dream Alliance - A Tale About The Value Of Listening To The Opposition - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
In today’s public and private discourse listening to the opposition is considered taboo, much less yielding to their position.
4 min read
We Have To Become Better Fruit Inspectors - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
In Matthew 7 Jesus is calling us to be “fruit inspectors” when it comes to selecting our leaders and those who we follow.
4 min read
An Annual Spiritual Growth Plan Template And Example - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
This modifiable template provides a practical way to establish and track annual spiritual growth-related goals and initiatives.
1 min read
When Protecting The Church Goes Awry - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
My generation of church leaders were taught that a key part of our responsibility is protecting the church as an institution.
4 min read
What Does A Pastor Accountability And Support Team Look Like? - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Most churches want to provide their Senior Pastor with the support and accountability that enables him to flourish yet, they don’t know how.
4 min read
Senior Pastor Evaluation And Accountability Template - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Here is an example of a pastor accountability and evaluation template. It is designed to be modifiable and expandable so it can be customized
3 min read
The Conundrum Of Pastor Accountability And Evaluation - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
In a church world that has become decidedly pastor-led, effective pastor accountability and evaluation is more elusive than ever.
5 min read
Senior Pastor Goals and Objectives Template - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
This template may be used by a Pastor and/or his Accountability Team to record annual goals, objectives and initiatives in each of his various job duties and to report against them quarterly. Goals, or objectives, along with potential initiatives should be completed no later than early January and reported against at least quarterly. An Elder… Continue Reading
2 min read
Seven Approaches For Addressing Social, Political and Theological Differences - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Many who are in vocational ministry are beginning to accept the uneasy reality that for the remainder of their career they will have to deal with an increasing divide over an array of social, political and theological issues.
4 min read
Is Christianity An Adolescent Religion? - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Historical Christianity is not an adolescent religion, it’s what we’ve done to it in recent centuries that creates these perceptions.
5 min read
Sources Of Power In Church Leadership: Empowerment - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Today empowerment is a commonly used buzzword. Everyone is for it but most of us find it difficult to achieve.
4 min read
Sources of Power In Church Leadership: Power Within - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Only those who are in touch with the Power Within can come to a selfless use of power or have the willingness to become powerless.
4 min read
Sources Of Power In Church Leadership: Power With - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Power With leaders believe that no one person or one group should be in a position to know what is best for another.
4 min read
Sources Of Power In The Local Church: Power Over - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Most of what we think of as power today is Power Over, because our culture has been defined by a Power Over mindset.
3 min read
Approaches To Power In Church Leadership - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Two important approaches to Power in church leadership I refer to as Personal Power, or ME Power, and Polity Power, or WE Power.
5 min read
Authoritarianism and Egalitarianism In Church Leadership - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Churches in America tend to lean toward either authoritarian or egalitarian philosophies in their polity and leadership structures.
4 min read
When Religion Hurts: Gender Inequality and Health in Churches - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Alienating women from even rudimentary forms of institutional power appears to be particularly damaging to physical and emotional health
3 min read
It’s Harder To Stay There Than To Get There - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
A question that is often asked in career discussions is, “are you willing to pay the price?”
6 min read
Is There Really A Silver Bullet To Running A High Performance and High Development Staff Culture? - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Gallup discovered that great managing and supervising is an act of coaching, not one of directing and administrating.
3 min read
Why Ministers Need To Understand The Four Foundational Principles Of Emotional Intelligence - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Emotional Intelligence is a broad term, therefore researchers have broken it into four foundational principles to help us understand our EQ
4 min read
The Three Kinds of Empathy: Emotional, Cognitive, and Compassionate - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Empathy is a vital skill for the minister to possess. And the type of empathy that you express matters as well.
4 min read
What Is Empathy and Why Is It Important in Ministry? - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Alfred Alder says that empathy “is seeing with the eyes of another, listening with the ears of another and feeling with the heart of another”
4 min read
Church Leader, Are You An Empath? - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
If you are in ministry there is a better than average chance that you are an empath, or at least have some of the attributes of an empath.
3 min read
What Is Spiritual Bypassing and What Should Church Leaders Know About It - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
If you are a church leader then chances are you have at one time or another practiced spiritual bypassing, whether you are aware of it or not.
5 min read
How To Pray An Examining Prayer - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
What is an examining prayer? Typically, it involves reflection on and evaluation of one’s thoughts, activities, and conduct.
4 min read
How To Get Staff To Want To Return To The Church Office - Sacred Structures by Jim Baker
Once COVID-19 restrictions are eased an important questions leaders will have to address is How do we get staff to want to work on-site?
7 min read