Forging Meaningful Partnerships with Local Organizations

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 […]

Engaging Youth in Outreach: Empowering the Next Generation

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 […]

Understanding Your Community: Conducting a Needs Assessment

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 […]

Inspiring Your Congregation to Serve

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 […]

Elders and Self Care: The Importance of Sabbaticals for Elders

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 […]

Creating a Mentorship Program for Emerging 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 […]

Often Overlooked Values of High-Functioning Elder Teams

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 […]

6 Best Practices for Shepherding People in the Congregation

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 […]

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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