by Jason Locke Several years ago, a prominent Christian man attended a gathering of church leaders from a particular denomination. On this occasion, the church leaders came together to discuss enormous needs in their major metropolis. They were aware of growing food insecurity, unmet mental health needs, and so forth. Their prominent Christian guest […]
Author Archive for Beth Hadley
by Kathrine Pimentel Whatever you do, don’t say the word “evangelism.” That’s what a small group of Christian high schoolers told me while discussing the topic of sharing the Gospel. In a world where everything has become offensive, you can add the word “evangelism” to the list. In the moment, it would have been […]
Authors : Kathrine Pimentel
by Delores Orcutt, MSN-PHN, RN, FCN Conducting a needs assessment may be an unusual topic to read about in a church publication. It is typically reserved for secular organizations like business or public health. However, a church community is an ideal place for this effort. This article will explain the what, why, and how […]
Authors : Delores Orcutt
by George and Dana Welty In twenty-five years of working with youth groups, we often told teens at the end of a mission trip, “We do mission trips to teach you that you don’t need a mission trip to do these kinds of things.” With those trips, we intentionally created space for spiritual gifts […]
Authors : Dana Welty, George Welty
Tags : Outreach, Servant Leadership
by David Eller Most of us raised in our culture that places such a high value on productivity view the idea of taking a sabbatical as counter intuitive. We accept the concept for professors and pastors, but not elders. A sabbatical is purposefully setting aside our responsibility for a period of time. Is that […]
Authors : David Eller
Tags : self care, Shepherds/Elders
by Scott Laird “We want/need more elders,” is a consistent message shared by leaders in Churches of Christ. Forty-three years of supported ministry in churches in Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Montana have led me to conclude that existing leadership must develop new leaders and elders from within the people the Lord has already given His […]
Authors : Scott Laird
by Jason Thompson The model for plural church leadership finds its origin in our holy, triune God, who exists in perfect relationship. From the beginning, He has invited us into that divine relationship—calling us to serve and lead within the context of the local church. Throughout scripture and history, God has consistently worked through […]
Authors : Jason Thompson
Tags : shepherding, Shepherds/Elders
by Jim Martin So what does shepherding look like practically? The following are some best practices for shepherding people in the congregation: 1. Listen well and give others your presence. Good shepherds learn to listen well. This means paying attention to the content, feelings, and body language of others. Those who listen well are […]
Authors : Jim Martin
Tags : shepherding, Shepherds/Elders
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 […]
Authors : Jon Mullican
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 […]
Authors : General
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