Author Archive for Beth Hadley – Page 5

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 passages […]

Performance Evaluations (Part 4): Church Staff Performance Evaluation and Its Impact on the Kingdom

by Greg Anderson This is the last post in a series on church staff performance evaluation. In previous posts, we discussed how co-discovery, defining essential competencies, writing job descriptions, etc., can benefit staff, leaders, and the local church. In this post, we broaden our perspective to include how performance evaluation benefits the Kingdom of God. […]

Performance Evaluations (Part 3): How Church Staff Performance Evaluation Benefits the Church

by Greg Anderson Ministry can be difficult and there are many reasons why. Sometimes ministers create difficulty by not being team players. At other times, church leaders’ formal expectations, those written in a job description, do not match tacit expectations, those written in their hearts. Sometimes, church member attitudes encourage ministers to scour the classifieds. […]

Performance Evaluations (Part 2): The Church Leader’s Role in Performance Evaluation

by Greg Anderson Luke 14:28-30 28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? 29 For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, 30 saying, ‘This person began […]

Performance Evaluations (Part 1): Using Performance Evaluation in a Church Staffing Context

by Greg Anderson How do you know your church staff members are performing their jobs satisfactorily? Do you base opinion of staff success solely on member feedback or are you more intentional with performance criteria? Have you defined performance criteria? Do you have a set schedule in place to provide feedback to church staff members related to […]

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 […]

Congregational Leadership in Anxious Times (Part 2): The Importance of Presence

by Tim Woodroof When it comes to congregational leadership, showing up is half the battle.[i] Leaders should never underestimate the power of simple presence. Most of the time, church members don’t need their leaders to be charismatic, eloquent, brilliant, and wise. They do need their leaders to be there, to be accessible and approachable, to be visible […]

Congregational Leadership in Anxious Times (Part 1)

by Tim Woodroof Peter Steinke’s book—Congregational Leadership in Anxious Times: Being Calm and Courageous No Matter What—is a “must read” for church leaders in these difficult days.[i] Every church constantly teeters on the brink of anxiety-inducing events that can tear it apart. A church leader is caught in an affair. A deacon embezzles funds. Theological […]

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 […]

When Strength Seems Gone

by Carolyn and Lynn Anderson “Whoever serves must do so with the strength that God provides, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ”—1 Peter 4.11. The Strength that God Provides Several summers ago, as Carolyn was leading a group of Pastor’s wives in an interdenominational retreat, she pointed them to […]

X