Archive for General

Church for Every Context: A Book I Wish Every Minister Would Read

by Jason Locke If you’re familiar with any of the blog posts from my sabbatical partly spent in the UK, then this book by Mike Moynagh explains a big piece of my research. During our 10 days based in Oxford, I got to visit with the author over cool drinks on a warm, summer afternoon. That two-hour […]

An Adaptive Change Project in Developing Leaders

by Scott Laird Are you feeling stuck as a church or a church leader? Your congregation has programs that run well but there is a sense that the church as a whole and many individuals have not discovered nor employed their spiritual gifts. As a mid-sized, program-based church in a mission field, our congregation must […]

The Importance of a Guilt-Free Zone

by Shannon Rains “No-guilt zone, dear friend.” These words began an email that Grady King sent to me in December. I couldn’t make a HOPE Network connection call, so I sent a note apologizing. He saw past the short note of explanation and spoke to my heart. I hadn’t considered that I felt guilty for […]

Leaders Influence Hope

by Evertt Huffard The reasons I have been invited to consult with church leaders could be anything from feeling overwhelmed by a crisis to being puzzled by an inability to move forward. The motivation to bring in someone to assist the leaders proves to be even more varied and complex depending on personality, experience, culture, […]

Some Keys to Developing a Discipleship Culture

by Scott Laird I heard the phrase “cut flower culture” years ago and its image still resonates. Cut flowers are beautiful, they smell good, provide color to our homes, and sometimes get a husband out of trouble. The problem is cut flowers are separated off from their roots and life itself. Many of the roots […]

Engaging the Future as Leaders and Congregations

by Grady D. King, D.Min Most leaders and congregations know the term “normal” means the future will not be like the past. What it looks like in terms of people in the pew, programs, and mission is uncertain. The loss of regular attendees is a pandemic reality. Empty pews translate to anxiety. If we only […]

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 […]

The Incredible Potential of Mentoring

by Jim Martin I was a young minister who was eager, passionate, and committed to ministry. I was also keeping a counseling schedule that was intense and demanded long hours. I was seeing people not only from our congregation, but also from other congregations in our community. Afternoons were often difficult and emotionally raw listening […]

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