Matthew 4:19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”  Based on this scripture, Dr. Woods most recent workshop encourages the congregation to see their church through the eyes of the fish, i.e. the unchurched and those who have never experienced “church” at all. How can we more effectively reach the lost and how can we insure a pleasant experience from the parking lot to the restroom to the pews? How user friendly is your church? You might be surprised. Dr. Woods is available to come and speak with your leadership and/or congregation. Hit “Contact” and send him a message if you are interested.

This study is focused on how a pastor positions oneself at the onset of his new charge in order to better his or her chances of being a successful and fulfilled pastor. Bishop John Richard Bryant, Senior Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and once pastor of a multi-thousand member church in Baltimore, Maryland, shared these words with me. When asked, “How do you continue to grow when you find yourself plateauing or hitting a glass ceiling?” he responded, “I had to constantly reinvent myself.” He did not say he reinvented the church, as many of us attempt to do. He said that we must reinvent ourselves. Though this study is written with a focus on the first year of ministry in an existing congregation, the principles and insights shared here can be informative, transformative and just as effective for any church leader who is at a place where they are ready to reinvent themself.

Coming into a new congregation can be unnerving, even for the experienced Pastor. In this book, Dr. Woods interviewed members and clergy alike seeking to better understand the mistakes pastors often make in the first year and how they can position themselves for longterm effectiveness and success. This book is available on Amazon.com in both hardcopy and Kindle Digital Download.