Archive for Tim Woodroof

Remembering Tim

by Mark Frost One month ago, HOPE Network lost a beloved partner, Tim Woodroof, who passed away after a courageous battle with lupus. The Kingdom of God lost a brilliant strategist, a tireless worker, a fearless leader, and a passionate advocate. We want to take a moment in this newsletter to reflect on Tim’s impact […]

Congregational Leadership in Anxious Times (Part 3): Being a Non-Anxious Presence

by Tim Woodroof –  “Showing up” may be the first step of effective congregational leadership. But exuding a calm, principled, hopeful demeanor is the “other shoe” that has to fall.[i] In times of crisis, members will be anxious enough for us all. If leaders allow themselves to be infected by such anxiety, if leaders become transmitters of such […]

Congregational Leadership in Anxious Times (part 2) – The Importance of Presence

by Tim Woodroof –  When it comes to congregational leadership, showing up is half the battle.[i] Leaders should never underestimate the power of simple presence. Most of the time, church members don’t need their leaders to be charismatic, eloquent, brilliant, and wise. They do need their leaders to be there, to be accessible and approachable, to be visible […]

Congregational Leadership in Anxious Times (part 1)

by Tim Woodroof Peter Steinke’s book—Congregational Leadership in Anxious Times: Being Calm and Courageous No Matter What—is a “must read” for church leaders in these difficult days. Every church constantly teeters on the brink of anxiety-inducing events that can tear it apart. A church leader is caught in an affair. A deacon embezzles funds. Theological […]

The Plateaued Church

by Tim Woodroof The conversion of Saul drained much of the energy from the persecution that had scattered the Jerusalem church. The arrests and seizures dwindled. So long as Christians kept their heads down, the Jerusalem authorities decided to leave them more-or-less alone. When word of that spread, believers began to drift back to the […]

Why Should Your Church Insist on an Interim Season (part 2 of 2) – Hard Truths

by Tim Woodroof Hard Truths about the Interim Season 1. Churches do not handle “treading water” well. Any time (and for whatever reason) a minister is in a “lame duck” role, the church is going to suffer. The longer the time of transition, the greater the suffering. Certainly it is appropriate to celebrate a beloved […]

Why Your Church Should Insist on an Interim Season (Part 1 of 2)

by Tim Woodroof Some churches have an interim season thrust upon them. A minister resigns to take another position … or has a moral meltdown. Suddenly the church finds itself “in between,” uncertain of the future and struggling to navigate a confusing present. But some churches have a different challenge. A long-term and beloved minister […]

Reframing “Opportunity” in the Interim Season (part 4 – conclusion)

by Tim Woodroof A Question of Leadership Of course, opportunities are not the same as realities. Though every transitioning church could experience these blessings, not all of them actually will. The difference boils down to leadership. Wise leaders look for and grasp the opportunities that present themselves during the interim season. Foolish leaders ignore or […]

Reframing “Opportunity” in the Interim Season (part 3)

by Tim Woodroof The Opportunity- continued from part 2 As uncomfortable as a ministerial transition can be for a church, the opportunities that open up are exciting. Stable churches are comfortable churches. They don’t reinvent themselves. They don’t “rock the boat.” They don’t ask unnecessary questions. The status quo is protected, even venerated. But churches […]

Reframing “Opportunity” in the Interim Season (part 2)

by Tim Woodroof The Opportunity As uncomfortable as a ministerial transition can be for a church, the opportunities that open up are exciting. Stable churches are comfortable churches. They don’t reinvent themselves. They don’t “rock the boat.” They don’t ask unnecessary questions. The status quo is protected, even venerated. But churches in transition don’t have […]

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