Archive for Jon Mullican

Facilitating Mediation: Understanding The Peacemaking Possibility

by Jon Mullican Most people work hard to avoid conflictual situations. Conflict creates discomfort. Conflict means to most that someone wins, and someone loses; to avoid losing or losing relationships, we sidestep the issue, the conversation, and the confrontation. Churchgoers follow this pattern well. Who wants to fight at church? Who wants to get into […]

Need a Vision for your church family? Start here.

by Jon Mullican   Vision work is imaginative work, using our God-given minds to generate an image of a preferred future.  In Revelation 21, God tells of a future with a “new heaven and a new earth” where there is no pain and no tears.  This is God’s dream for His people. Functionally then, envisioning […]

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 […]

Principles of Elder Selection Processes

by Jon Mullican –  Almost every church chooses leaders. Churches of Christ usually select “elders” to serve and lead congregations. Some churches also call them “shepherds.” Paul writes in Timothy 3 and in his letter to Titus (Titus 1:5-9) about the qualities a shepherd and his wife should possess. Most Churches of Christ use these […]

Severance and Minister Transitions

by Jon Mullican –  As HOPE Network Ministry Partners travel to churches across the country coaching them in various areas of ministry (leadership, vision work, governance, transition to new preaching minister), we have seen many different approaches to minister transitions.  By their own admission, some churches have transitioned ministers poorly.  Other churches have gained a reputation […]

Principles of Shepherd-Selection Processes

by Jon Mullican – Almost every church chooses leaders. Churches of Christ usually select “elders” to serve and lead congregations. Some churches also call them “shepherds.” Paul writes in Timothy 3 and in his letter to Titus (Titus 1:5-9) about the qualities a shepherd and his wife should possess. Most Churches of Christ use these […]

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 […]

Beyond Ouija Board Leadership (part 2 of 5)

by Jon Mullican Last Wednesday’s post compared 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 […]

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