Archive for Conflict – Page 3

Beyond Ouija Board Leadership via Relationship (part 5 of 5)

by Jon Mullican This is the final post comparing leadership functioning in some churches with the game of Ouija:  questions are posed and decisions made based on hidden forces within and between the members that are not, or will not, be revealed.  Rather than allow mystery to remain the theme of leader interaction, it is […]

Beyond Ouija Board Leadership (part 4 of 5)

by Jon Mullican   Our recent posts compare leadership functioning in some churches with the game of Ouija: questions are posed and decisions made based on hidden forces within and between the members that are not, or will not, be revealed. Rather than allow mystery to remain the theme of leader interaction, it is possible to […]

Beyond Ouija Board Leadership (part 3 of 5)

by Jon Mullican Our recent posts compare leadership functioning in some churches with the game of Ouija: questions are posed and decisions made based on hidden forces within and between the members that are not, or will not, be revealed. It is possible to bring the forces out into the open and deal with them in […]

Listen, Someone Has to Go First

by Amanda Box Listening is one of the most validating things you can do for another person. When someone is sincerely listening to me, I feel significant, loved, and in context. M. Scott Peck says in The Road Less Traveled that the most valuable thing one can give another is to listen! Of course God […]

From Quick Fix to Healthy Assessment (Part 4: Managing Assessment – continued)

by Evertt Huffard In the last article, we discussed four interacting factors that every healthy church needs: spirituality, mission, organization, and relationships. Figure 2 expands the model. The wisdom of the spirit gives the spiritual basis for mission while good works flow through organization and relationships. This system approach also illustrates the responsibility of elders […]

From Quick Fix to Healthy Assessment (Part 3: Elements of a Healthy Assessment)

by Evertt Huffard In the last article in this series, we talked about how when leaders have the ability to walk by faith in tough times, the potential for a healthy assessment of the crisis will be more likely. Today we will discuss the elements of a healthy assessment. Elements of a Healthy Assessment When invited […]

From Quick Fix to Healthy Assessment (Part 2: Managing Self)

by Evertt Huffard Managing Self In the last article, we discussed three principles that have served me well in approaching a church crisis. These three principles have something in common–the need for leaders to manage their own fears and emotions in a crisis. Stress, personal attacks, threats, pain, anxiety and a host of fears can make […]

From Quick Fix to Healthy Assessment (Part 1)

by Evertt Huffard It happens to leaders all the time. When leaders in a church face a crisis, all attention and energy goes into “solving” the problem as quickly as possible–only to discover that the quick fix led to even greater problems. I was an elder long enough to understand why any church leader wants […]

Beware of Short-cuts

by Evertt Huffard I recently wrote a book review that takes a few minutes to read, 15 minutes to reproduce, but 15 hours to write. I often remind students that there are no short-cuts in ministry. The sin of plagiarism is the dishonesty of presenting the hard work someone else has done as if it […]

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 […]

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