Jeff Cochran is a consultant, writer, speaker and pastor who loves helping people people and organizations get unstuck and start living out the future they were designed for. He has over 15 years of experience in ministry, and is the both the host of the Next Level Leader podcast and the author of the “Next Level Leader” book. Jeff currently resides in Knoxville, TN with his wife and two boys, Malachi and Imri.
If you have bi-vocational pastors at your church, you’re not alone. More and more responsibility is being taken on every year by these heroes of ministry. The question is: what can we do to support them and ensure their longevity? Researcher Thom Rainer called the bi-vocational movement “a true revolution in the church.”1 He estimates…
“There’s no ‘I’ in team.” If you’ve ever played a team sport, then you have heard this quote. If you’ve been in ministry for long, you know it’s true. A team will always have a greater impact than an individual! There may not be an “I” in team, but there are two in limit! You see, limiting…
In fourteen years of ministry in the local church, I’ve heard one complaint from parishioners and staff above all others: “The church doesn’t communicate well.” One of my good friends in ministry calls this NETMA, which means “No one ever tells me anything!” The truth is, we could all get better at communication. If you…
Youth Ministry is tough, and can often be really lonely. As youth leaders, we face challenges that are unique and different. It’s all too easy to feel alone and powerless, and that’s exactly where the enemy wants you to be. I’ve been serving in youth ministry for over 13 years now, and I can’t tell…
The art of Sabbath is difficult for most pastors and church leaders today. In the hustle and bustle of the twenty first century, it’s easy to find yourself feeling like you’re always “on.” We know that taking a Sabbath is important, but preaching it and living it are two very different things. In all reality,…
Every youth leader I know wants to get better and grow their ministry. What’s crazy is many youth workers talk about growing their ministries, but do the things that break them. Odds are you want your ministry to grow. You want to reach as many students as possible. Here’s the deal though, if you’re not intentional you might to do the opposite….
Most things are better when they are in rhythm. This is true for music and dancing, and it’s just as true for life and youth ministry! You see, the truth is that everything in life has a rhythm, and finding the right rhythm is a requirement for success and satisfaction. When your ministry is in…
There are a lot of different youth ministry models to choose from. Different youth ministries do different things well, and we can all learn from each other. Regardless of the size of your ministry, we all have something to learn from one another! I learned a powerful youth ministry lesson from watching other youth ministries. As I’ve traveled and…