Author Archive for HN Admin

Tell Me a Story

by Amanda Box   Church leaders have no small task in finding a way forward for our church families. There will always be intense controversies and difficult challenges on every front. That’s part of what it means to lead people who care deeply and who aren’t shy about saying so. In these moments, when leaders […]

How to Affirm and Celebrate Our Volunteers

by Dana Welty   How do we talk about volunteering in a culture so completely different from the one the original writers of scripture addressed? Did the first-century church have teens needing community service hours? Was there an apostle who guilted them into teaching the children because there were not enough teachers for Sunday School […]

Accountability and Energy in Ministry

by Evertt Huffard   Accountability in Christian ministry begins in a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. The Messiah gave his disciples a mission in life, a community to thrive in, and a promise to be with them. He modeled accountability to the Father and called all disciples to imitate him. “If you keep my […]

Teaching Truth with Grace in a Time of Tension

by Brad Cox   We are living in a politically charged season marked by sharp disagreements, quick judgments, and a constant pull to choose sides. Unfortunately, in many ways the church has found itself in a similar season. Topics that used to be cut and dry are suddenly up for discussion.   Members in the same […]

Say “Yes” to Church Strategy Sessions: Clarifying Your Mission & Vision

by Chris Goldman   As part of my work with leadership teams for companies engaging our marketing services at bizmktg.com, we begin with a strategy session. This session is usually four hours long and helps clarify the mission, vision, and organizational messaging. For every company or nonprofit organization, this must be uniquely authentic as good […]

Vision and Strategy in Times of Transition: Leading with Purpose

by Steven Carrizal   Transitions have a way of disrupting what church leaders tend to value most—continuity, constancy, and predictability or perhaps in another word, peace. With transitions come a sense of uncertainty and reactivity that is often soothed by seeing a problem to solve and looking for a quick fix that has long term […]

Introducing Vision and Mission

by Greg Anderson As a church prayerfully wrestles with its future, it is wise to ask and answer two very important questions:  What is our church’s vision?  What is our church’s mission?  If no one in your church can answer those questions, then you have some serious work to do. Why are vision and mission […]

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 […]

Not on Sunday

by Amanda Box   Sunday is a really interesting filter. When I worked with guests and new members at our church, I noticed a couple of Sunday/not Sunday patterns. One is that people would tell me almost anything Monday through Saturday, but probably not very much on a Sunday. I don’t think it’s all that […]

Utilizing Digital Communication: Best Practices for Engaging Your Congregation Online

by Dana Welty   What must I do? Scroll or Toil?  As a communication major, we had a beloved professor who emphasized, “Communication occurs when a message is not only sent, but received.” In a world where communication has changed dramatically due to technology, how do we make sure our church messages are sent to […]

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