Archive for Healthy Church

Spaghetti, Marshmallows, and Ministry

by Amanda Box The spaghetti marshmallow game is a famous activity used to teach group dynamics. It was created by Peter Skillman, who wanted to discover why some groups worked together successfully and others did not. In the game, a group is given 20 sticks of spaghetti, one yard of tape, one yard of string […]

Leadership as Immune System

by Jon Mullican Peter Steinke has equated leadership to the body’s immune system.  According to Steinke, leadership establishes the boundaries of what is of self – what belongs in the body – and what is foreign – what is not of the body.  Leadership is responsible to identify behavior that is allowed and behavior that […]

Who Are We Called to Be in These Turbulent Times

by Lynn Anderson A Larry McMurtry novel takes us back to the 1870s, where we meet Mr. Brookshire,  standing on the windy streets in Amarillo, Texas. He is a railroad accountant from Brooklyn, New York, and has come west to line up some Texas Rangers to help him catch a train robbers gang. But Brookshire […]

What I’m Learning in HOPE Network

Grady D. King, D. Min grady@hopenetworkministries.org   The call went something like this. Church Leader: “Could you help us find a minister?” Me: Tell me about your church. Church Leader: “We have some good people. We just need the right minister.” Me: Why would a minister with the characteristics you describe want to come? Sounds […]

The Vanguard Principle for Leaders

by Tod K. Vogt, guest contributor from Mission Alive Near the end of the movie The Patriot, in the climactic battle scene between the British forces and the American Continental Army, two leadership styles emerge. British General Lord Cornwallis and his junior commanders sit safely atop their mounts at the rear of the battlefield. Mel […]

Three Groups of Church Leaders Close to My Heart

by Grady King: The following is in light of 15-20 hours of conversations, emails, texts, and video conferences with church leaders this past week—male and female. Without exception, lack of spiritual leadership, vision, courage, and poor processes are common topics. I am blessed to serve in HOPE Network listening, praying, encouraging, mentoring, guiding, sharing resources, […]

Fired! Terminated! Let go! (We’re going a different direction…”)

by Grady King– Say it anyway you want, termination is always difficult, no matter which side of the desk you are on. When it comes to the termination of a minister, the ramifications are legion for him, his family, the leadership and the church. In recent weeks I have listened to the gut wrenching stories […]

On Practicing Civility

by Grady King – Civility is in short supply: no aspect of life is unscathed from a lack of civility—social, political, economic, family, and certainly religious. Civil conversations are a rarity. Fear and anger is the air we breathe. The media and social media exacerbate the milieu of hostility.  When we do not strive for […]

Characteristics of an Aligned Team

by Greg Anderson –  Have you ever been part of a team that is rowing in the same direction? It is a wonderful thing to experience. Everyone has embraced a specific vision and aligned head and heart with it. They have articulated a mission to help them get there. Enthusiasm is potent, all things seems […]

“Help, We Need a Preacher!” 4 Essentials in Time of Transition

by Grady King – The calls come often. “We’re looking for a preacher and wonder if you have any names we could contact.” My first response is always “Tell me about your congregation” followed by “What happened to your last preacher?” and the big question— “What is your process?”  The vast majority of the time […]

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