I've been working on something for a long time, and I'll be honest β there were a dozen moments along the way where I almost filed it under "good idea, never finished." But I kept coming back to the same picture, the same problem, and the same group of leaders I kept meeting who needed it.
So here it is. My new book, Ministry Sync: Ten Decisions That Get Your Church Rowing in the Same Direction is officially out. π₯³
And for a limited time during launch week, you can grab the Kindle version for free. More on that in a second. First, let me tell you what this book actually is.
Here's the problem I wrote it for
Years ago, I sat in a staff meeting and watched eight good people work incredibly hard at cross-purposes for a full hour. Nobody was lazy. Nobody was rebellious. Everybody loved Jesus and loved the church. And every single one of them was rowing β just in a slightly different direction.
It wasn't effort. We had effort coming out of our ears.
The problem was that we were out of sync.
Here's the picture I can't shake: a rowing crew β eight people, one boat. When they're in sync, it's one of the most beautiful things in sports. Same direction. Same pace. One motion, eight bodies, and the boat just flies. But put eight equally strong, equally committed rowers in that same boat and let each one pull on their own count? Same strength, same heart β total chaos. The boat goes nowhere. It rocks. It spins. It wears everybody out. And here's the cruel part: the harder they pull, the worse it gets.
That's a lot of churches right now. Not a strength problem. A sync problem.
What Ministry Sync actually is
Ministry Sync is a field guide for getting your church in sync. Not a theory book. Not a memoir. Not another 200-page strategic planning binder that looks great on the shelf and collects dust by March.
It's the kind of book you write in, argue with your team about, and keep on the corner of your desk.
The heart of it is ten decisions β the Ministry Sync Framework β in an order that works, with the tools to build each one this season. Not someday. This season.
The ten decisions are:
- Purpose β Why do we exist?
- Mission β What are we pursuing right now?
- Vision β What impact do we want to make?
- Strategy β How will we do it?
- Values β Who are we, and how do we behave?
- Kingdom Mindset β What theological convictions drive us?
- Keystone Ministries β What activities hold us together and drive our growth?
- Target Audience β Who are we called and most likely to reach?
- Distinctives β What makes us different from every other church in town?
- Annual Calendar β When do the big things happen?
Work through them in order, write them down, and you've got a church in sync. Every chapter teaches you one part of the framework β and then walks you through actually building it. There's a tool at every step so you're not starting from a blank page at 11pm.
The last chapter is about keeping it alive: the retreat where you build it together, the one-page Sync Sheet where you write it down, and the meeting rhythm that keeps it from leaking out by spring.
Who this book is for
Can I be honest with you? I wrote this for the pastor who's tired of being busy but not moving. The one who works himself to the bone, loves the church with everything he's got, and still goes home on Sunday night with the quiet feeling that despite everyone's effort, they're not making any forward progress.
I wrote it for the church where the staff is solid, the volunteers are faithful, and somehow the boat still spins in circles.
I wrote it for the leader who's tried strategic planning before, came home from the conference fired up, bought the binder, ran the retreat β and watched the whole thing quietly evaporate by March. (If that's you, it's probably not your fault, and it's definitely not God's. Most plans die because they were never clear enough to remember, never written down where anybody could see them, or had no rhythm to keep them alive. We fix all three.)
Here's what I believe about you: you are not short on passion. You're not short on calling. What most of us are short on is clarity and systems. Passion without a plan drifts. Vision without execution dies on the vine while everybody stays busy. Ministry Sync is about closing that gap.
The Kindle version is FREE this week β here's what I'm asking in return
I want this in as many hands as possible. Not for any complicated reason β I just think too many good pastors and church leaders are grinding away at the wrong things because nobody ever handed them a simple, clear plan for getting in sync. I want to fix that.
So during launch week, you can download the Kindle version of Ministry Sync for free. Grab it. Read it. Use it with your team.
And if it helps you β or if you think it would help somebody else β I'd love to ask you for one thing: leave a review on Amazon. π
Here's why it matters. Reviews are what help other pastors find this book. When a worn-out lead pastor searches Amazon at 9pm looking for something practical, the number of reviews is one of the first things he sees. Every honest review β even a short one β puts this in front of a leader who might really need it.
So if you download it, read it, and it gives you one good idea β one thing you can act on Monday morning β would you take two minutes and let other pastors know?
π Get the FREE Kindle version hereβ
One more thing
I've spent a long time believing that most of the problems in a church aren't people problems. They're system problems. And most of those systems were never designed β they just accumulated, like weeds in a garden nobody planted.
The good news: most of your biggest problems are free to fix. They don't take more money. They don't take more people. They take clarity. And clarity is something you can give your church starting this week.
That's what Ministry Sync is for.
Go get it. Then tell another pastor.
Get a FREE Copy of Our New Book! π
Ready to get your team in sync? Head to Amazon and get the Kindle version of Ministry Sync Handbook: Ten Decisions That Get Your Church Rowing in the Same Direction for FREE during launch week.
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